A busy life is often accompanied with a regular headache. Our daily stress gets the best of us and we often look for ways to mask up even the killer headaches with painkillers. Headaches can be triggered by a number of factors. A buzzing deadline to complete the pending assignments, exams the other day, changes in routine, sleeping pattern or even a running nose can prompt headaches.

Headaches can also be caused due to emotional stress or medical conditions like a migraine, anxiety, or depression. No matter how many cups of coffee we intake, caffeine is going to soothe a headache only to a certain level and moreover, it is not preferably good for health. Painkillers like aspirins cannot be consumed every now and then as they may cause more serious health problems. With the nerves in the head throbbing, it is really difficult to do any other work. People who suffer from chronic headaches face a hard time even going to classes or attending their office.

Types of Headaches

There are various types of headaches. A headache can occur on the left side, right side, in the center of the head or in any particular location. They can further be classified into primary headaches and secondary headaches. Primary headaches are the ones which are triggered on their own and secondary headaches are triggered due to some underlying causes. Common causes of primary headaches are migraines and tension. Whereas secondary headaches are signals that something is wrong within your body.

Things You Need To Avoid If You Are Suffering From Headaches:

Firstly, it is necessary to go to the depth of the situation. Apart from what physical conditions are causing headaches, questions like what food items should be avoided in order to get relief from headaches should also be asked. Headache-inducing substances like alcohol, monosodium glutamate, phenylethylamine etc. should be avoided.

Headaches are also caused due to strain on eyes which generally cause stress on the brain. Hence, in case of severe headaches, you should try to avoid using devices like phone, television and laptop as possible.

10 Sensational Remedies for Headache that Work

Now with caffeine and pain-relievers out of the equation, what are your options left? Staying hydrated and exercising at a regular interval help greatly to deal with a headache. However, if the headache is still persistent then you need to look for other home remedies to treat a headache naturally.

Here Are A Few Home Remedies To Cure Headaches That Really Work:

Magnesium

Magnesium is considered as one of the best headache pain relievers. Firstly, unlike other chemical painkillers, it has no side-effects. One of the main reasons behind those chronic headaches can be low levels of magnesium in the body. Hence intake of it helps greatly to get rid of the frequent headaches.

Studies have shown that it helps significantly to reduce the migraine attacks in a person. Low levels of magnesium are often witnessed in people who suffer from heart diseases, alcoholism and diabetes; both mild and severe. Magnesium works to prevent the waves, called cortical spreading depression which transmits the signal to the brain to stimulate a headache. It blocks the entry of those pain-transmitting chemicals into the brain, thereby improving platelet function which further improves the body’ reaction to injuries and prevents bleeding to a certain level. Thus, two functions are served by one element without any side effect. Moreover, it is completely safe even for the pregnant women. Around 200 to 600 milligrams of magnesium should be consumed on a daily basis to reduce the frequency of headaches. Either oral or intravenous magnesium can be consumed, both of which are easily available and are quite cheap. Beans, seeds, nuts etc. are good sources of it. Chocolates and dairy products also contain a good amount of magnesium.
Ginger

Ginger is known to provide instant relief against headaches. It helps to soothe the inflamed blood vessels in the brain, which reduces the extent of a headache. Some people face headaches which are accompanied by frequent waves of nausea. The smell of ginger and its ability to stimulate digestion helps to quench those waves of nausea. Lemon Ginger Tea is helpful in reducing the pain. This can be consumed once or twice a day. Apart from that, you can apply a paste of ginger powder along with two tablespoons of water, on your forehead. An instant relief from headache can be witnessed without any side effect.
Gluten-Free Diet

At times, when people who are gluten intolerant consume gluten as a part of their diet, they develop a chronic headache. Moreover, according to the reports of National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, people who suffer from a migraine headaches regularly, have recorded a significant reduction in both the frequency and the severity of their headaches once they have reduced the gluten intake in their diet. This does not necessarily imply that they are suffering from the celiac disease but it does imply that they have gluten sensitivity, which if kept under control will help them to reduce the regular headaches and migraines they are suffering from.
Stay Hydrated

Most of the times, headaches are triggered due to the dehydrating effects of alcohol, soft-drinks and other drinks which contain caffeine. You should drink at least 7 to 8 glasses of water every day to keep your body and brain well hydrated. Drinking water regularly will not only help you deal with your headache but it will also help you regain your energy which you lost while battling with your headache. In case, you are not being able to drink required amount of water every day, you can always look up to fruits and fresh vegetables to keep your body well hydrated. Proper amount of fruits and vegetables need to be added to your diet.

