home remedies for headache (Second Article)

Headaches are one of the most common health problems that affects most people at one time or another. Headaches can be classified into three main categories: tension headaches, migraine headaches and cluster headaches. There can be many causes of a headache such as physiological changes in the head, constriction of blood vessels, abnormal neuron activity, genetic causes, excessive smoking, excessive drinking, lack of water in the body, and others.

People often use over-the-counter medicines or prescription pain killers to get relief from headaches. But there are many natural remedies that can treat your headache quickly and easily. For instance, lack of water affects the supply of blood and oxygen and thus causes a headache. Drinking a cool glass of water can cure a dehydration headache within minutes. It is a good idea to drink about eight to ten glasses of water throughout the day to keep your body well hydrated. Along with water, there are many other natural ingredients that can be used to treat a headache.

Here are the top 10 home remedies for headache.

1. Ginger

Ginger can help reduce inflammation of the blood vessels in the head, thus providing relief from a headache.

Add tea leaves and ginger to a cup of water and boil it for a few minutes. Add milk and sugar to suit your taste and consume it twice a day.
You can also boil ginger powder or raw ginger in water, and inhale the vapor.
Another option is to chew one or two pieces of crystallized ginger candy.
Mix equal parts of ginger juice and lemon juice. Consume it once or twice.
Another remedy, apply a paste of one teaspoon dry ginger powder and two tablespoons of water on the forehead.

2. Mint Juice
Mint has antiseptic and anti-pruritic properties. Menthol and menthone are the primary components of mint which are very effective in alleviating headaches. Those who suffer from headaches and migraines may place mint tea compresses on the forehead to relieve discomfort. You can also apply mint juice on forehead and temples to treat headache. Along with mint juice, corainder juice is also effective in treating headaches.

3. Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil helps open and close the vessels that promote blood flow and quickly reduce the pain from a headache. It also has calming and soothing effects generally.

Massage peppermint oil into your forehead, back of jaws, and temples. Or you can put crushed fresh peppermint leaves on your forehead.
Alternatively, you can prepare a steam treatment by adding a few drops of peppermint essential oil to a small pot of boiling water. Inhale the steam for a few minutes.

4. Basil
Basil works as a muscle relaxant, making it a helpful treatment for headaches caused by tension and tight muscles.

Put some fresh basil leaves in a cup of boiling water, let it sit for a few minutes and then sip the tea slowly.
For mild headaches, you can chew some fresh basil leaves or massage your head with pure basil oil.

5. Lavender Oil
The health benefits of lavender are well known. This herb can be useful in treating headaches among other ailments.

Put some lavender oil in a bowl of hot water and inhale its vapor for a few minutes. Repeat this popular headache treatment several times a day.
You can also safely apply this herbal oil externally to your forehead. Do not take lavender oil orally.

6. Ice Pack
The cold from ice helps reduce inflammation that contributes to headaches.

Applying an ice pack to the back of your neck can give you relief from a migraine headache.
You can also place a washcloth dipped in ice-cold water over your head for five minutes. Repeat the process several times.
Alternatively, you can use a bag of frozen vegetables as a cold compress. Within half an hour you will feel some relief.

7. Rosemary
The rosmarinic acid in rosemary oil has anti-inflammatory properties that help treat a headache.

Simply massage your head with rosemary oil when you have a headache.
Alternatively, make an herbal tea by boiling one teaspoon of crushed rosemary leaves and one teaspoon of crushed sage leaves in a cup of water. Cover it while boiling. Let the tea cool to room temperature, then drink it. You can have this herbal tea two to three times a day. If both the herbs are not available, you can make the tea with either of the two herbs alone.

8. Cloves
Cloves can be used to ease tension headaches.

Crush a few cloves gently and put them in a sachet or a clean handkerchief. Inhale the smell of the crushed cloves whenever you have a headache until you get some relief from the pain.
You can also make a paste from three to four cloves and put it on your forehead.
You can also mix clove oil with salt and rub it on your forehead. The cooling effect of the clove oil will give you relief within minutes.

7. Rosemary
The rosmarinic acid in rosemary oil has anti-inflammatory properties that help treat a headache.

Simply massage your head with rosemary oil when you have a headache.
Alternatively, make an herbal tea by boiling one teaspoon of crushed rosemary leaves and one teaspoon of crushed sage leaves in a cup of water. Cover it while boiling. Let the tea cool to room temperature, then drink it. You can have this herbal tea two to three times a day. If both the herbs are not available, you can make the tea with either of the two herbs alone.

8. Cloves
Cloves can be used to ease tension headaches.

Crush a few cloves gently and put them in a sachet or a clean handkerchief. Inhale the smell of the crushed cloves whenever you have a headache until you get some relief from the pain.
You can also make a paste from three to four cloves and put it on your forehead.
You can also mix clove oil with salt and rub it on your forehead. The cooling effect of the clove oil will give you relief within minutes.

