Saturday, March 5, 2016

5 Proven Home Remedies for Migraines and Headaches


Headaches and random migraine attacks can totally set you up for a bad day. The way in which we lead our lives lead these days, such bouts of headaches are bound to occur. Our day starts in haste, we barely get time to relax or unwind. We are constantly surrounded in traffic jams, meetings, conferences, presentations, and so on. With all these, our body is bound to give up. A stressed body will start showing signs of fatigue and various sorts of pain. Most of the times you will find yourself or your friend saying out, “this headache is killing me!” Headache can be really torturous and only those who suffer from it would know how it can hamper everything.

Without being able to bear the pain, most of the times we end up popping painkillers every now and then. However, relying on painkillers excessively isn’t a good thing at all. Headaches, including migraines, are very common and can occur due to several reasons. While a few headache sufferers might require treatment on a regular basis, there are several home remedies that can help in alleviating many types of headaches, including that of migraines. Home remedies are the best way to cure this kind of a problem as they are natural and come without any side effect. In this article, we will tell you about a few of the most amazing home remedies to treat headache in an effective manner.

Lavender Oil

We all know the lavender oil smells great and can soothe your senses beautifully. However, did it you know that has a lot more to do than just smelling great? If not, then you should know that it is a very potent home remedy for treating bad headaches and migraine pains. Surely, it is nothing less than a blessing for all you sufferers. You can either inhale it or apply it topically to alleviate the pain. Just add two to four drops of lavender oil for every two or three cups of boiling water if you choose to inhale lavender oil vapours to treat your headache. The best part of lavender oil is that unlike several other medicinal oils, this one can be applied safely externally for it doesn’t require any sort of dilution. However, it should be remembered that it is not at all meant for oral consumption.

Basil Oil

We all love basil for its strong scent and the flavour it adds to our pizzas and pastas. Certainly, it is an herb that tastes great and smells good. But it can serve a greater purpose for those suffering from headaches. The oil extracted from basil plants can prove to be an excellent remedy for several kinds of headaches. Wondering how it works? Basil is a strong muscle relaxant and this is which it is great for headaches caused due to tension and muscle tightness.

Flaxseed

Headaches can be of various kinds and different pains require different treatments. There are certain headaches that are caused due to inflammation. Such headaches can be reduced by the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. Now we are not asking you to have artificial omega-3 fatty acid supplements. You can just have flaxseed for it is naturally loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. It can be used in different forms – from oil and ground to whole seeds.

Scalp Massage

Let’s accept it; nothing would soothe us better than a relaxing massage. You must be wondering what if there’s nobody around you when you are having your headache. Do not worry; you can easily perform a do-it-yourself (DIY) scalp massage to alleviate migraine pain effectively. The area in the back of your head, the base of the skull, has the greater occipital nerve and massaging it can reduce migraine pain considerably. Several researchers around the world have showed that massaging this point can be highly effective. Moreover, massaging is a great way to reduce all sorts of headaches. Try reflexology or massaging the reflex points on your hands and feet to relax yourself.

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint can also soothe you by providing relief from tension headaches. The best part of this oil is that it’s highly refreshing and comes with vaso-constricting and vaso-dilating properties. These properties help in controlling the flow of blood in our body. Most headaches and migraine pains get triggered due to improper blood flow and peppermint oil effectively helps in opening and closing the vessel that promote blood flow. It also opens the sinuses so that more oxygen can get into the bloodstream. This further helps in providing you with relief from the pain.

So, these were some of the most effective remedies to cure your headache. Remember to lead a healthy lifestyle, try to keep yourself away from stress and keep yourself hydrated to minimise the occurrence of these kind of pain.