Some of the fruits and vegetables with high water content are: Cucumbers, Watermelon, Celery, Iceberg lettuce, Radishes, Broccoli, Green Peppers, Cabbage, Grapefruit, Baby carrots, Cauliflower, Spinach, Strawberries Tomatoes etc.
Peppermint and Lavender Essential Oils

At times, a pleasant and soothing smell is enough to help dealing with a headache. Both peppermint and lavender oil have a calming fragment which calms the nerves in the brain.

Peppermint oil is known for generating a long-lasting and calming effect on the skin. When it is applied on the forehead, it helps to ease the blood flow in the brain. As the blood flow in the brain increases, it soothes the muscle contraction thereby helping to reduce the severity of a headache. According to certain tests conducted, peppermint oil mixed with ethanol reduces the sensitivity of a headache.

Lavender oil, on the other hand, is widely known for its ability to stabilize mood swings and acts as a sedative. According to the research, lavender oil is completely safe and has no side effects. Moreover, it is an effective treatment for the chronic headaches.

Both lavender and peppermint oils are considered really good remedies for treating headaches. A mixture of both of them is really effective in treating headaches and provides instant relief. Mix a few drops of lavender oil along with peppermint oil and rub the mixture on your forehead, neck and temples. If the chilling effect of peppermint oil is beyond your limit of withstanding or if the smell of lavender is too strong for your nose, then dilute the mixture by adding a few drops coconut, almond or grape seeds oil.
Cinnamon

Cinnamon is considered as a miracle spice which helps greatly to reduce the severity of a headache. All you need to do is grind some sticks of cinnamon and then add water to the powder to make a thick paste. Simply apply the paste to your forehead and lie down for half an hour. After that, wash it off with a towel dipped in lukewarm water. Not only does the smell of cinnamon helps to soothe the bulging nerves in your brain, but it has some soothing properties that pacify the pain which generally accompanies a headache.
B-Complex Vitamins

Vitamin-B helps in the formation of various neurotransmitters like serotonin. People who suffer from migraines and chronic headaches are often found to have a deficiency of these neurotransmitters. Thus consumption of Vitamin-B rich food helps greatly to deal with the headaches. A B-complex vitamin is made up of a group of 8 water soluble vitamins namely- riboflavin, niacin, thiamine, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate, pantothenic acid and biotin. The combination of these eight water-soluble vitamins helps to improve blood circulation in the brain. It improves brain cells, enhances the immune function of the body and enriches the cardiovascular health. Since these vitamins are water soluble, there exists no question of overdose or side effects arising from their consumption. In case, there is excess consumption, then it is excreted out of the body through urine.

Vitamin B-2 facilitates to reduce the frequency and the magnitude of the migraines whereas Vitamin B-3 widens the blood vessels to improve the blood circulation in the brain thereby calming vascular headache. Vitamin B-complex can be easily found in fruits hence this is a cost-effective treatment for a headache. In this way, B-complex vitamins help in curing a headache effectively.
Yoga

When you sit in one particular position for long time, the muscles in your body get tensed up which leads to pain and eventually gets converted into a headache. A majority of people spend more than ten hours a day hunched over their laptops and smart-phones. This particular position puts a lot of strain on the neck which eventually contributes to chronic headache. Thus, it is necessary to move your head and neck every thirty to sixty minutes. Simple head and neck exercises are enough to relieve the stress which has built up there and thus helps to prevent the headache. Yoga is considered as one of the best ways to relieve the stress and the strain developed inside the body. Yoga not only clears your mind but it also improves respiration and blood circulation in the body which thereby helps to get rid of the daily stress causing headache. As soon as you feel a headache invading your system, attempt a few yoga poses.
Compress

Compress is the basic solution to treat a headache. People are often confused whether they should try out a hot compress or a cold one. To treat a headache either one can work. People who suffer from headaches, which is caused due to tension, prefer warm compress whereas people who suffer from migraines prefer cold compress. Either of them helps in enhancing the blood flow in the forehead which in turn calms a headache.
Reflexology

You can try massaging your toes in order to eliminate the headache. Reflexology is considered as one of the best home remedies to get rid of a headache. Scientists and doctors aren’t yet sure how does this technique work but owing to the concept of Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is believed that there are certain points on our foot which when pressed helps greatly to deal with a headache as they improve the blood circulation in the body, mainly the brain.

Firstly, you need to massage the area in between your big toe and second toe. If the headache is in the right part of your head, then carry out this technique in your left foot and if the headache is in the left part of your head, then try this in your right foot. Apart from this point, the point towards the edge of the top of the foot, where the bones of the last toe and second to last toe intersect, can also be pressed. Press these two points for at least thirty to sixty seconds to soothe a headache. However, reflexology is not to be practiced during the pregnancy period.

Also Read:

10 Sensational Remedies for Headache that Work

Types of Headaches

Things You Need To Avoid If You Are Suffering From Headaches: