Headaches are one of the most annoying and disturbing pains in our lives. It is the most common condition faced by many people on a day-to-day basis.
Headache can be bearable to some extent, but there are fewer chances that it will fade automatically. Headaches lead to many problems that not only affect you but also the people around you.
According to a report from the World Health Organisation (WHO), almost half of the adults face the problem of headaches in a year.
Types of Headaches
There is not one but different types of headaches:
Tension Headache
Tension headache is the most common type of problem faced by people daily. Tension headache is more common in women than in men.
It feels like wearing a tight band around your head or like putting pressure around the head.
Symptoms of Tension Headache
- Aching head pain
- Dullness
- Tenderness in shoulder and neck muscles
- Â Feeling pressure around the head
According to some experts, tension, heightened emotions, or stress can cause tension headaches.
Remedies for Tension Headaches
Following are some home remedies which can help in relieving tension headache:
- Drink more water
- Proper sleeping schedule
- Acupuncture
Migraine Headache
According to researches, migraine is a neurological disorder. Migraines can begin at any age.
It is believed that migraine is a genetic problem that runs in the family, but genes aren’t the only reason.
Studies show that there might be some other environmental factors that lead to migraines.
The most common symptom include throbbing pain in one side of the head. Usually, the migraine attack lasts for 4-72 hours.
Now, let’s see some other symptoms of migraines
Symptoms of Migraine
- Pain in one side of the head, either on the left side, right side, front, or back
- Nausea
- Dizziness, feeling fainting
- Extreme sensitivity to sound, light
- Visual Disturbance
- Vomiting
- Pulsing and throbbing head pain
- Numbness
These were some common symptoms faced by people having a migraine. But not everyone has the same body, so the symptoms may differ accordingly.
Remedies for Migraine
Following home remedies can help in getting some relief from migraine:
- Avoid staying from Light, lie in a dark room
- Take head massage
- Place a cold cloth on your forehead
Cluster Headache
Cluster Headache is one of the most severe headaches. It feels like intense burning or piercing pain around one eye.
The pain is throbbing and constant. It can last between 15 minutes to 3 hours.
It is more likely to happen in males than in females. They are called cluster headaches because they occur in a group.
It might happen one to three times a day, which may last between 2 weeks to 3 months.
Symptoms of Cluster Headache
- Watering eye
- Redness of conjunctiva
- Eyelid swelling
- Either running nose or stuffs up
- Pupil getting smaller
These are some symptoms faced by people having cluster headaches. Symptoms differ from person to person.
Remedies for Cluster Headache
Mentioned below are some home remedies which may help in relieving cluster headaches:
- Deep breathing exercises
- Drink ginger tea
- Avoid alcohol and tobacco
- Take Vitamin B2
These were some remedies which might help in reducing headache, but cluster headaches usually require proper treatment and medications.
Sinus Headache
Another type of headache is a Sinus headache. It occurs when the sinus passage behind your nose, eyes, cheeks, and forehead are congested.
The pain is either one or both sides of the head.
Sinus headaches can be a seasonal problem if you have some allergies, or it can be occasional if your sinuses get triggered for some other reason.
Symptoms of Sinus Headache
- Pain and pressure around the cheeks, eyes, and forehead
- Runny nose
- Eye redness, swelling
- Pain gets worse when you lean forward
- Green or yellow nasal discharge
- Aching of top Jaw
Remedies for Sinus Headache
Some home remedies for sinus headache are as follows:
- Thin out the congestions trapped in your sinuses
- Try saline solutions to cleanse your sinuses area
- Press sinus pressure points
- Push the area underneath your eyes on the top of your cheekbones
So, these were some most common types of headaches that people nowadays have.
The symptoms mentioned may differ from person to person, depending on their body type. Now, let’s see some common causes of headaches.
Causes of Headaches
The causes of constant headaches can range from minor to pretty major. Headache makes a person dull, annoyed, and irritated.
Stress
The foremost reason for headaches nowadays is stress. Headaches today are most complained about by youths.
They are under a lot of pressure, someone is stressed about studies, someone is stressed about career, and many other reasons which cause anxiety and stress in their lives.
If you want to get rid of a headache, then stop stressing. Figure out what’s wrong with your life.
You can try some stress management techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help in coping up with anxious thoughts.
Dehydration
A human body is 60% water.
Water drains out of the body frequently in the form of urine or sweat, so one needs to have adequate consumption of water.
According to health authorities, a person needs about 8-ounce glasses, which is about 2 liters of water every day.
Dehydration is one of the causes of having frequent headaches.
When the body doesn’t get the required amount of water, then blood volume drops in the body. Lower blood volume means less oxygen is getting to the brain.
Keep an eye on the dehydration signs, like yellow pee, feeling a thirsty, or dry mouth.
If these are your signs, then drink more water. You can also add up some watery foods in your diet, (like watermelon, tomatoes)
Sinus Problem
Sinus headaches are not that common. If you are facing recurrent headaches in your sinus or facial area, possibly it is a migraine.
About 90% of people who complain about sinus headaches have migraines.
But if with a headache, you are also having a fever or any other indication that you are sick, then it could be a sinus infection.
If you have discovered sinus infection, it is advisable to visit your doctor.
They might give some antibiotics, which can help in reducing headaches and the infection.
Disturbed Body Clock
If your body’s clock or circadian rhythm is disturbed, then you might get a headache.
