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Pain from migraines, cluster headaches, and other types of headaches require very different treatments.

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Pain around the eye and throbbing on one side of the head � they're common headache symptoms, but what do they mean? "Many times people assume a headache is due to sinusitis, and they put up with it for years," says Dr. John ­Pettinato, a neurologist with ­Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Understanding your pain can help you find the best approach to treatment.

Do your gym shoes hurt your feet? Before you call the podiatrist, try the simple trick of adjusting your laces.

The average pair of human feet travels some 75,000 miles by the time they turn 50, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association. So, it's no wonder many women experience some foot pain from time to time.

If you're one of them, you might want to try a simple solution that may bring relief � adjusting your shoelaces, especially on your athletic shoes. Today's mass-produced shoes often don't accommodate the quirks of individual feet, which may be wide or narrow or have arches that are high or low. Retying your shoes can make adjustments for those differences, and in some cases, ease your pain.

When you live with physical pain, changing your reaction to it can help you better manage discomfort and obstacles.

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Dealing with chronic physical pain, no matter the source or severity, is a constant challenge, but sometimes the emotional pain that comes with it can be just as trying. In fact, more than half of people with pain feel they have lost control of their lives, according to the American Academy of Pain Medicine.

"In general, men tend to be less verbal about seeking help with their physical pain," says Dr. Ellen Slawsby, director of pain management at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Harvard's Massachusetts General Hospital.

Q. What exactly happens when I eat something cold and get an ice cream headache? Is it harmful in any way?

A. Ice cream headache, also known as "brain freeze" or cold-stimulus headache, is a headache some people get when they consume a cold food or beverage quickly. The pain is usually in the forehead or both temples, and it usually lasts less than five minutes.

Pain in this joint can curb your independence. Catch problems early, build strength, and avoid injury.

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It's easy to take your shoulders for granted. You don't think about them when you put your arm through a sleeve or reach out for something. But weak or injured shoulders can limit your daily function and rob you of your independence. You may not be able to open a door, push up from a chair or a couch, or tuck in your shirt without wincing in pain.

"Shoulder pain is common among older adults. Studies suggest it occurs in up to 31% of adults," says Amy Devaney, a physical therapist with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

Ask the doctors

Q. I'm currently taking a pill that combines 5 milligrams (mg) of oxycodone and 325 mg of acetaminophen. It keeps my pain under control and doesn't seem to interfere with other medicines I'm taking. However, I was reading about opioids and wonder if it falls in that category. If it does, should I be taking it?

A. Oxycodone is an opioid, but acetaminophen, the generic form of Tylenol, isn't. A combination of the two, sold as Endocet, Percocet, and Roxicet, as well as in a generic version, is a popular medication for pain control. Both oxycodone and acetaminophen should be used with caution. Oxycodone should be taken for the shortest time possible because long-term use of oxycodone has been associated with addiction and dependence. High doses of acetaminophen can cause liver damage.

Physical therapy may be an effective alternative to surgery in relieving joint and back pain.

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Exercising may be the last thing you want to do when you have a sore knee or aching back, but it might be the first thing you should do. Physical therapy has long been recommended following surgery. But for some, trying physical therapy before opting for surgery may be the better choice.

"You may be able to spare yourself the expense, pain, and recovery time of surgery," says physical therapist Karen Weber, clinical supervisor at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Outpatient Centers in Braintree and Quincy, Mass.

In the journals

Corticosteroid injections are used to ease short-term knee osteoarthritis pain, but a new study in the May 16, 2017, Journal of the American Medical Association suggests the treatment may not help in the long term.

Researchers recruited two groups of 70 people, average age 58, with knee osteoarthritis. One group received 40 milligrams of the steroid triamcinolone (Kenacort, Kenalog, Artistocort) every three months for two years, while the other group got placebo injections. By the end, pain scores � measured on a scale from zero for no pain to 20 for extreme pain � had dropped by only 1.2 points among the steroid group, while the placebo group's score dropped by 1.9 points, neither of which was clinically significant.

Sometimes pain has a purpose � it can alert us that we've sprained an ankle, for example. But for many people, pain can linger for weeks or even months, causing needless suffering and interfering with quality of life.

If your pain has overstayed its welcome, you should know that you have more treatment options today than ever before. Here, we've listed eight techniques to control and reduce your pain that don't require an invasive procedure � or even taking a pill.

Aches or numbness may keep you from doing the things you love. Find out what's behind your pain, and do something about it.

Hand pain becomes common as we get older. Tingling and numbness, aching or locking joints, and difficulty grasping objects are frequent complaints. But don't make your own diagnosis and suffer in silence. "It's difficult to discern between different types of hand pain. Some have overlapping symptoms," says Dr. Sang-Gil Lee, a hand surgeon at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Lee advises that you seek treatment as soon as possible for persistent hand pain, before it gets so advanced that it's tough to use your hands for even the simplest jobs, like brushing your teeth or buttoning a shirt.