March 23,2021
4 Natural Pain Relief for Headaches
Headaches are a common condition that many people deal with on a daily basis. Ranging from uncomfortable to downright unbearable, they can disrupt your day-to-day life. Several types of headaches exist, with tension headaches being the most common. Cluster headaches are painful and happen in groups or “clusters,” while migraines are a moderate-to-severe type of headache.
Although many medications are targeted at relieving headache symptoms, a number of effective, natural treatments also exist. Here are 4 effective home remedies to naturally get rid of headaches.
1. Drink water
Photo from Damir Spanic
Inadequate hydration may lead you to develop a headache. In fact, studies have demonstrated that chronic dehydration is a common cause of tension headaches and migraines. Thankfully, drinking water has been shown to relieve headache symptoms in most dehydrated individuals within 30 minutes to three hours.
What’s more, being dehydrated can impair concentration and cause irritability, making your symptoms seem even worse. To help avoid dehydration headaches, focus on drinking enough water throughout the day and eating water-rich foods.
2. Use essential oils
Photo from Christin Hume
Essential oils are highly concentrated liquids that contain aromatic compounds from a variety of plants. They have many therapeutic benefits and are most often used topically, though some can be ingested. Peppermint and lavender essential oils are especially helpful when you have a headache.
Applying peppermint essential oil to the temples has been shown to reduce the symptoms of tension headaches . Meanwhile, lavender oil is highly effective at reducing migraine pain and associated symptoms when applied to the upper lip and inhaled.
3. Get some exercise
Photo from Johnathan Borba
One of the simplest ways to reduce headache frequency and severity is to engage in physical activity. For example, one study in 91 people found 40 minutes of indoor cycling three times per week was more effective than relaxation techniques at reducing headache frequency.
Another large study including more than 92,000 people showed that a low level of physical activity was clearly associated with an increased risk of headaches. There are many ways to increase your activity level, but one of the easiest methods is to simply increase the amount of steps you take throughout the day.
4. Drink Caffeinated Tea or Coffee
Photo from Katrin Hauf
Lastly, sipping on beverages that contain caffeine, such as tea or coffee, may provide relief when you are experiencing a headache. Caffeine improves mood, increases alertness and constricts blood vessels, all of which can have a positive effect on headache symptoms. It also helps increase the effectiveness of common medications used to treat headaches, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
Featured Photo from Usman Yousaf
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