It normally happens when your sleeping cycle is disturbed due to less sleeping or oversleeping.
Try to follow your schedule. It will help you in limiting the disruption of your body clock, and in turn, less frequent headaches.
Too Much Caffeine
Another reason for headaches is the extra dose of caffeine in the diet.
Caffeine causes vasoconstriction in your blood vessels, meaning they get a little narrower.
Drinking coffee every day makes your body addictive to it.
So when you do not take caffeine, your blood vessel doesn’t become constricted and makes your head hurt.
So, these were some common causes of headaches noted in researches. The pain during headaches makes a person inactive, which ultimately disturbs their life cycle.
Home remedies to relieve headache naturally
Headaches being a regular thing causes distress in life.
Headaches nowadays are such a regular thing that if you start taking medications for that, you create a dependency.
In the long term, medicines will totally stop working, and since your body will develop immunity for painkillers.
Here, we are going to tell you some home remedies which might help in relieving your headaches.
Drink Water
Inadequate intake of water can lead to headaches.
According to studies, dehydration is one of the causes of tension, headache, and migraines.
Drinking water can help in relieving headaches within 30 minutes to 3 hours.
So, for avoiding dehydration and headaches, drink more water. You can also eat water-rich foods in your diet like squashes.
Limit Alcohol
A headache is one of the common side effects of a hangover.
According to studies, alcohol can cause migraines in people who experience frequent headaches.
Alcohol contains ethanol, which may cause headaches several times.
Firstly, alcohol is a direct vasodilator, which can cause headaches in some individuals.
Secondly, alcohol contains ethanol, which is a natural diuretic making the body release more water from kidneys in the form of urine.
Thus, with even minimum consumption of alcohol, a person can have a headache, because it may cause dehydration.
Use of Essential Oils
Essential oils are highly-concentrated liquids made up of leaves, stems, roots, barks, and other elements of plants.
Inhaling the essential oils can reduce the severity of headache pain.
Inhaling the peppermint oil for 15 minutes can reduce tension headaches. Lavender oil helps reduce migraines when applied to the upper lip and inhaled.
Not all people have the same body types, thus smelling essential oils may bother them. But experimenting with different oils can help in relieving headaches.
Essential oils have fewer side effects, and more other benefits like it can reduce stress, which can alleviate tension headaches.
Essential oils must always be diluted with a carrier oil such as coconut oil, olive oil, or almond oil.
It must never be used directly on skin or ingested.
Ice Pack
A cold compress or using an ice pack can be very beneficial in reducing the headaches of some kind.
Putting an ice pack on the back of the head or neck helps in constricting the blood vessels and reduce inflammation in a particular area.
Applying an ice pack for 30 minutes can help in reducing migraine pain.
Exercise
Being engaged in physical activities is one of the simplest ways to reduce headaches.
Exercise keeps the body warm and promotes better blood circulation, which reduces the chances of headaches.
Regular exercise not only helps in headache problems but also is beneficial for fitness.
It keeps a person active both physically and mentally, further, which helps in increasing concentration.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine that involves inserting thin needles into the pressure parts of the body.
Acupuncture helps in restoring the positive flow of the body and removing the negative energy that is causing pain.
Acupuncture needles are inserted into different pressure points depending upon the symptoms.
The needles are inserted near the nerves in your body, which releases hormones like, endorphins and the body gets relaxed.
Take some Magnesium
Magnesium, a natural mineral that helps in monitoring blood sugar levels and nerve transmission, is an agent in curing headaches.
The deficiency of magnesium in a body leads to migraines.
According to studies, treatment with 600mg of oral magnesium citrate per day can help in reducing both the frequency and severity of migraine pain.
However, taking magnesium can cause digestive issues like diarrhea in some people, so it is advisable to start with smaller quantities.
Vitamin B
Vitamin B2 may help in preventing migraines.
The effects in reducing migraine appear after a month of daily doses of 400mg and increased in every two months.
Great sources of Vitamin B2 are eggs, lean meat, milk, broccoli, and enriched bread and cereals.
Vitamin B is considered safe to take regularly, as they are water-soluble, and the excess will be out from the body in the form of urine.
Yoga
Yoga is very beneficial for our body as it helps in curing almost every possible problem.
Yoga helps in relieving stress, increase flexibility, and improvement in increasing concentration.
Yoga even helps in reducing the intensity and frequency of headaches.
According to many studies conducted, it is proved that people who take up yoga daily have fewer complaints about headaches than people who don’t.
Ginger Tea
Ginger, a natural root, helps in curing many problems like indigestion, nausea, upset stomach, and is also helpful in relieving headaches and migraines.
Ginger roots contain many beneficial compounds, which are anti-inflammatory and have pain-relieving effects.
A study suggested that taking 250mg of ginger powder decreased the symptoms of migraines.
Conclusion
Headaches are creating a negative impact on people’s lives, and it is essential to find a natural and effective remedy for it.
Headaches are the most common nowadays. It is creating a lot of disturbances in our lives.
Yoga, supplements, water, essential oils are all-natural and effective ways to reduce headaches.
The remedies mentioned may not work instantly but will be beneficial in the long run.
The treatments may also depend on the type of body you have, or on the kind of headache.
These remedies are worth giving a shot, as some will help in reducing headaches.
But if the problem persists, then it is advisable to visit your doctor and take proper medication.
