HOME REMEDIES FOR HEADACHE

Home remedies for headaches – have you tried these?

Headaches may be of different types – tension headaches, cluster headaches or migraine headaches – but they share one common factor: they are quite painful and can interfere severely with your ability to work or concentrate on a given task. While popping a painkiller is the easiest way to find quick relief, it is not advisable to take such medication very frequently. The next time you suffer from a headache, try one of these natural remedies to deal with your pain and discomfort.

Massage

If the headache seems to be concentrated in the forehead region, place both your index fingers on either side of the nose bridge between the eyebrows. Press down and move your fingers in circular movements across the eyebrows. This will help to release the tension in the muscles in the front part of the skull.

If you have a tension headache that seems to be squeezing your head, try giving yourself a quick massage on the scalp with some essential oil such as peppermint or lavender oil. The friction and the action of the oil causes blood to circulate more to the scalp and this helps to reduce the spasm of the muscles on the skull, providing relief from the headache.

Indians traditionally believe that too much of heat generated in the body leads to headaches. In such situations, cooling the body down may help reduce the pain. Drink some buttermilk or tender coconut water; massage some castor oil to the scalp and the soles of the feet and wash with warm water and shikakai and include poppy seeds (khus-khus), coconut and ghee in your diet. 

Ginger

Along with its digestive properties, ginger is also useful against headache. Harness the pain-killing power of the volatile oil present in ginger – just crush a little fresh ginger, boil with water, filter and drink the warm liquid and you will notice a marked reduction in the intensity of your headache. In all probability, this remedy works in keeping with the concept in Ayurveda – that headache is triggered by some impairment of the digestive ability of the body. 

Eat right

Research increasingly shows that certain foods have the ability to trigger off headaches – especially migraines. Foods such as cheese, coffee, chocolate and tea that contain vasoactive amines are often triggers for painful migraine headaches. These amines cross into the brain and impair the flow of blood n and around the brain, leading to headaches. If you frequently suffer from headaches, maintain a food diary and note down what food specifically triggers your headaches and avoid these foods to keep headaches at bay

Stretching exercises

Headaches are characterized by a feeling of tenseness in the neck, shoulder and scalp. A few simple exercises to stretch these areas can help reduce the intensity of the headaches. Move your chin upwards and downwards, towards left and right alternately and bend the neck sideways towards each shoulder by turns. You can also try to slowly rotate the neck in clockwise and anti-clockwise directions to help the shoulder and neck muscles relax. This relaxation of the tense muscles will reduce the pain of the headache. 

Green tea

With its rich content of antioxidants, green tea is an excellent remedy for headaches. Brew a little green tea and squeeze in the juice of half and lemon and drink warm. 

An occasional headache that comes on because of having missed a meal or having missed your habitual cup of coffee in the morning is nothing much to worry about. But if you find yourself suffering from frequent headaches and reaching out for those painkillers more often than once a week, it could be an indication of a deeper ailment. A headache is more like a symptom of some underlying problem than a disorder itself and therefore, it is vital you find out what the matter is. 

According to Ayurveda, it could indicate a nervous system that is highly sensitive or a digestive system that is functioning below par. If these natural remedies do not provide much help, visit an Ayurvedic physician to find out what exactly you need to do to heal yourself.