How to Get Rid of Headache and Migraine Pain by Using Foods

November 03, 2015

When you take over the counter pain killers all you’re doing is smothering your symptoms and ignoring the real issue of what triggers the headache. Natural remedies for headaches may take a bit more thought than simply popping a pill, but don’t brush them off. They won’t wreak havoc on your body like other over the counter or prescription pain-killers do, and you’re less likely to become so dependent on them that you need them for every little ache.

Lemon

Lemon is a very effective and powerful ingredient to treat headache because it is refreshing and relaxing. Plus, it helps maintain the acid-alkaline balance in the body.

Drinking warm water mixed with juice squeezed from one-half of a lemon will reduce the intensity of a headache. This particular remedy is beneficial for headaches caused by gas in the stomach.

Another option is to apply lemon crusts, pounded into a paste, on your forehead to immediately relieve pain.

Apply an apple cider vinegar compress

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has a long history in realm of natural remedies. It’s been used to relieve everything from scurvy to hay fever, and just about any other ailment that falls in between.

Some modern day studies have proven its effectiveness in treating certain illnesses, but most of its clout lies in the reports of people throughout the centuries who have benefited from it. If you find yourself coming down with a throbbing headache, try getting some quality ACV time into your day in the form of a steam-style treatment.

Ingredients

1/4 cup of ACV
Roughly 3 cups of boiling water
1 cup of fresh cool water

Method

Pour ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar into a large bowl, and then fill the bowl halfway with boiling water. Place a towel over your head so that it drapes over the bowl, trapping the steam, and hold your face over it. Make sure your face isn't so close that it gets burned by the steam. Do this for 5-10 minutes, or when the water starts to cool down, breathing in and out deeply the whole time. When you’re done, use the towel to pat your face dry, and go drink a glass of cool water.

Apply peppermint oil

Peppermint oil has a wonderfully soothing effect when you’re suffering from a headache, easing the discomfort and clearing your mind. It can be applied to various places, and people who use it find that it works quickly to relieve pain. If you have sensitive skin and find that it irritates it, try diluting it with a bit of olive oil or water.

Ingredients

Peppermint oil

Method

Massage the peppermint oil onto your temples, the back of your jaw, and forehead. You will feel a cooling sensation upon applying it. Breathe deeply, and if possible, find a quiet place to relax and sip some cool water.

Crush it with cayenne

Utilizing something spicy may not sound headache helpful, but cayenne is somewhat revered in the kingdom of natural remedies to treat pain and inflammation. The secret behind its success lies in an ingredient called capsaicin, which inhibits something in our body that is one of the main elements in pain perception called Substance P. In short, Substance P is part of what makes us feel pain, and the capsaicin depletes it.

Numerous studies, the first in 1998 in The Clinical Journal of Pain, support that when applied topically to the nasal passages; people experience a significant decrease in the severity of their headaches, all thanks to capsaicin.

Ingredients

1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
4 ounces of warm water
cotton swabs

Method

Dilute a ½ teaspoon of cayenne powder in 4 ounces of warm water. Soak a cotton swab in the solution and stir it around to make sure it’s covered-the powder can sometimes sink to the bottom. Apply the moist swab gently to the inside of each nostril until you can feel the heat. It may be a bit unpleasant at first, but take the burning sensation as a sign that it’s working. When it subsides, your headache will hopefully be wiped out, or at the very least better than before.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is another herb that can effectively treat headaches. This remedy is helpful for headaches caused by exposure to cold air.

Grind some cinnamon sticks into a powder.

Add some water to make a thick paste.

Apply it on your forehead and temples and lie down for 30 minutes.

Wash if off with lukewarm water.

Drink fish oil

There are some small-scale studies that show the ingestion of fish oil can help reduce migraines and head pain, thanks to its omega-3 fatty acids, which promotes heart health. The American Heart Association states that the ingredients in fish oil may help reduce inflammation, blood clotting, lower blood pressure, and steady heart rhythm. Those actions in turn may help reduce head pain because it may reduce the inflammation of blood cells that press and pinch on nerves.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of fish oil OR fish oil oral supplements
1 glass of orange juice

Method

If you are taking fish oil capsules, follow the dosing on the bottle. If using the actual oil, mix a tablespoon into a glass of cold orange juice and drink up!

Ginger root

Prostaglandin synthesis is a process that takes place in some animals (including humans) that makes lipid (fat) compounds within their cells. Those fatty substances are like little chemical messengers that mediate biological processes, like inflammation, and alerting neurons to pain. Certain enzymes spark off the prostaglandin synthesis, while some drugs, such as aspirin, inhibit the synthesis.

Ginger root, a natural alternative, is thought to inhibit the synthesis as well. On top of that, if you’re getting knocked with a migraine, it can help quell your nausea. Simply sip a nice steaming cup of ginger root tea and relax while you wait for your headache to ease up.

Ingredients

3 quarter size slices of ginger root
2 cups of water

Method

Slice 3 slices off of a piece of raw ginger root, with each being roughly the size of a quarter. Gently simmer the pieces of ginger in 2 cups of water, covered, for 30 minutes. Use something to remove the pieces of ginger and transfer to a mug, or if you prefer, leave them in. Sip slowly and breathe in the steam if you want. Relax..