If you have been suffering from migraines and headaches, you might want to look for natural headache remedies when the typical headache remedy medications don’t seem to work. Headaches can really put a halt on your life, making you miss work, lose out on much-needed social time, and also get behind on chores and other daily living tasks. If you are fed up with headaches and their affect on your life, here are a few natural headache remedies to try:
- Stretching: It’s common to experience muscle tension during a headache. When you address the tension in your muscles, you can also relieve the headache as well. You can do these stretches as part of a regular exercise routine or even if you feel a headache coming on. Point your chin forward, upward, and then towards each shoulder. Next, do some shoulder shrugs by lifting your shoulders up, then up and forward, then up and back. Isometric exercises help strengthen muscles without using a wide range of motion. Press your palm against your forehead and hold. Then press your hands against the sides of your head.
- Use hot and cold packs: This is a very safe technique with minimal side effects. If you feel a lot of tension in your neck, try applying a hot pack to relieve the pressure on your neck muscles. If you have a throbbing headache, apply ice packs to your temples. The artery that lies behind the temple becomes inflamed during a headache and starts to pulsate. Applying cold temperature to the area can help relieve the throbbing sensation.
- Drink the right beverage: For some people, drinking caffeinated beverages can cause a headache. For others, it can be just the right cure. Caffeine has the ability to constrict blood vessels, bringing them back down to their natural size. When blood vessels are no longer inflamed and throbbing, a cup of jo or strong tea can be just the right headache remedy. If you don’t like the taste of coffee, or are allergic to caffeine, try putting on the kettle instead. Tea has been used to eliminate headaches for centuries. Green tea is considered one of the best teas to soothe a headache. Some people prefer the calming qualities of chamomile tea, with its ability to relieve muscle tension and help a headache sufferer gently fall asleep. If you are one of the unfortunate people who suffer from nausea at the same time that you have a headache, you might try drinking peppermint or Sichuan lovage tea to calm the tummy. Ginger tea can also alleviate nausea while at the same time relieving the pain of headaches and the inflammation behind them.
Just because you have a headache, doesn’t mean you have to stop your plans and dreams. Research natural headache remedies online, talk to your doctor, and get advice from fellow headache sufferers. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for headaches, so don’t give up if one thing doesn’t work. Also, be proactive about making daily positive habits that will reduce your likelihood of having a headache in the first place, such as drinking plenty of water, reducing stress, and making fitness a priority.