Home Remedies for Headache and How to Prevent

Home Remedies for Headache and How to Prevent

Headaches are, undoubtedly, the perfect killjoy. You might be having a perfectly normal day and then suddenly you would start feeling an elevating pain in your head. Sometimes a headache might even spread in the temples and neck region. It could start as something avoidable but slowly turn into something downright unbearable making you cranky, annoyed and miserable. When a headache catches you off guard and you don’t have the time or the means to run to a pharmacy, a home remedy could come handy. Here, we give you a list of home remedies for headache that will reduce your pain quickly.

Types of Headaches and Their Causes

People rely on home remedies for headache instead of medications because they are organic and have no side effects. But before delving into the benefits of home remedies for treating headaches and the various ways of doing that, it seems apt to throw some light on the causes of headaches.

All headaches fall in either of the two categories: primary or secondary. A primary headache could just be a stand-alone illness whereas a secondary headache could be a manifestation of an underlying issue. Migraines, tension headaches and cluster headaches are examples of the former. On the other hand, the latter kind could be attributed to panic attacks, dehydration, concussion, overconsumption of alcohol, brain tumors, and more.

Either way, headaches happen when the nerves, blood vessels or muscles in the head or neck sensitive to pain are stimulated. Another reason could be a certain change in the chemical activity of the brain. While some kind of headaches could be easily treated at home, others require attention and assistance of a medical practitioner. But truth be told, most headaches could be treated in the sanctuary of your own home.

Benefits of Fixing that Headache the Natural Way

Pharmaceutical drugs, commonly known as medicines, are often the first choice of most people to treat any illness or disease, including headaches, mainly because they show faster results. But as medicines are composition of chemical substances, they come with a lot of side effects and are expensive too. That is where home remedies for headache come into picture which is a more holistic approach towards treating bodily issues. When we use the term “home remedies”, its connotation is “something that involves simple, natural and mostly unprocessed ingredients, having remedial, healing and therapeutic properties.”

There are tons of alternative natural effective treatments to cure headaches involving ingredients easily available in your kitchen or garden. They cost almost no money and have zero side effects. The only downside being that some home remedies for headache take time to show results instead of providing a quick fix.

Home remedies for headache

The following 11 natural home remedies for headache could come to your rescue in your struggle with that excruciating headache and help you get rid of it without medicine. Also, in order to know which home remedy will help you may vary depending upon the cause of headache. So, it’s always a good idea to first introspect to find out the actual reason for that debilitating headache instead of trying one thing after the other without any results.

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Cure it With Food

It’s a proven fact that intake of natural unprocessed foods is the cleanest and the healthiest way to nourish the body. Nature also offers some great pain relievers that can be easily found at home. The top five are as follows:

Ginger

Considered to be an elixir for headaches, ginger reduces inflammation of the blood vessels which provides instant relief to you, especially if your headache is not just a plain simple headache but a migraine attack when the intensity of the pain just simply shoots through the roof. Not only does ginger helps with the pain but also with the nausea that often accompanies a migraine attack. You can crush the ginger roots and mix it in your tea or consume it with lemon juice, both being in equal proportions or just make a paste out of some ginger powder by adding some water and apply it as a forehead mask.

Cinnamon

As much as cinnamon consumption on a regular basis can aid in weight loss, it also has analgesic properties. Again, grind it into powder form and apply a forehead cinnamon mask. It could show great results just within thirty minutes, after which you can wash it off with warm water.

Clove

Not only clove is a wonderful spicing agent but its cooling and pain relieving effect could soothe the throbbing pain in your head. Just crush a few cloves, put it in a handkerchief and keep inhaling its smell till you start feeling better. Or, you can mix a few drops of clove oil with a few drops of coconut oil and a tinge of salt and simply massage your temples with it for instant relief.

Herb it Up!

Basil, thyme, and rosemary are some of the best headache remedies probably present in your kitchen right now. But apart from being used for scenting, garnishing and adding flavor to foods, they are also great analgesics. Essential oils produced by these herbs could be massaged on the temples to banish your headache. Peppermint, chamomile, and lavender are certain other herbs that make great for a nice cup of herbal tea.

An Apple a Day, Keeps Headache Away

If you find yourself waking up with a headache in the morning for a few days in a row, it could be because of an acid-alkaline imbalance in your body. Apples, either consumed raw or in the form of apple cider vinegar, could help in restoring that balance. Apples also do great in controlling sinus-induced headaches. Although, a word of caution, always buy apple cider vinegar that comes with the ‘mother’ and consume it mixed with half a glass of water. You may even add honey and a few drops of lemon juice for flavor.

