Stop Headaches Now

Archive for September, 2009

Searching for a natural cure? Try these proven strategies and kiss your headache goodbye.

Aromatherapy

This is one of the most powerful of the headache home remedies. It’s somewhat different for everyone, because most people associate different types of smells with different things. However, there are some aromas that stand out as headache killers: peppermint, sandlewood , lavender, and eucalyptus. You may try each one of these or use them in combinations. Use essential oils for massage, or use candles or soaps. You can even put a couple drops on a cotton ball or piece of paper.

A note of caution, many companies sell low quality products with these names now that are cheap and may only make your headache worse. Start with quality items, which means the purest essential oils you can find.

This is what I tell my patients to do at home, make a compress by putting 5 drops of lavender essential oil in cold (or warm) water. Swish around a soft cloth, then put it on your head or neck. . There are some nice hot or cold packs that have essential oils in them.

Exercise

We all know that regular exercise helps us deal with pain. It’s especially effective for people with migraine. Some even find that mild exercise during a migraine helps alleviate the pain. Remember, though – ease into it! Sudden changes can make your migraine worse, and that isn’t what we’re going for here! Exercise can stimulate and regulate blood flow to the brain and reduce stress. A great relaxation method as well.

Go for a brisk walk outdoors and get some fresh air.

Exercise can also help release the body’s natural painkillers, endorphins.

Massage

Now that you’ve got your essential oils, this is another great thing to do with them! Not only does massage stimulate and relax, touch itself is one of the greatest healers. That is why Chiropractic has been so successful.

I have my patients try this, with or without peppermint, eucalyptus or lavender oil: Have someone kneed across your shoulders and the back of the neck. Next, have them press on the base of your skull with their fingers, and slowly release.

This is a great type of self massage, rotate your fingers over your scalp. Put pressure on the webbed part of your hand between your finger and thumb (really). Also great for migraine, believe it or not, is foot massage. There are some good reflexology points as well. Massage is a skill that may change your life.

Hot and Cold

For some people with headache it’s one, with some it’s another. Experiment, but avoid extremes, which can make things worse! Try a cold pack wrapped in a couple layers of towel on your neck. One of my favourites is putting your hands in hot water, which seems to pull the pressure out of your head. It’s also a good excuse to do the dishes before your headache gets much worse!

Other Home Solutions

Much has been said about diet and herbs, which are important to migraine and various types of headache. Feverfew has been shown to help ease Migraines, I use this alot in my practice. Magnesium has been linked to migraine, so you may want to check out ways to boost your magnesium levels.

Another headache home remedies theory is all about magnetism and ions, but suffice to say that a room with a humidifier or a walk on a bridge over troubled water provides relief for many people. Giving up smoking is a good (but hard!) one. Getting up at the same time every day is VERY important for people like me (”weekend headaches” often attack those who sleep in on weekends). Buckwheat pillows for many people (including me) go a long way toward relieving the pain, because they cool things off and provide much needed support. I like eye pillows with flax seed as well. There may be foods that trigger your migraine, so perform an elimination diet to rule out food triggers. A well qualified Chiropractic Physician can help you find the cause of your headaches, they see this type of problem on a daily basis.

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