8 home remedies for headaches recommended by specialists

04 Dec 8 home remedies for headaches recommended by specialists

Frequent headaches and migraines can adversely affect your way of life, hindering all your normal activities and making it increasingly difficult to concentrate on life’s important things. Here are a few home remedies that can help cure your headache temporarily or permanently:

• Lavender oil: Lavender oil is not only famous for the invigorating aroma but it is also used as a home remedy to treat headaches and migraines. This essential oil can be topically applied on the head or its vapours may be inhaled for a soothing effect. Topical application does not require any dilution of the oil while for inhalation, two to four drops of the oil may be mixed in two to three cups of boiling water and then the resulting vapours may be inhaled. Oral intake of lavender oil is, however, strictly prohibited.
• Dietary regulations: Certain food items have been reported to be associated with an increased frequency of headaches and migraine pains. Foods like chocolate, dairy products, peanut butters, some fruits such as bananas, avocados, citrus fruits and meat products which are heavy in nitrates like bacon and hot dogs, have been found to be culprits that aggravate a headache or migraine. Fermented food items, pickles, monosodium glutamate and tyramine containing food items are also suspected of affecting the severity and frequency of headaches, in an adverse manner. These food items must be avoided for a quick recovery from a headache.
• Peppermint oil: Peppermint oil is known to have vasoconstrictive and vasodilating effects which helps control the blood flow to the affected site on the body. Poor blood flow is often one of the reasons behind a severe headache and peppermint oil can alleviate such effects by normalizing blood flow to the head.
• Scalp massage: This is perhaps the most commonly used home remedy to treat headaches and migraines. Brazilian researchers have demonstrated that migraine pain can be diminished by massaging the scalp at the base of the head by relaxing the occipital nerve. A head massage does not necessarily require a helper to deliver it but can also be self-delivered. By pressing at the pressure points on the scalp, the symptoms of pain can be reduced considerably.
• Basil oil: The oil derived from the basil plant is great at treating headaches and migraines. Basil helps relax muscles in the head and this is especially useful for those suffering from headaches due to tension or muscle tightening.
• Treatment with Feverfew: Feverfew is not only effective in treating fever but is also useful as a herbal headache treatment. A pioneering study in England, conducted in the 1980’s, revealed that in a study, a whopping 70% of the participants who were administered Feverfew daily, had receding migraine pain. Since that time, numerous other studies have revealed the efficacy of Feverfew in treating headaches and migraine. A combination of Feverfew and white willow (works on similar principles as aspirin) have also been effective in treating migraine.
• Treatment with Buckwheat: The presence of a flavonoid called rutin in buckwheat imparts it with a property that helps relieve migraine pain and headaches. Flavonoids are produced by plants and are famous for their antioxidant properties. A study in Taiwan has revealed that the flavonoids in buckwheat help reduce inflammation which is a common cause of headache.
• Flaxeed: The omega-3 fatty acid content of flaxseed can reduce inflammation and thus protect from headaches and migraine pain.

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