10 Surprising and Natural Ways To Get Headache Relief

Most of us will experience a headache from time to time. But some of us will suffer with chronic and debilitating headaches that interfere with our everyday life. Today in America 28 million people suffer from migraines and 4 million of those have recurring headaches more than one time a month.

Most people look for relief through over the counter pain relievers and prescriptions from their doctors to treat the painful symptoms of their pounding heads, blurry vision and nausea. Only a few examine their lifestyles for the causes of their headaches although most health professionals are increasingly convinced that eating a healthy diet and avoiding certain foods,getting adequate sleep, exercising regularly, handling stress appropriately and not drinking excessively can keep many headaches from ever occurring.

If you are a chronic headache sufferer the first thing to do is an inventory of your diet. When foods that are pervasive in our diets such as gluten are removed some headache sufferers have been known to experience complete relief from their symptoms. Stress level, exercise and sleeping habits should also be noted in order to gain insight into how they too could be triggering your headaches.

For some people lifestyle changes may be not just the first step but even a final solution to their suffering. Regardless of the causes when you find yourself with a headache relief is all you are thinking of so here are 11 ways to get relief without prescriptions and over the counter pain relievers that bring with them unwanted side effects.

YOGA relieves tension, increases circulation, and calms the mind.  Learn these Yoga poses that have been found to help eliminate headaches and use them as needed instead of pills.  You may find Yoga to be a powerful remedy for the stress related headaches you experience.

ACUPUNCTURE has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years to treat headaches successfully. In recent studies patients who used acupuncture along with their medicines reported that their headache lasted half the time they usually experienced and getting regular treatments decreased the frequency of their headaches too.

ACUPRESSURE is also an ancient method of medicine developed in Tibet even before acupuncture was practiced.  It uses the same points along the body to relieve headache pain as acupuncture but instead of needles it uses finger placement and pressure over these acupressure points to improve blood flow, release tension and  energy to flow more freely promoting relaxation and healing. 

FEVERFEW  is a perennial plant that has become a popular remedy for the prevention of migraines.  It will not stop the pain of a migraine once it has begun but taking it daily may very well reduce the number of migraines you have.

MAGNESIUM may be the ideal prevention and treatment of migraines. It has no serious side effects, is safe in pregnancy, inexpensive and highly effective. Studies have shown that up to 50 percent of patients have lowered levels of magnesium during a migraine.  When magnesium is administered intravenously patients  experience rapid and sustained relief.  Regular oral use of magnesium has been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of migraine attacks as well.

AROMATHERAPY  uses essential oils to help relieve headache symptoms through absorption into the bloodstream when you inhale them and they interact with your body chemistry.  Essential Oils can help by relieving migraine symptoms.  Try peppermint or ginger for nausea, basil for headache and helichrysum for inflammation.You can use chamomile, clary sage, or lavender to help you relax when a migraine occurs.

GINGER  is commonly used to relieve nausea and many products to help with nausea contain ginger extract.  Because nausea and vomiting are symptoms migraine sufferers struggle with, ginger is helpful in relief of  stomach upset. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that can help relax blood vessels in the head and activate natural opiates in the brain which helps relieve the pain associated with tension headaches.Try ginger tea as soon as you feel a headache coming on and then 3 or 4 times throughout the day to continue to hold down inflammation.   According to Dr Oz ; "Crush up an inch of ginger root and add it to boiling water. This homemade tea reduces inflammation in about the same amount of time as it would take an aspirin to work."

MEDITATION is a mind-body technique that can be effective in easing headaches. Although serious research is only just beginning to understand what happens to the brain during meditation what they do know is that patients who practiced meditation experienced fewer migraine headaches, enhanced their pain tolerance, and reported a greater sense of well-being. Not sure how to get started?  Local classes at community centers, senior centers, hospitals and yoga studios often have mediation classes.

DRINK MORE WATER if you suspect your headache may be a symptom of dehydration. These headaches can occur during sports activities and extended exposure to hot weather.  To get quick relief from the pain drink a large amount of water and then continue to sip throughout the day. When your body becomes hydrated the pain will naturally disappear.

CAPSAICIN CREME blocks nerve pain signals when a small amount is applied to the inside of your nostril on the side of  your head where you are experiencing a headache. The active ingredient is cayenne pepper and  can be used with good results for cluster headaches that last for several days or weeks.