One third of the world population experiences the symptoms of headache, at least once in their life. According to World Health report, it is proven that medicines have their own side effects. And in sixty percent of the medical cases either patients become addicted to their prescribed medicines which leads them to more chronic illness and in some cases; death.
All prescribed and over the counter medicines have unwanted side effects. For example;
- Some antibiotics can cause allergic reactions in around five per cent of the population. Skin rashes are a common reaction. But, it is not always easy to tell if the reaction is caused by the medicine or the illness.
- St John’s wort increases serotonin. If taken with other medicines that increase serotonin (such as antidepressants) it can cause serotonin toxicity. Serotonin toxicity can range from mild to life threatening. Symptoms include tremors, high temperature and low blood pressure.
- Some antibiotics interact negatively with alcohol and some can cause a severe reaction. Symptoms can include upset stomach, skin flushing, headache, a fast or irregular heartbeat, drowsiness or dizziness.
How to get rid of Headache without medication?
Headache is defined as a arising pain from the upper neck of the body or head. The pain originates from the tissues and structures that surround the skull or the brain because the brain itself has no nerves that give rise to the sensation of pain (pain fibers). The thin layer of tissue (periosteum) that surrounds bones, muscles that encase the skull, sinuses, eyes, and ears, as well as thin tissues that cover the surface of the brain and spinal cord (meninges), arteries, veins, and nerves, all can become inflamed or irritated and cause headache. The pain may be a dull ache, sharp, throbbing, constant, intermittent, mild, or intense. There are effective ways to get rid of headache without taking medication. These ways have been in practice from centuries. And they do not have any kind of side effects.
Water
One of the well-known causes of headache is due to not having enough fluids in your body which results in dehydration. And having headache due to dehydration is the secondary form of headache. A study in 2015 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice pointed to a research experiment on 102 patients dealing with frequent headaches found that those who started sipping an extra 1.5 liters of water a day had less severe headaches. Try drinking water 3-4 glass when the symptoms occur.
Extra virgin olive oil
Olive oil contains, oleocanthal and anti-inflammatory properties, which suppresses the same pain pathway as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, such as ibuprofen, although these two chemicals are not related. 1-2 tea spoon of olive oil will do the trick.
Stress Management
People with stress or depression are more susceptible to headaches. In times of stress, certain chemicals are released that provoke the vascular changes that cause a migraine headache. The attacks become more frequent in periods of increased depression or stress. Try stress management; relax for a bit, go for yoga, walk or exercise. Keep a positive attitude. Tell yourself that bad things are a part of life and it will pass.
Ice cold packs
Usually patients with migraine headache prefer cold packs. Patients with tension-type or muscle contraction headaches may prefer warm packs. So the cold or warm packs can help. On the vascular system (also known as your circulatory system): It is thought that cold constricts the blood vessels (a process known as vasoconstriction), possibly creating decreased downstream blood flow and lessening the pain you may feed. A cold pack may also reduce edema (swelling). An ice cold pack on the forehead or temples of your head will help release the pain.
Herbs for headache
It’s an old but effective way to cure the headache. Herbs contain various healing compounds that help you in getting rid of the headache. We have briefly explained about effective herbs and their properties in few of our previous articles, as well. You can go through that article for more and better knowledge about herbs for headache.
The effective herbs for headache are; ginger, feverfew, fennel, mint, chamomile, and essential oils etc.
Soak your feet
By drawing blood to your feet, the hot-water footbath will ease pressure on the blood vessels in your head. According to a research experiment conducted in 2016 in the Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice, people suffering from headache or migraine who soaked their feet and arms in a hot water bath for about 20 minutes helped them with soothe a throbbing headache.
Headband
In ancient times people used to tighten the headband or scarf around the forehead just to the point where you can feel pressure all around your head. Reducing the flow of blood to your scalp can help to relieve the pain caused by swollen blood vessels.
All of the above mentioned techniques are safe and effective. It’s a good idea to keep a check or track to which home remedy works and what doesn’t because every individual react differently to each of the technique so it’s important that you note down which ones work best for you, and most importantly what are your triggers.
