Natural remedies for headaches

Published: 11/13/2012 - Updated: 09/30/2018

It isn’t difficult to describe a headache. Its intensity can vary from a transient pain, to a hard explosion. Many areas of the head can feel pain, including a network of nerves that extends over the scalp and certain nerves in the face, mouth and throat. The muscles of the head and blood vessels are also sensitive to pain as they contain delicate nerve fibers. There are various types and causes of headaches, each with a natural remedy.

Best Natural Remedies for headaches

First, identify the cause to treat naturally your headache.

A sudden salt excess

You may be sensitive to salt excess. Salty nuts or fried foods, especially on an empty stomach can cause a headache. Eliminate salty snacks, and moderate salt in food and any headache will disappear.

Headache for lack of caffeine

If you take too much coffee, tea or soda and suddenly leave them, the reaction can be a headache that lasts several hours. Caffeine constricts blood vessels; a sudden withdrawal causes the vessels to dilate, causing a hard headache. Gradually, decrease caffeine products to avoid this kind of pain.

Cheese

It causes more headaches than you think. Cheese contains tyramine, a disintegrated product of the fermentation process during manufacture. Yellow cheese has more tyramine than white. Tyramine in cheese causes the "headache of pizzas." If this happens to you, limit consumption.

Hunger headache

If the blood sugar falls, the most common symptom is headache. To avoid this, you should eat small meals throughout the day.

Herbs to treat headache

Stress headache

If stress attacks you, and you worry a lot, you can be a victim of a headache, but you can use willow bark. With this herb, were made the first natural painkillers, before using the chemicals to create aspirin. Willow bark relieves pain, it’s natural, and has no side effects.

Lavender

This herb cures headache caused by tension. Its sedative and antispasmodic properties relieve exhaustion; it is useful for insomnia and relieves pain. It can be taken in tea, rubbing your head with lavender oil, light a lavender-scented candle or keep near a sack with that smell to minimize stress.

Camomile

This tea also relieves stress that causes tension headaches.

Cayenne

Member of the peppers family, cayenne pepper is traditionally used to control pain.

Acupressure

To stop pain, test the following pressure points. Apply a firm massage in circular movements with the fingertips in:

  • The network of the hand, at the point where the thumb and forefinger join.
  • The inner corners of the eyes, in the upper part of your nose (press up giving the massage).
  • Where the cranium and neck join, in your back.
  • Two thumbs up from the wrist, on the back of the forearm, in line with the middle finger.
  • Sides of the thumbs, and the big toe of the foot.

About the author
  • Miriam Reyes

    Miriam Reyes is a professional expert in nutrition and dietetics. She has more than 12 years of experience in caring for patients with overweight and eating problems. She studied at the Universidad del Valle de Atemajac (UNIVA), where she obtained a degree in nutrition. Linkedin profile.