10 Natural Home Remedies for Headaches

In a world of deadlines, late nights, irksome bosses, traffic jams, skimpy sleep schedules and constantly being on the move - we all deal with splitting headaches every now and then. Missing your quintessential cup of coffee in the morning or skipping lunch because of a meeting gets your head pounding, right? So when you're really having a bad day and it culminates to a severe migraine, what then?

The easy way out is of course to pop a painkiller, maybe even indulge in acupressure, sip on some chamomile tea. And we're willing to do just about anything to get rid of that pounding headache. Lucky for you, we've compiled a list of 10 natural home remedies that will zap the pain from your debilitating headache. It's true, your search for the best headache cure ends here. 

"Headaches are characterised by a feeling of tenseness in the neck, shoulder and scalp whereas migraines are basically pulsating headaches, often on one side of the head. Symptoms actually vary from person to person, and even from one migraine attack to the next," says Dr. Supriya Bali, Internal Medicine, Max Hospitals.
It is essential that you avoid headache-inducing substances like MSG (monosodium glutamate), excessive caffeine, alcohol, phenylethylamine found in chocolate and cheese, tyramine found in nuts and fermented meats and soy, and aspartame present in many artificially sweetened foods. If you start getting a headache, steer clear of all devices including your phone, laptop and TV. Eat healthy, and at regular intervals since a drop in blood sugar can set the stage for headaches. At least thrice a week, if not more, spend 30 minutes exercising. And always, we mean always, stay hydrated.

1. Ginger, The All-Rounder

Touted as an elixir for headaches, ginger is a home remedy for instant relief. It helps reduce inflammation of the blood vessels in the head, hence easing the pain. And since it stimulates digestion, it also helps quell the nausea which occurs during migraines.
Wondering how to use this miracle ingredient? Steep ginger root for tea, or mix equal parts of ginger juice and lemon juice and drink up. You can consume this once or twice a day. You can also apply a paste of ginger powder and 2 tablespoons water on your forehead for a few minutes to provide quicker relief.



2. Soothe with Scent

Peppermint Oil: With its refreshing scent, peppermint helps open up clogged blood vessels which cause headache. It contains menthol which helps regulate blood flow in the body. Quietly breathe in the aroma in a cool, dark room. You can also mix 3 drops of peppermint oil in one tablespoon of almond oil, or just add a little water and massage the temples or the back of your neck with it. Alternatively, can apply crushed peppermint leaves on your forehead. Make an herbal tea by adding 1 teaspoon of dried peppermint to a cup of boiling water. Cover and let it steep for 10 minutes. Strain and add some honey to sweeten it. Sip the tea slowly.
Lavender Oil: Not only does lavender have a beautiful fragrance - it's also a great remedy for alleviating headaches. Simply smelling the soothing scent of lavender essential oil helps, so you can just put a few drops on a tissue and inhale it. You can also add 2 drops of lavender oil to two cups of boiling water and inhale the steam. Another option is to mix two or three drops in one tablespoon of almond oil or olive oil and massage your forehead with it. "You can even draw a foot bath of lavender oil and peppermint, since the hot water draws blood to your feet and the aroma relaxes you", suggests Dr. Manoj K. Ahuja, Healing Touch Hospital.

3. Cinnamon Please

Cinnamon is a miracle spice that can effectively treat headaches. Wondering how to use it? Here's help: Grind some cinnamon sticks into a powder, and add some water to make a thick paste. Apply it on your forehead and temples and lie down for 30 minutes. Then wash it off with lukewarm water.

4. Make Time for Thyme

To relieve headache pain, dab a drop or two of thyme or rosemary essential oil on each temple and on your forehead. Rub gently into the skin, then sit quietly for several minutes to let this home remedy work.

5. Basic Stretches

A few simple exercises to stretch your head and neck can help reduce the intensity of the headache. Move your chin upwards and downwards, left and right, and bend your neck sideways towards each shoulder. You can also try to slowly rotate the neck in clockwise and anticlockwise directions to help the shoulder and neck muscles relax. So when a headache looms, you know what to do.

6. Water

If the cause of your headache is dehydration, you can easily get relief from the pain by rehydrating your body.

• Simply drink a glass of water at the first sign of a headache and continue taking small sips throughout the day.
• Along with water, you can have sports drinks. The electrolytes present in sports drinks can treat headaches caused by tension and dehydration.

When suffering from a headache, stay away from drinks like alcohol that can dehydrate your body.

7. Ice Pack

Placing a cold compress like an ice pack on your forehead will numb the pain, help shrink the blood vessels and improve circulation to the area. This particular remedy works well for headaches due to stress or sinus problems.

• Wrap some ice cubes or crushed ice in a thin towel. Hold it against your forehead for a few minutes. A bag of frozen vegetables can also serve as an icepack. Never apply ice directly on your skin as it can damage the skin.
• Alternatively, apply a cold cloth on your head and temples for 10 minutes and repeat the process for some time until you get relief.

8. Hot Water

Applying heat on the back of your neck can relieve headaches caused by stress. Heat relaxes tense muscles, thus alleviating the throbbing pain.

• Simply apply a hot water bag to the back of your neck or take a hot shower directing the water onto the back of your neck.
• Another option is to fill a tub with bearable hot water and put your hands in it for 10 to 15 minutes. This will improve blood circulation and thus give you relief from the headache.
• If you suffer from chronic headaches, you can dip your legs in a bucket filled with hot water for 10 minutes before going to bed.

9. Lemon

Lemon is a very effective and powerful ingredient to treat headache because it is refreshing and relaxing. Plus, it helps maintain the acid-alkaline balance in the body.

• Drinking warm water mixed with juice squeezed from one-half of a lemon will reduce the intensity of a headache. This particular remedy is beneficial for headaches caused by gas in the stomach.
• Another option is to apply lemon crusts, pounded into a paste, on your forehead to immediately relieve pain.

10. Apple

Both apples and apple cider vinegar can be used to fight off a headache. They help restore the acid-alkaline balance in the body. Furthermore, simply the smell of green apples can help reduce migraine headaches.

• When you wake up in the morning with a headache, eat a piece of apple sprinkled with some salt. Then drink some warm water.
• Alternatively, fill a large bowl with steaming hot water and add 3 to 4 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to it. Hold a towel over your head and take in the steam for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Another option is to add 2 teaspoons of some apple cider vinegar to a glass of water. You can also add a little honey and lemon juice. Drink it 2 or 3 times a day.