Want the BEST headache home remedies?
|
* Below are some of the best home remedies for headaches from migraine and other types, but we've collected even more for specifically for tension headache. Check out these home remedies for tension headache too...
Headache home remedy #1 - Aromatherapy
This is one of the most powerful of the headache home remedies. It's somewhat different for everyone, because everyone associates different types of smells with different things. However, there are some aromas that stand out from the crowd as headache killers: peppermint, sandlewood (my favourite), lavender, and eucalyptus. Try each of these, and combinations. Use essential oils for massage, or use candles or soaps.Be careful – many companies sell products with these names now that are cheap and may only make your headache worse. Start with quality items, which means the purest essential oils you can find.
Try this – make a compress by putting 5 drops of lavender essential oil in cold (or warm) water. Swish around a soft cloth, then put it on your head or neck. (Incidentally, this is a recipe from the excellent
Aromatherapy For Dummies®
by Kathi Kaville. She gives great unbiased advice when it comes to what to buy and who to trust).
Due to the popularity of aromatherapy, you can now read a full article on the subject, including definitions, uses and where to buy the items you need!
Headache home remedy #2: Exercise
We all know that regular exercise helps us cope with pain. It's especially effective for people with migraine. Some even find that mild exercise during a migraine helps alleviate the pain. Remember, though – ease into it! Sudden changes can make your migraine worse, and that isn't what we're going for here! :-)Read about some of the benefits of exercise for the headache sufferer.
A few tips if you're thinking of starting an exercise program (and you should!)
Try: 1/2 hour walk a day, or a brisk walk outdoors when you get a headache.
Exercise can also help release the body's natural painkillers, endorphins. Recently a supplement known as DLPA has been talked about which helps the endorphins do their job even better...
Headache home remedy #3: Massage
Now that you've got your essential oils, this is another great thing to do with them! Not only does massage stimulate and relax, touch itself is one of the greatest healers.Try this: with or without peppermint, eucalyptus or lavender oil: Have someone kneed across your shoulders and the back of the neck. Next, have them press on the base of your skull with their fingers, and slowly release.
This you can even do yourself: rotate your fingers over your scalp. Put pressure on the webbed part of your hand between your finger and thumb (really). Also great for migraine, believe it or not, is foot massage. Massage is a skill that may change your life. There are some excellent books out there, and one of the best is
Massage Made Easy (one of the best headache home remedies)
by Mario-Paul Cassar, which contains excellent self-massage too.
What about reflexology for migraine?
Headache home remedy #4: Heat and cold
For some people with headache it's one, with some it's another. Experiment, but avoid extremes, which can make things worse! Try a cold pack wrapped in a couple layers of towel on your neck. One of my favourites is putting your hands in hot water, which seems to pull the pressure out of your head. It's also a good excuse to do the dishes before your headache gets much worse! :-)Headache home remedy #5: The other stuff
Much has been said about diet and herbs, which are important to migraine and various types of headache. Read about herbs for headaches here, and more specifically feverfew, as well as food headache home remedies. Magnesium has been linked to migraine, so you may want to check out ways to boost your magnesium levels.Another headache home remedies theory is all about magnetism and ions, but suffice to say that a room with a humidifier or a walk on a bridge over troubled water provides relief for many people. Giving up smoking is a good (but hard!) one. Getting up at the same time every day is VERY important for people like me ("weekend headaches" often attack those who sleep in on weekends). Buckwheat pillows for many people (including me) go a long way toward relieving the pain, because they cool things off and provide much needed support. I like eye pillows with flax seed as well.
One treatment that can be either done in a clinic or at home is biofeedback. Click the link for more!
You can find information about coping with migraines at HealingWell.com.
For a good overview of migraine natural treatment, try the book 25 Natural Ways to Relieve Headaches : A Mind-Body Approach to Health and Well-Being by Romy Fox. It's a great handbook to have on your shelf when you need a quick description of a natural treatment.
There are some alternative health links at: Health & Beauty - Searchable database of health & beauty news, articles, and information about health conditions, medications, and beauty tips.
If you've found this information helpful, why not sign up for our e-zine, HeadWay? It will bring you current migraine breakthroughs as well as tried-and-true tips...
