Headaches can be annoying and can get bad enough to derail your day. If you are looking for relief but don’t want to take unnatural medication, check out this guide for natural headache remedies that don’t harm you or the environment.
Aromatherapy
The practice of aromatherapy with natural essential oils can significantly reduce and eliminate headaches if used correctly. Many different kinds of essential oils are known to help with headaches, whether you are a chronic sufferer or just occasionally get them. The top three oils to try out for headache relief are Lavender, Peppermint, and Eucalyptus.
Lavender Oil
Know as a calming plant, the oil derived from lavender can help reduce stress and tension in your muscles. Sometimes the root of a headache is stress from daily life, so rubbing a bit of this oil on your temples and inhaling it can bring some relief when a headache hits.
Peppermint Oil
Because peppermint is a cooling agent, it can often be soothing for mild to moderate headaches. The active ingredient in peppermint is menthol which, when applied to areas like the neck or forehead, can have a cooling effect and may relieve some of the pain caused by a headache.
Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus is well-known to be a healing ingredient in cold medicine because it opens up the nasal passage. If you are suffering from a headache due to nasal congestion or sinus pressure, try to inhale some eucalyptus oil as it will open up your sinuses and bring you some relief.
Seek Holistic Medical Treatment
There are many naturopaths out there who can work with you to find solutions to your unique headache problems. Look up a headache clinic in your area to discover the many natural ways in which a doctor can take a holistic approach to finding the source of your headaches and get you relief fast. Sometimes all you need is another perspective to figure out why you are getting headaches in the first place and the solutions can be all-natural, keeping you happy and healthy.
Herbal Teas
Herbal teas have been used since ancient times to heal general ailments and headaches are no different. Certain herbal concoctions mixed with piping hot water can bring relief to headache sufferers. Not only are they easy to find, these teas are a great natural alternative to manufactured medicine and much better for the environment. These teas can be consumed on the onset of a headache, mid-headache, or every day as a preventative measure. The best teas to keep stocked in your cabinet are ginger, chamomile, and feverfew.
Ginger Tea
Ginger root is a powerful anti-inflammatory, making it a helpful natural medicine for many health problems from autoimmune diseases to stomach aches. When it comes to headaches, it can reduce the severity of bad cases like migraines. If you experience other symptoms from bad headaches like nausea, then ginger can help alleviate that as well.
Chamomile Tea
Known mostly as a bedtime tea, the relaxing qualities of chamomile tea can also help with tension headaches. If you experience a lot of stress and get headaches as a result, a cup of chamomile tea every day can help your body fight these kinds of headaches.
Feverfew Tea
The feverfew plant is a lesser-known aid when it comes to headaches but can reduce the severity of them as it has anti-inflammatory properties like ginger. If consumed regularly, it may help prevent migraines for people who get them frequently.
Hydration
A lot of times the root of a headache is dehydration. With busy lives, it can be hard to remember to drink enough water during the day. Water is the most accessible, natural, and eco-friendly solution to preventing headaches. Drinking several glasses of water per day is great for overall health and headache prevention. If you have trouble drinking enough fluids to stay hydrated, try putting hydration enhancers like Liquid IV in your water.
Diet
Certain foods and supplements can help you have fewer headaches and maybe even eliminate them altogether. By integrating more fruits and vegetables into your daily meals, your body will absorb more good vitamins like vitamin A and vitamin C which will help you maintain your overall health. The healthier you are, the less likely you are to get headaches.
Other healthy foods like nuts, seeds, and whole grains are rich in magnesium. But does magnesium help for migraines? Research suggests that magnesium can help relax blood vessels, reduce muscle tension, and even prevent tension headaches. For people who experience migraines, magnesium-rich foods like spinach, almonds, and pumpkin seeds may provide significant relief. Foods rich in Omega-3s like fish and walnuts can help with inflammation, which is also a big benefit for people who suffer from migraines.
Foods to avoid include caffeine, alcohol, and additive sweeteners which can be headache-triggering foods. If you get frequent headaches, keep a log of all of the foods you eat in your day to figure out which ones are triggers for your headaches. This will help you to cut out the right things and hopefully bring you some relief.
Acupressure and Acupuncture
Acupressure is a traditional Chinese massage technique where pressure is applied to certain parts of the body to relieve pain and release tension. This is an all-natural technique that just requires your knowledge of how to apply pressure correctly. This means that you do not need to take any unnatural medicine to feel a certain level of relief from tension headaches. The most common area of pressure is between the thumb and index finger. This will help relieve tension headaches.
Acupuncture is another ancient Chinese technique that can be done by professionals in a massage center or a holistic medical office. It involves tiny needles being placed on the skin in areas of the body that are in pain. The needles will relieve tension and relax muscles.
Yoga and Meditation
Taking the time to enhance your mind-body connection is something that you can do to help yourself relax when you feel a headache coming on. By performing simple yoga poses like child’s pose and downward facing dog, you will improve your circulation and get some relief from your headaches. If you feel a headache starting, you can also enter a quiet room and meditate while taking deep breaths, bringing more oxygen to the brain and relieving tension.
Many natural and eco-friendly headache remedies are easy to find or can be performed anywhere. With this guide, you will be able to find relief from your headaches without putting chemicals into your body or causing harm to the environment.
