Headache Remedies

Researching headache remedies is the last thing that you want to do when you are struck with pains that range anywhere from mildly annoying to excruciating or blinding. Worse, you often find that writers about headache remedies focus on a few headache cures that only work for a segment of the population and end up not working for you. With many illnesses, modern medicine can apply a sure solution that works for nearly everyone. With headaches however, they seem to remain as mysterious and hard to cure as they has always been.

 

Mysterious Headache Causes

 

It is difficult to come up with headache remedies when no one is sure what causes the pain associated with a headache. In fact, the various sorts of headaches are almost certainly due to various causes. This may explain why there are so many cures. After a doctor’s first few recommendations do not work, he or she is likely to simply recommend that you do what works best for you.

 

A Variety of Headache Remedies

 

Here is a compendium of various headache remedies tried by physicians and experts around the world. All of them are medically safe but not all of them may work. The underlying cause and the body chemistry of the person seem to have a big impact on the effectiveness of any solution to this problem. Pregnant women and people taking a lot of medications should consider these headache remedies with caution.

 

These headache remedies are provided for people who suffer occasional headaches or suffer them frequently due to some habit or regular experience. If you suffer from migraines, the kinds of headaches that debilitate you, then these remedies may not be effective at all. Migraines are an even greater mystery to the medical profession and you will probably need professional help to deal with such painful experiences.

 

The headache remedies are divided into four sections. There are solutions that require the ingestion of some substance. Some solutions involve the application of a substance or just gentle pressure on painful areas of the head and neck. Other headache remedies call for the sufferer to get up and do something. Finally, there is a section below about preventing headaches and, or making them less intense through avoiding certain activities and foods.

 

Headache Relief That You Ingest

 

The first thing that you think of when you imagine headache remedies that you ingest is probably a couple of pills. Many people are fortunate enough that they can simply take an over-the-counter medicine and feel fine shortly thereafter. However, others do not receive any relief from headache pain when they take these medicines or they need to avoid taking pills or tablets for any number of reasons. Many of the headache cures given here have worked for others with the same problem.

 

• Headache Relief Through Hydration
 

Many people believe that bad headaches are caused by dehydration. They are probably right but only for those people whose headaches are actually caused by lack of sufficient hydration. This solution may not be for you. However, if you have noticed that your headaches occur after a lot of sweating or while working outdoors, you might want to give the hydration cure a try. In fact, you might want to try it regardless of the suspected cause of your headaches. This solution is easy and practically free. Since many people do not have good water drinking habits, this may be at the root of your problem even if you are not sweating a lot. You may just be forgetting to drink enough pure water every day.
 

• Headache Relief Through Caffeine
 
If you are excited by this solution then it probably will not work for you. Caffeine seems to help blood vessels open up a little more and improve circulation. Many physicians suspect that poor circulation is one cause of headaches. However, if you drink more than one cup of coffee per day, this solution will probably not work for you. Your body will be too accustomed to caffeine intake to respond appropriately.
 

• Cure Headaches With Peppermint Tea
 
If your headaches are often accompanied by an upset stomach, this may be among the headache remedies that work for you. Some of the neurochemical changes that cause headaches also appear to cause nausea. When the peppermint quells nausea in some recipients, they also report that their headaches disappear.
 

• Treat Headaches With Fish Oil
 
Studies show that people who increase their intake of the fatty acids found in fish oil report fewer headaches. This is really a prevention method more than a cure for headaches. However, if nothing else works, this might be the way to treat your pain.
 

• The Magnesium Cure For Headaches
 
Researchers have noted a connection between magnesium levels in the blood and headaches, particularly migraines. As with the fish oil remedy, this may be more of a preventive measure rather than an on-the-spot cure. You can take this substance in pill forms that contain somewhere between 200 and 400mg.
 

• Over the Counter Cures for Headaches
 
If you can take or are willing to take over the counter products, make sure that you give them all a try before you resort to other measures. Some of the products use ibuprofen, others acetaminophen and still others caffeine. Pure aspirin is an old favorite that also does wonders for your heart. Just remember that overuse of any of these headache remedies can bring you worse problems than headaches.

 

Apply These Headache Remedies

 

There are a number of ways to treat headaches by simply applying pressure or certain substances against your head and/or neck. The great thing about these solutions is that are often free or pretty cheap. They also do not involve putting substances into your body, so you can try them regardless of the restrictions you may have regarding ingestion of food and drink.