Massage those Pressure Points for Instant Relief

Gently massaging the pressure points on the back of your neck, sides of your forehead, or even the area between your eyebrows could bring you instant relief in headaches caused due to tension or stress.

Aroma Therapy Can do Wonders for You

The soothing fragrance of lavender or peppermint could make your headache disappear within minutes as it opens up clogged blood vessels. You can simply massage your forehead with lavender or peppermint based essential oil or light fragrant candles in your room or simply take a few drops of it on a tissue and inhale it.

Compress it Off

As all headaches are not the same, the treatment they require also differ. A migraine, which is a severe headache type often requires a cold compression which is useful in decreasing inflammation and constricting blood vessels. This could be done by applying a few ice cubes or frozen peas wrapped in a towel on your forehead for some time, fifteen to twenty minutes ideally. It could be repeated for the same duration after a small break, in case the pain still persists. If ice cubes or frozen peas are not available at home, you can even just take a shower with cold water which may also lessen the pain.

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A tension headache, on the other hand, requires a hot compression. So instead of ice cubes in a towel, apply a warm towel on your neck or on the back of your head, wherever it’s hurting the most. Again, a shower could also help to relieve a tension headache but with hot water instead.

Up Your Water Intake

Over 50% of the human body is made up of water. Water aids in most body functions, such as digestion, excretion, brain function, carrying nutrients to the cells in the body, to name a few. Hence, staying hydrated is crucial and many times a headache could be the body’s way to tell you that you are dehydrated. In that case, immediately have a few glasses of water. Rather, inculcate the habit of having 8-12 glasses of water every day.

Sleep it Off

Sometimes a headache might be an indication that your body is exhausted and drained of energy. A good sound sleep, ideally of 6-8 hours duration, is the ideal way to replenish your energy stores which might also relieve the headache.

Exercise is the Answer to Every Bodily Problem-Well Almost

The significance of exercise to keep your body and mind healthy and fit cannot be stated enough. You can choose any kind of aerobic activity of your choice. It could be jogging, running, swimming, cycling or maybe just walking but it will significantly reduce the frequency and intensity of your headaches.

Make Friends with your Yoga Mat

Yoga is considered to be a very effective stress reliever, which is a major cause of headaches many times. You should make a habit of practicing some form of yoga daily. If you are a beginner, you can join a yoga class or learn from videos on Youtube. Not only will it improve the overall quality of your life, but eventually you will notice a substantial difference in the frequency and intensity of your headaches as well.

Work on Your Definition of “Partying Hard”-Cut down the Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol acts as a diuretic, making you urinate more than usual. This can lead to a state of dehydration and consequently cause a headache. This is why most people wake up with a massive headache in the morning after partying hard the previous night. Getting yourself hydrated is the best home remedy for a hangover.

De-clutter your Life; De-stress your Mind

Frequent headaches, especially if they are tension or stress-induced, could be the sign of a deeper issue. The home ready for this kind of headache is, well, stay at home. Stay at home and spend time with your family and loved ones, whenever you can. It can do amazingly well to cope with stress or mental trauma that manifests into such headaches.

Chocolates

The ladies would agree more than the gents out there. Psychologically, there is a positive impact of chocolate consumption as it improves the mood. Moreover, the cocoa in chocolates has been said to reduce inflammation which is a major cause of migraines. Although it is always best to have it in moderation.

Lifestyle changes to cure headache

Some headaches require treatment through traditional medications. However, making small changes in your lifestyle could also go a long way tom keep you healthy.

Avoid foods that induce headaches

Avoid consuming processed foods and food additives that could trigger migraines, as much as you can. Some of the food that triggers migraines include eggs, dairy products, citrus fruits, and more.

Try to have a balanced lifestyle

You need to have regular meals, a minimum of 6-8 hours of sound sleep and perform physical activities every day. Many times, headaches are an indication of some kind of bodily imbalance. So, a balanced lifestyle could boost in restoring it in the long run.

Avoid Caffeine

Yes, you read that right, AVOID caffeine. Coffee or tea provides quick relief from headaches due to caffeine content, but you shouldn’t have too much of them. Caffeine has addictive tendencies and you might find yourself in a cycle where caffeine is providing you relief from headache. However, the lack of its consumption is actually the reason why you’re feeling the pain. Hence, caffeine avoidance should be the rule for you and its consumption, the exception.

These were some of the best home remedies for headache. Try these out next time you have a headache problem and get instant relief.