Today in our busy society, the stress of family demands and work
stress combined with not enough rest often manifests itself in the form of
headaches. When a headache occurs, we tend to reach for painkillers, such as
acetaminophen, naproxen, or ibuprofen; however, there are natural alternatives
to these drugs.
Ginger Tea
Add about an inch of crushed ginger root to boiling water.
This homemade tea will work to reduce inflammation in about the same amount of
time it takes an aspirin to work. It has been used for centuries in Asia
to treat a number of ailments including stomachaches, nausea, and diarrhea.
Capsaicin Cream
Apply a small amount of capsaicin cream to the inside of
your nostril that’s on the side of your head where you are experiencing pain. The
active ingredient in this cream is cayenne pepper, and the cream works to block
nerve pain signals.
Feverfew
Feverfew has been shown to be effective for treating
migraines by reducing inflammation, which takes pressure off the nerves and can
help prevent migraines entirely.
Butterbur
Butterbur has been used medicinally since the middle ages, and
butterbur extract can be taken daily to help reduce the number and severity of
headaches. You may purchase it in capsules, powder, or tincture, and it is
thought to have both antispasmodic effects and anti-inflammatory properties.
Magnesium
Magnesium helps to calm nerves, which tend to get
overexcited during a migraine. Some studies have found that migraine sufferers
tend to be deficient in magnesium. You can also increase your magnesium by taking
a multivitamin that contains magnesium or by eating foods like broccoli,
beans, soy milk, nuts, or spinach.
Hydrotherapy
Stand in water as hot as you can stand for two minutes (this
increases blood flow to the skin), then as cold as you can stand for two
minutes (this sends blood to the core of the body). Alternate back and forth
for 20 minutes to increase blood flow and circulation, bringing nutrients to
organs and carrying away toxins.
Cold (or Hot) Compress
Apply an icepack to your head, making sure not to put the
ice directly on your head. You can wrap ice or a bag of frozen vegetables in a towel.
Apply heat to the back of the neck with a hot shower, bath, or heating
pad. Heat can loosen up the muscles that tighten with tension headaches.
Progressive Relaxation
Progressive muscle relaxation helps you to consciously
concentrate on relaxing every muscle in your body beginning at your toes and
working all the way up to your head. By reducing muscular tension, this will help
reduce pain. There are two steps to progressive muscle relaxation:
1.
First, you deliberately apply tension to certain
muscle groups
2.
Secondly, you stop the tension and turn your
attention to noticing how the muscles relax as the tension flows away.
When headache pain invades your body, before you reach for a
medicinal pain reliever, remember there are numerous alternative methods for
relieving headache pain.
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