 

• Gentle Pressure Headache Relief
 
Press your fingers or thumbs into the area from where you sense the pain radiating. Do this gently and rotate your pressure points slowly. Keep the pressure on for as long as fifteen seconds. This brief massage does not wipe out headache pain but it does seem to relieve the worst of it for some people. Its success may have something to do with muscle tension or blood flow.
 

• Aromatherapy Headache Remedies
 

Rub an aroma-therapeutic balm into your temples or into the back of your neck. You can use the same method that you used when you massaged the areas if that solution did not work for you. The application of a sweet-smelling balm may also distract your mind from the pain and provide relief that way.
 

• Hot and Cold Headache Remedies
 
Why both of these solutions successfully treat the same condition is a mystery to doctors. Heat expands blood vessels and cold makes them contract. If just one of them worked, then doctors might be able to explain and understand headaches better than they do. However, some people find that applying heat relives their headaches while others find that applying cold does the same thing.
 
To apply cold, you can get a specially prepared cold compress or you can just use an ice pack. You press the bag or pack against your forehead, your temples or the back of your neck. This can lessen swelling which may have caused your head to ache.
 
To apply heat, use a heating pad or soak a rag in warm water before pressing it against the area that hurts. If you use a heating pad, be careful not to cause yourself more grief with too high a setting. If you use a rag, remember that the warm water will quickly turn cold.

 

Headache Remedies through Action

 

These headache remedies are more indirect than some of the solutions described above. Some people experience relief from headaches when they get up and do something. The cause for their headaches may be inaction. It may be due to bad posture or a body position in their job that is unnatural. Regardless of how they may have caused their headaches, these remedies seem to work for some people.
 

• Relax Your Way to Headache Relief
 
Headaches may be brought on by stress and overwork. Many people experience relief when they relax in a more than casual fashion. In other words, they seek and create a relaxing atmosphere. This might mean going off by themselves, listening to a certain kind of music, or just taking their mind off their problems by watching a television show.
 

• Headache Treatment with a Pencil
 
Stress may also be causing you to clench and flex muscles unconsciously. Clenching the jaw muscles too frequently can bring on a headache in some people. One of the headache remedies that is most useful in this situation is known as the pencil.
Place a pencil between your teeth, with the ends sticking out the sides of your mouth. Do not chew it. Simply placing it there causes or allows muscles to relax in your jaw and the headache lessens.
 

• Stretching Headache Remedies
 
Many people work in offices and contort their bodies in unnatural ways all day. This can bring on headaches for a variety of reasons. Sometimes you may just need to practice stretching exercises. This may cause increased blood flow to areas that need better circulation or it may be the improved posture that results which alleviates headache pain.
 

• Exercises as Headache Remedies
 
If stretching does not work, a full-blown exercise regimen may be in order. This will have an overall effect on improving your health as well. Poor health is associated with an increase in headaches and other health complaints.
 

• Neck and Shoulder Rolls
 
In order to simply improve circulation and muscle tension in your head and neck, try rolling your neck and your shoulders separately. Tension in these areas can cause headaches in some people. By rolling them you essentially massage those muscles and improve blood circulation. Do this slowly and repetitively.
 

• Sleepy Headache Remedies
 
You may not be getting enough rest and that is why you are getting headaches. Sometimes a nap will do the trick. Just getting more sleep in general may also be the answer to your headache problems. This solution may be hard to pull off if the pain is so bad that you cannot sleep.
 

• The Suds of Headache Relief
 
This is one of the most enjoyable headache remedies. Draw a warm bath and let your body soak in it for as long as you want. The warm water will improve circulation but the overall pleasure of taking your mind off your problems and soaking in warm water may play equally significant roles in curing your headaches.

 

• Change the Atmosphere to Cure Your Headaches

We live in a busy world that is full of bright lights and noise. The office lights at your workplace may be too bright or you may be tired of the relentless sounds of your job. Find a place in your home where you can turn down the lights and hear as little of the outside world as possible. Spend some time in this room every day or just when you have headaches.

 

Preventing the Need for Headache Remedies

 
You can also prevent your need for these headache remedies by avoiding some things that are commonly thought to cause this malady. They include foods, activities and environmental factors. Watch out for all of them to have a healthier life and fewer headaches.
 

• Avoid processed foods, especially those with MSG in them.

 

• Some foods are packed with nitrates, another substance that really does not belong in your body since it can cause your blood vessels to dilate too much.

 

• Adjust lights in your home and workplace so that you are not constantly exposed to glare.

 

• Spend less time in front of the television or the computer. Staring at a bright screen is not good for your eyes and the squinting may be causing the muscle pains that lead to headaches and require you to seek out headache remedies.