Natural Headache Relief

Many prefer natural headache relief because of the side effects of drugs. Natural treatments are generally harmless and it often makes sense to combine different solutions. Headaches or migraines can have different reasons.

Some natural treatments work therefore better for certain headaches than others. Assuming that your headache is not the result of a disease then you have either tension-type headaches or vascular headaches. Tension-type headaches are simply caused by overstraining of muscles. That can be strain of the eyes, face, teeth or muscles in the neck for instance. Relaxation and massage of these muscles can bring immediate relief.

Vascular headaches are caused by a dysfunction of the blood flow in the head. For still unknown reasons the blood vessels in the head take too much blood, dilate too much and causes the pain. Narrowing the arteries brings relief. Natural headache remedies which can influence these causes can bring pain relief. Here is an overview of what you can do. Many of the following tips are also useful in preventing headaches or migraines. Some are good to fight the pain when the headache has started already:

 1. Affect the blood circulation by taking a hot/cold bath or shower, making a cold compress to your forehead, a hot or cold compress to your neck or/and put your feet in hot/cold water.

 2. Feverfew tee has been a well known migraine treatment since centuries.

 3. Drink a cup of strong coffee. The caffeine narrows the arteries.

 4. Lavender and peppermint can relax. You can drink a tea or apply the oils to your temples, neck and hairline.

 5. It's reported that many foods can trigger headaches. Avoid refined sugar, sweeties, gums. Avoid cold stuff like ice cubes and ice cream as the sudden cold can cause headache. Avoid too much salt.

 6. Relaxation in a darkened room brings relief. Lie down and take slow deep breathes.

 7. Avoid skipping a meal. If you haven't eaten since a while and the headache starts, it can be because of the low blood sugar. Eat or drink something that gives you energy quickly, like fresh fruits or fresh juice but...

8. ...Avoid refined sugar at any case. Refined sugar will increase the blood sugar quickly and then it will drop quickly again. This can be a cause for migraines.

 9. Avoid bright or flashing lights.

 10. Reduce stress.

 11. Take supplements like magnesium, vitamin C, B vitamins (choline, niacin), tryptophan.

 12. Use Biofeedback and learn to control your body functions better. 

13. Acupuncture has helped many people with headaches and migraines.

 14. Aromatherapy can bring relief. Sniffing essential oils like lavender, peppermint or marjoram or applying them to the temples can help.