Home remedies for headaches

Introduction - home remedies for headaches

Many people suffer from headaches on a regular basis. However, you don't always have to take a headache pill straight away. Old home remedies can often bring relief to those affected.

However, it is important to see a doctor if the headache is particularly severe or combined with other symptoms. Those who suffer from frequent headaches should also consult a doctor.

In the event of a slight headache or after consulting a doctor, however, the person concerned can make do with the appropriate home remedies.

These home remedies can help relieve headaches:

There are various home remedies that can help relieve headaches.

• General: First of all, more exercise in the fresh air and a lot of drinking often lead to a reduction in headaches.

• Heat / cold applications: Heat or cold applications often bring relief quickly. Warm compresses have a relaxing effect and are particularly effective for tension headaches. Cold cloths stimulate the circulation and improve blood circulation. This also applies to alternate showers.

• Essential oils: Peppermint oil is particularly recommended here. It should be applied extensively to the forehead and temples. Often it is just as pain reliever as a painkiller.

• Herbal products: There are various herbal products. For example, willow bark should be emphasized. The plant contains a substance similar to the drug Aspirin® and is therefore particularly effective in relieving pain.

• Relaxation Techniques: Headaches are often due to stress, so relaxation techniques often work wonders.

Acupressure for headache

Acupressure comes from traditional Chinese medicine. You massage certain points with your fingers. This is supposed to activate the body's self-healing powers.

In the case of a headache, you simply massage the specific pain point, usually over the temples, until the pain disappears or is at least significantly reduced. However, the massage should not last longer than 15 minutes.

To learn more about acupressure, read the article at: What is acupressure?

Apple cider vinegar for headaches

Apple cider vinegar is said to provide relief from migraine-like headaches.

The recommendation is to drink two teaspoons slightly diluted with water. However, you can also mix it with two teaspoons of honey and pour warm water over it.

Apple cider vinegar contains a lot of acetic and citric acids. It therefore has an anti-inflammatory effect.

It can also be used prophylactically to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. Then you drink this mixture every one or two days.

There are also numerous other ways to prevent or treat migraines. To do this, read: Homeopathy for migraines

Use ice or cold wipes for headaches

Cooling with ice or cold cloths is felt by many people to be beneficial for headaches. It helps to put a cold towel or a cold washcloth on your forehead. You can just as easily press the cloth or washcloth onto your temples.

On the one hand, the perception of pain is changed, on the other hand, a cold cloth stimulates the circulation and is refreshing. That is why alternating showers for headaches are very popular.

Relaxation techniques / meditation for headaches

For most people, headaches are caused by stress. Muscle tension in the cervical spine often leads to tension headaches. These are caused by a bad posture, for example when working on the computer.

Therefore, stress reduction, relaxation techniques or meditation are helpful remedies for headaches. They also help those affected to fade out everyday stress and headaches for a moment. Most of the time the headache goes away completely after a relaxation exercise.

We recommend that you also take a look at our main pages at this point:

• How do you do a meditation?
• Relaxation - How?

Fresh air against headaches

Exercise in the fresh air is considered by many to be the home remedy for headaches. Often even 20 minutes in the fresh air helps to feel like a new person if you have been sitting at your desk all day.

The oxygen supply is better in the fresh air. Movement stimulates the circulation and muscles. The blood circulation is increased. The eyes are also relieved. Often the constant close look at the desk also leads to headaches.

Drink a lot if you have a headache

If you don't drink enough, you get a headache. Most people would subscribe to this fact. It is therefore advisable to drink a lot if you have a headache.

This is actually true to some extent. Dehydration of the nerve cells in the brain can actually lead to headaches. If the fluid balance is replenished, the headache also disappears. This also applies, for example, to headaches after drinking alcohol. The alcohol removes fluids from the body and this causes headaches.

Alternating shower for headaches

With an alternating shower, you shower yourself three times alternately with warm and cold water; preferably from the feet up over the whole body.

These alternating showers have a very stimulating effect on the circulation. They increase blood circulation and have a pain-relieving effect. Therefore, they are often used for headaches. Alternating showers can also be very effective against migraines.

Willow bark for headaches

Willow bark is a medicinal plant that contains salicylates in large quantities. This is also the basis of the famous pain reliever Aspirin®, which consists of acetylsalicylic acid for short. This explains the pain relieving effects of willow bark. You can take this either as a tea with a slightly bitter taste or in the form of capsules or tablets.

Willow bark works very well. However, it is not recommended for children. People who take blood-thinning medication should also avoid willow bark for headaches.