Headaches, even a mild headache, are usually not serious but disrupt your daily activities and cause pain. Let’s review the most effective headache remedies.
What happens when you have a headache?
The skull bones and brain tissues do not have pain sensitive nerve fibers, but muscles of face, mouth, throat, neck, scalp along with blood vessels on the surface and base of brain are sensitive to pain as they contain pain sensitive nerve fibers.
Discover The Secret To Completely Eliminating Your Headache Pain Forever In The Next 48 Hours & Never Spend Another Dime On Expensive, Dangerous Treatments!
The tips of these nerve fibers get stimulated by many causes like stress, muscle tension, lack of sleep, etc. The stimulated nerve tip sends a message up the length of the nerve fiber to the related nerve cells of the brain. The brain locates the region of stimulated nerve tip based on these signals and we “feel” the pain or ache.
A headache may be mild, chronic or severe depending on the underlying cause and pain bearing capacity of the individual.
Our body produces natural pain killing proteins called endorphins. One theory suggests that people with low endorphin levels suffer more from severe headache and other chronic pains compared to people having high endorphin levels.
What can cause a headache?
- Anger
- Muscle tension
- Missed meals
- Vigorous exercise
- Sexual excitement
- Infections like Common cold, Flu, Fever, Ear infection, Tooth infection Sinus infection, Pneumonia
- Coughing – too much coughing can cause a form of traction headache
- Lifestyle causes like a hangover, excessive alcohol, stress, Fatigue, tension, tiredness, or excessive smoking
- Dyspepsia
- Eye conditions
- Systemic or metabolic conditions like hypertension, thyroid disease, anemia, kidney failure
- Brain or head conditions like meningitis, encephalitis, head injury, heatstroke, or sunstroke
- Before, during, or after menstruation
- Hunger
- Medications (Many drugs designed to relieve pain can actually cause a headache when the drug is stopped after a period of prolonged use)
- Alcohol and caffeine withdrawal
- Not getting enough sleep
- Reading for long periods of time or eyestrain
- Doing repetitive work
- Staying in one position for a long time, such as working at a computer
Types of headache
Tension headaches
Tightening of muscles of face and neck cause a tension headache. It is characterized by a dull ache in forehead, or back of head, and pain in neck and shoulders which then travels to head. Lack of sleep, stress, reading for a long time, or working in front of a computer for long hours can precipitate a tension headache.
Migraine Headaches
A migraine headache is caused when blood vessels of head which get too dilated or constricted. Females are more prone to this type of headache and migraines tend to have a genetic aspect, that is, they follow family history.
A person suffering from a migraine headache often feels like vomiting and becomes sensitive to light, sound and similar events. Some people see spots or flashes before a headache.
Some events like menstruation in females, caffeine, alcohol, aged cheese, cured meat, stress, change in sleeping pattern, and strenuous exercise can trigger migraine headaches.
Sinus Headaches
A sinus headache surfaces when fluids in the nose are not able to drain well and pressure builds up in sinuses. A cold, dust allergies, dirty or polluted water, and air travel may contribute to this type of headache.
Sinus headaches cause pain in forehead, cheek bones, nose along with a stuffy nose. The headache increases when the face is bent or touched. The symptoms are usually worse in the morning.
Although headaches are common, one should consult with a doctor headache if they are reoccurring or severe. Look for the following and seek medical help immediately for these symptoms:
- Pain that develops very rapidly
- A change in concentration or ability to think
- A change in level of alertness
- Altered speech
- Weakness, numbness, or difficulty in walking
- Changes in vision
- Headache with a stiff neck or neck pain, or if light hurts your eyes
- If you feel that this the worst headache of your life
- Headache with dizziness, or a feeling that you are falling to one side
- Headache from an injury or blow to the head
- Headache with a fever
Home remedies for tension headache
- For tension headaches massage few drops of peppermint oil or eucalyptus oil on temples.
- Massage the scalp with slightly warmed sesame oil. This relieves tension headache and induces sleep.
- Regular exercise, yoga and meditation reduce the stress levels and keep the tension headache at bay.
Home remedies for migraine headache
- Make a note of facts which trigger the headache and also the foods. Try to avoid these . Avoid spicy foods, coffee, tea, alcohol, onion and garlic. Avoid citrus fruits except lemon.
- Try muscle relaxation exercises. Progressive muscle relaxation, meditation and yoga are definitely going to help. Relax at least for half an hour everyday by doing your favorite activities like listening to music, gardening, taking hot water bath etc.
- Stick to you a regular sleep pattern and get enough sleep, but don’t oversleep. Avoid sleeping during the afternoon.
- Rest in a dark, quiet room when you feel a headache coming on. Place an ice pack wrapped in a cloth on the back of your neck and apply gentle pressure to painful areas on your scalp.
Home remedies for a sinus headache
- Breathe in warm, moist air
- Moist the nasal passages with the help of saline nasal spray. A saline spray can be used up to six times per day
- Do not smoke
- Avoid second-hand smoke and polluted air
- Avoid exposure to anything that triggers your allergy or sinus headache symptoms
- Wash your hands frequently to avoid colds and flu
- Seek treatment for a persistent cold before sinusitis sets in