9. Cinnamon
Cinnamon can cure headaches associated with the common cold.

Grind a stick of cinnamon with water to make a thick paste. Apply the paste to your forehead for a few minutes.
Alternatively,you can add two teaspoons of powdered cinnamon to one-half cup of milk and boil it for one or two minutes. Add a teaspoon of honey, mix it thoroughly and drink it. Do this at least twice a day when suffering from a headache.

10. Apples
Both apples and apple cider vinegar have attributes that can balance the alkaline and acidic levels in the body, giving you relief from headaches.

Simply eat an apple with some salt.
You can also add two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to a full glass of water and drink it.


Next time you have a headache, try these natural treatments for fast relief. However, if you have severe and frequent headaches, consult a doctor.

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Natural home remedies: Headaches (First Article)

Oh, my aching head! In a world of traffic jams, tight schedules, and high-speed everything, it’s no wonder we find ourselves popping an occasional pain reliever. For a bad headache, choose one that contains a combination of aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine. (Off-limits...if you have a bleeding disorder, asthma, ulcers, or liver or kidney damage.) But painkillers are only part of the solution. There’s much more you can do to escape the thump and wallop of a throbbing noggin.

Give it some good press

• With a firm, circular motion, massage the web of skin between the base of your thumb and your forefinger. Continue massaging for several minutes, then switch hands and repeat until the pain resolves. Acupressure experts call this fleshy area trigger point LIG4 and maintain that it is linked to areas of the brain where headaches originate.

Heat up and cool down

• Believe it or not, soaking your feet in hot water will help your head feel better. By drawing blood to your feet, the hot-water footbath will ease pressure on the blood vessels in your head. For a really bad headache, add a bit of hot mustard powder to the water.

• For a tension headache, place a hot compress on your forehead or the back on your neck. The heat will help relax knotted-up muscles in this area.

• It might sound contradictory, but you can follow up the heat treatment (or substitute it) by applying a cold compress to your forehead. (Put a couple of ice cubes in a washcloth or use a bag of frozen vegetables.) Cold constricts blood vessels, and when they shrink, they stop pressing on sensitive nerves. Since headache pain sometimes originates in nerves in back of your neck, try moving the compress to the muscles at the base of your skull.

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• Here’s an alternative to a cold compress: Soak your hands in ice water for as long as you can stand it. While your hands are submerged, repeatedly open and close your fists. This works on the same principle as an ice pack on your head—the cold narrows your dilated blood vessels.

Try the caffeine cure

• Have a cup of strong coffee. Caffeine reduces blood-vessel swelling, and thus can help relieve a headache. This is  why caffeine is an ingredient in some extra-strength painkillers like Excedrin. However, if you are already a heavy coffee drinker, skip this. Caffeine withdrawal can cause headaches, creating a vicious cycle.

Do something constrictive

• Tie a bandanna, scarf, or necktie around your forehead, then tighten it just to the point where you can feel pressure all around your head. By reducing the flow of blood to your scalp, this can help relieve the pain caused by swollen blood vessels. You might try soaking the bandanna in vinegar, a traditional headache remedy.

Soothe with scent

• Certain essential oils—especially lavender—can help ease tension and relieve the pain of a headache. Gently massage a bit of lavender oil onto your forehead and temples, then lie back and enjoy the relaxing scent. For maximum relief, slip away to a room that’s cool, dark, and quiet. The longer you can lie there quietly breathing in the aroma, the better.

• In addition to lavender oil—or instead of it—use peppermint oil. The menthol it contains can help dissolve away a headache. Its fragrance at first stimulates, then relaxes, the nerves that cause headache pain.

• If you have a vaporizer, add seven drops lavender oil and three drops peppermint oil, then breathe in the relief. If you don’t, try sprinkling a few drops of peppermint oil on a tissue. Inhale deeply several times.

• Try wringing out two wet peppermint tea bags and place them on your closed eyelids or forehead for five minutes.

Swallow some throb stoppers

• An anti-inflammatory, ginger was traditionally used to treat headaches, and it seems to work. Grind up a half-teaspoon ginger, stir it into a glass of water, and drink this “ginger juice.” Or pour 1 cup hot water over 1 teaspoon freshly ground ginger, let the tea cool a bit, then drink it. Ginger is especially effective against migraines, though how it works is not well understood. Doctors do know that ginger has an effect on prostaglandins, hormonelike substances that contribute to inflammation. Ginger also helps control the nausea that so often accompanies migraines.

• Try drinking a cup of rosemary tea; some people say it helps keep a headache from getting worse. Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1 teaspoon of the dried herb, steep for 10 minutes, strain, and drink.

• At least one grandmother counted on strong black tea with a few bruised whole cloves added. Tea contains caffeine, and cloves have anti-inflammatory properties, so the brew might indeed help a headache.

• Down a large glass of water and see if it helps. Dehydration can cause a headache.

The power of prevention

• If you grind your teeth or clench your jaw—either when you’re awake or asleep—take steps to prevent the problem. You might need to wear a mouth guard at night.

• Eat at regular intervals. There’s evidence that a drop in blood sugar—the result of going too long without eating—can set the stage for headaches.

• At least three days a week, spend 30 minutes walking, cycling, swimming, or doing some other form of aerobic exercise. These exercises are great stress-relievers.

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