Five home remedies for headache

In the recent years, headaches of any kind, be it acute, chronic, migraine, sinus or tension, have emerged among people of any age, including children and adolescents. There are many reasons behind this. Most people are under constant stress due to work pressure that triggers the headache. Also if someone does not take meals on time or skip the meals, exposes under the sunlight, takes more sleep than necessary, suffers from insomnia, also faces headaches. For those who suffer with migraine have particular triggers that cause the headache, such as specific food items like rice, beans, dairy, burger or any other junk foods. Among females, there is hormonal fluctuation during onset of puberty, menses, pregnancy and menopause, that contribute in headache at times. This is the reason why the cases of headaches among adolescent females are three times higher than male adolescents. Also other habits like taking too much alcohol and caffeinated drinks cause pain in the head.

The region where it occurs is usually forehead – half or as whole, near eyes or on the eyes, skull region, near the ears and/or nose, and cheek bones. Sometimes taking rest help in reducing the pain but sometimes the aches are so severe that the urge of taking the aspirin emerges. People suffering from migraine headache also face nausea and vomiting that prevent them from doing daily task. Migraines or other types of headaches among children may fade away in adulthood or lessen. In some cases, the pain in the head may vanish for a few years and recur after a specific time frame. Below are some of the home remedies for headache.

1. Ginger: It helps reducing the inflammation of blood vessels on head. It also relieves from nausea and vomiting because it is good for digestion as well. Mix equal parts of both ginger juice and lemon juice and drink. It can be consumed once or twice a day. It could be applied for a few minutes on the affected region as well by making a paste of ginger powder and 2 tablespoon of water, and then washed away after a few minutes. One could also boil the raw ginger or its powder in water for a few minutes and then inhale its vapors.

2. Mint juice: Extract the juice from mint and directly apply on the forehead and temple region to get relief from the discomfort caused by the headache. You may also use mint tea compresses on the forehead. Alternatively, coriander leaves could also be used in place of mint for extracting the juice in case of the shortage but mint contains menthol and menthane which play crucial role while providing relief.

3. Basil: These are good for mild headaches since they have muscle relaxing properties. These also have calming and analgesic effects on the body naturally. Boil 3 to 4 fresh basil leaves and add honey (optional) to it. Now drink this mixture slowly. Alternatively, chew the basil leaves or massage your forehead with basil oil being mixed with some other base oil.

4. Lavender oil: This aromatic oil helps a lot by just inhaling its smell for a while. It works for tension headaches as well as migraine headaches. Take lavender oil in a cotton or a tissue and then directly inhale it. One may also boil the water and add 2 drops of this oil, and then smell it. Avoid consuming it directly.

5. Ice cubes: Ice cubes reduce the inflammation contributing to headaches. These also cause numbing effects on the painful feeling. Apply an ice cube at the back of your neck for several minutes to get rid of migraine headache. Alternatively, you may dip a cotton cloth or napkin in an ice cold water, wring it and then place over the affected head region as effective home remedies for headache. A packet of frozen vegetables could also be used as a cold compress.

One must also practice stress management techniques through breathing exercises or yoga, or some physical workout at least thrice a week. This helps a lot in avoiding the headache. Also take a note on your eating, sleeping and other habits the day when your headache emerges. For instance, if you ate junk food and suffer from the head ache then avoid having junk foods frequently. Likewise note your every move. Above home remedies for headache are proven for their efficacy for any kind of pain in the head naturally. You may be in habit to take pain killers right after you feel the ache but avoiding the allopathic medicines as much as possible is best for one’s health. So, why not try any one or more of these home remedies? Who knows you might end up getting rid of headache or migraine triggers partially or entirely?