Home Remedies for Headache

What is a Headache?

Headache is among the most common medical complaints. The majority of them are not life-threatening. They can be classified into three main categories, namely:

• Tension headaches
• Migraine headaches
• Cluster headaches

Tension Headaches are the most common type of headaches. Head aches are described as pressure tightness or it may be stress related. Migraines have well-defined attacks with symptoms like nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to lights and sounds. Cluster headaches are repetitive ones that occur for weeks to months at a time, followed by periods of remission (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Headache disorders: differentiating and managing the common subtypes

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Common Causes of Headache

A variety of factors can trigger headaches-

• Prolonged stress or tension
• Several physiologic changes in the head and brain
• Dilation and constriction of blood vessels
• Abnormal activity of certain neurons
• Genetic factors may be a cause for migraines
• Smoking and alcohol may cause cluster headaches
• Medication overuse
• Carbon monoxide poisoning

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Disclaimer: The home remedies suggested here are not a substitute for treatment by doctors. It is highly advisable to seek an expert’s opinion. All the remedies listed here may not be suitable for everyone. It is recommended to check for allergies or do a patch test before using the remedy.

Home Remedies for Headache

Try these home remedies, which may aid in subsiding headaches.

Tip 1

Roast some caraway seeds dry. Tie in a soft handkerchief or muslin cloth and sniff to get some relief from headaches.

Tip 2

Boil 1 ½ cup of milk with a pinch of powdered cinnamon for one or two minutes. Add a teaspoon of honey, mix and stir it thoroughly, and drink it at least twice a day when suffering from a headache (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Effect of cinnamon on migraine attacks and inflammatory markers: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled tria

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Tip 3

Eating a chopped apple sprinkled with salt every morning for at least a week may help inhibit chronic headaches.

Tip 4

Rosemary has been used as folk medicine for alleviating headaches. Head massage with rosemary oil or applying pain balm on the forehead that contains menthol may prove to be an effective way to ease migraine pain (3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Therapeutic effects of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and its active constituents on nervous system disorders

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Tip 5

Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and may help reduce pain and nausea in some people. Add tea leaves and ginger to 1 cup of boiling water. Stir it well and drain the water. Leave it till it cools a bit and drink it. This remedy cannot be used as a formal treatment for treating migraine headaches. It can be used as an additional measure to help reduce the pain associated with a migraine headache (4^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Ginger for Migraine

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Tip 6

Peppermint oil may be used as a home remedy especially in soothing headaches caused by tension. This fresh-smelling oil helps regulate blood flow in the body. This oil can be applied on forehead or used in steam inhalation (5^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Peppermint oil in the acute treatment of tension-type headache

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Tip 7

Lavender oil may be used as a home remedy for headaches and migraines. The oil can be either inhaled or applied to your head. For inhaling, add 2-4 drops of lavender oil to 3 cups of boiling water and inhale the oil vapors (6^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Lavender essential oil in the treatment of migraine headache: a placebo-controlled clinical trial

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Tip 8

The essential oil of basil may be used as a natural treatment for headaches caused by migraines. The oil works as a muscle relaxant and is helpful for headaches caused by tension and tight muscles. A few drops of this oil can be added to a steam inhalator which could help in subsiding headaches (7^✔ ✔Trusted Source
The Efficacy of Topical Basil Essential Oil on Relieving Migraine Headaches: A Randomized Triple-Blind Study

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Tip 9

Food items like chocolate, sour cream, nuts, peanut butter and caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea or cola, can act as triggers for migraine headaches. Maintain a food diary and make a note of the foods that act as a trigger so that you can avoid them (8^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Headaches: a Review of the Role of Dietary Factors

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Tip 10

Mix ½ cup of apple cider vinegar with a ½ cup of water. Boil the mixture in a covered saucepan. When it boils, remove from heat and leave for a minute. Lift the cover and slowly inhale the steam through your nose. This may provide instant relief from sinus headaches.

Tip 11

Make a warm soup and add some pepper in it. Warm soup will help you to get rid of nasal blockage and will cure headaches.

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Tip 12

Fatigue and lack of sleep can contribute to headaches during pregnancy. Make sure you get enough sleep during pregnancy (9^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Headache and pregnancy: a systematic review

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Tip 13

Drink plenty of water daily, as it is important to stay hydrated especially when you are pregnant as dehydration can be a big cause of headache (10^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Dehydration and Headache

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Tip 14

Apply a hot or cold compress to your forehead and neck to get instant relief from headache (11^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Cold Therapy in Migraine Patients: Open-label, Non-controlled, Pilot Study

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Tip 15

Physical activity like exercising and daily walk may help prevent headaches (12^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Exercise in Treatment of Migraine Including Chronic Migraine

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Exercise and Migraine Prevention: a Review of the Literature

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Tip 16

Eat small regular meals and make sure that you are eating healthy organic food throughout the day. This will keep your blood sugar on an even level, which may help prevent headaches.

Tip 17

Make sure that your kid is getting enough sleep, as sleeping often resolves headaches in children (14^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Comparison of the Quality of Sleep and Intensity of Headache between Migraine, Tension Headache, and Healthy Children

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Tip 18

Give your child water, juice, and other beverages that do not contain caffeine. This may help prevent headaches in children.