Headaches can feel like the worst thing in the world, especially if they’re constantly recurring and impossible to get rid of. They can negatively affect our daily lives and make us think they’re never going to end.
Luckily, there are some natural remedies using traditional herbs that can help banish your headaches. Below is a detailed guide on why you might be experiencing headaches, why you should opt for natural remedies over medication, and the herbs you can use for pain relief.
Common headache triggers
It’s hard to determine exactly why you might be suffering from headaches, especially since the triggers can vary from person to person. However, these are the most common factors you might want to consider:
Stress
One of the main causes of headaches is stress. This is because they cause emotional and physical tension that can lead to the head. The cause of the stress can vary, whether it’s from work, personal issues, or anxiety, but they all lead to muscle tension, especially in the neck, resulting in headaches or even migraines.
Lack of sleep
Sleep plays a massive role in our overall health, which is why it’s incredibly important to try and get eight hours of sleep every night. Lack of sleep will disrupt the body’s natural rhythm, which can cause recurring headaches. This is because it causes chemical imbalances in the brain, making the head more susceptible to pain.
Dietary factors
Believe it or not, what you’re eating could be the reason you’re experiencing an increase in headaches. Some foods and drinks contain substances that alter the blood flow to the brain or stimulate neurotransmitters that cause headaches. Some examples include aged cheese, alcohol, caffeine, and processed foods.
Dehydration
The majority of our bodies are made up of water, and we need to ensure we keep it that way. That’s why it’s important to ensure you have a good intake of water each day. With not enough fluids in your body, this can cause dehydration, causing the brain to shrink and pull away from the skull, which can trigger headaches and bad migraines.
Hormonal changes
Fluctuations in hormones, especially in women with estrogen, can cause headaches. These types of fluctuations can happen throughout puberty for both genders but are most commonly seen in women during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause. If you’re going through any of these, that might be the cause of your headaches.
Popularity of natural remedies
Over the years, people have stopped going to the doctor to receive medicine to cure their headaches; instead, they’ve been searching for natural and holistic remedies to help. But why is this?
Several reasons can be attributed to the growing trend of natural remedies for headaches:
Concerns for side effects
Whenever you’re prescribed medication by your doctor, are you tired or hearing all the possible side effects you might experience? Sometimes, the list seems endless and makes it seem pointless to take it in the end. Natural remedies typically have fewer side effects and are seen as safer than conventional pharmaceuticals.
Prevention over treatment
Your doctor will not often give you medication to prevent illness and disease. They instead focus on helping get you better once you’ve developed an ailment. Natural remedies can help cure but also maintain health. You can take various magical potions and drinks each day as a preventative measure, offering more peace of mind over your health.
Increased accessibility
If you’re ill, the process of receiving medication can be very taxing. That’s because you need to try to get an appointment from your doctor, receive a prescription, and then go and pick up the prescription. With natural remedies, they are always accessible, and you can make them in the comfort of your home in no time.
Cost-effectiveness
Even if you are able to get your hands on a prescription that can cure your headache, the chances are that it’s going to cost you an arm and a leg. This can be a bit inconvenient for people who are on a budget. With natural remedies, the ingredients are often cheap, and you can make them using tools you have at home.
Herbs for headache relief
If you are suffering from headaches and want to try out some natural remedies, there are some great herbs that have been proven to help with headache relief. Here are some of the main herbs and how you can use them to get rid of headaches and migraines:
Peppermint oil:
Peppermint oil contains menthol, which is known to help relax the muscles in your neck and head to relieve the pain.
You can mix a few drops of peppermint oil with a carrier oil like jojoba oil and gently massage it into your temples and forehead.
Lavender oil:
Lavender oil works in a similar way to peppermint oil because it is known for its calming and relaxing properties, perfect for getting rid of tension headaches.
Dilute lavender oil with some jojoba oil and massage it into the temples just like with peppermint oil. You can also inhale it through a diffuser to provide relief.
Feverfew:
Feverfew is a traditional herb with an abundance of anti-inflammatory properties. These not only aid your health but can help get rid of headaches.
You can take feverfew in capsule form or make it into a tea. You can make it into a tea by steeping dried feverfew leaves in hot water for about 10 minutes and strain before drinking.
Butterbur:
Butterbur has been proven to reduce inflammation and act as a natural beta-blocker, which reduces the effects of various migraine triggers.
Butterbur is usually taken in capsule form. You should not try to make a butterbur supplement yourself, as it can contain some harmful compounds. Ensure the capsule is processed and labeled as PA-free.
Ginger:
Ginger can help reduce nausea and pain associated with headaches.
There are various ways you can take ginger. You can either chew raw ginger, use ginger supplements, or make ginger tea by steeping fresh ginger in boiling water.
Leave a Comment