You will be surprised at the number of things that can give you a headache in life. Annoying bosses, marital fights, cranky children, traffic or even the cell-phone yapping of a co-passenger is enough to make your head burst.
Physiologically speaking, headaches are caused by constricting of blood vessels or tension created in the muscles of the back and neck. They are generally a body response to stress but can happen due to congestion or infection in the sinuses.
When it comes to headaches, you don’t always need to rush for an aspirin. Simple, natural remedies can be surprisingly effective to alleviate you from the pain. We list a few for you to try.
Massage with essential oils
A good head massage is an age old Indian remedy that never fails to cure a headache. Rub your temples in a firm, circular motion. Dab a drop of thyme or rosemary essential oil and apply it into your temples.
Acupressure
You can also try putting pressure on the web of skin between the base of your thumb and your forefinger. Acupressure experts believe that this fleshy area is linked to the part of the brain where headaches originate. Do this for a couple of minutes till the pain resolves.
Hot water soak
Try soaking your feet in warm water! Sounds like a cure for tired soles? Yes, but it works on headaches too. A hot water soak draws blood to the feet and eases the pressure built up by blood vessels in your head. Add some mustard to the soak for added benefits.
Cold compress
A lot of people swear by the benefits of cold compress. Put a couple of ice cubes in a washcloth and press it against your forehead. Cold constricts blood vessels, and on shrinkage they stop pressing on sensitive nerves. Since headache pain sometimes stems from nerves in back of your neck, moving the compress to the muscles at the base of your skull is also effective.
Drink up
If you are having headaches try drinking a tall glass of water. A headache is often an indication that your body is dehydrated. If you aren’t a water baby, try having some ginger juice. The herb works as an anti-inflammatory, thereby relieving headache. Rosemary and Chamomile also help relieve stress and reduce headaches. Another effective remedy is trying strong black tea with a few bruised whole cloves added. Given that tea contains caffeine and cloves have anti-inflammatory properties, this brew might indeed be a great remedy to ease a throbbing headache.
Eat
Don’t starve yourself. Long hours without food can cause a drop in blood sugar causing headaches. Also, eating foods with high Vitamin E can help with headaches by thinning blood and easing out circulation. Almonds, avocado and wheatgerm are great bets for unblocking tension.
Magnesium supplements
Doctors believe people suffering from chronic headaches should keep magnesium in their medicine chest. 400 milligrams of it is enough to prevent migraines and these supplements are easily available at drug stores. If you want to route the natural way, try foods like pumpkin seeds, mackerel, dried figs, and dark chocolate which are high in magnesium instead of supplements.
Source: the med guru