What is Headache?

Headaches, one of the most common health problems affecting humanity, are among the 10 most common symptoms for which medical advice is sought, accounting for 18 million outpatient visits a year in the United States.

Headache is a pain in a specific area or a region of head. There are some different types of headaches and the area of pain varies according to the type of headache.

In this article, we are going to discuss some tips and tricks, or easy home remedies for headache. You can try out them and relieve your headache without any medication.

Types of Headache

There are two main types of headaches, which are primary headaches and secondary headaches. In this article, we are going to discuss about primary headaches and some home remedies for those types of headaches. There are 04 sub categories in primary headache.

01. Tension Headache

Tension headache is the most common type of headache among adults and teens. Tension headache can cause of many reasons such as, environmental factors (pollutants, body posture, lighting, sound), stress (physical, emotional or mental upset), dietary problems etc.

Identification of tension headache is simple. If you have dull pain on either side of the head, and pressure across the forehead, we can guess it is a tension headache. And it can last for 30 minutes or more.

02. Migraine

Migraine is an all too common problem today. The precise cause of migraine headaches is unknown, a key element is blood flow changes in the brain. This type of headache can last for 4 hours to 3 days.

Along with the pain, people have other symptoms, such as pain in the face or neck, sensitivity to light, noise, or smells, nausea or vomiting, upset stomach or belly pain and loss of appetite, feel dizzy and have blurry vision.

03. Cluster Headache

Severe pain on one side of the head, usually around the eye is cluster headache. Pain begins quickly, it’s deep and continuous pain. Cluster headache is accompanied with a drooping eyelid, small pupil, tearing, runny nose or redness on the same side of the head.

You might get cluster headache one to three times a day, which may last 2 weeks to 3 months. Each headache lasts for 30 minutes to 3 hours.

04. Sinus Headache

Sinus headaches can be included in both primary and secondary headaches. Because it hurts so much and can heal after surgery. But don’t worry, you don’t always have to go to surgery. If you diagnose your problem early, it can be treated with medication.

If you fell pain in the face, sinuses, eyes, ears, or forehead, congestion, itching, runny nose, fever, swelling in the face, it is more likely to be a sinus headache. It can last for several hours or throughout the day to weeks.

If you want to read about ‘sinusitis‘ go through this link.

10 Effective Home Remedies for Headache

01. Give It Some Good Press

With a firm, circular motion, massage the web of skin between the base of your thumb and your forefinger. Continue massaging for several minutes, then switch hands and repeat until the pain resolves.

Acupressure experts call this fleshy area trigger point LIG4 and maintain that it is linked to areas of the brain where headaches originate.

02. Heat Up & Cool Down

Believe it or not, soaking your feet in hot water will help your head feel better. By drawing blood to your feet, the hot-water footbath will ease pressure on the blood vessels in your head. For a really bad headache, add a bit of hot mustard powder to the water.

For a tension headache, place a hot compress on your forehead or the back on your neck. The heat will help relax knotted-up muscles in this area.

It might sound contradictory, but you can follow up the heat treatment (or substitute it) by applying a cold compress to your forehead. (Put a couple of ice cubes in a washcloth) Cold constricts blood vessels, and when they shrink, they stop pressing on sensitive nerves.

Since headache pain sometimes originates in nerves in back of your neck, try moving the compress to the muscles at the base of your skull.

Here’s an alternative to a cold compress: Soak your hands in ice water for as long as you can stand it. While your hands are submerged, repeatedly open and close your fists. This works on the same principle as an ice pack on your head – the cold narrows your dilated blood vessels.

03. Try the Caffeine Cure

Have a cup of strong coffee. Caffeine reduces blood-vessel swelling, and thus can help relieve a headache. This is why caffeine is an ingredient in some extra-strength painkillers like Excedrin.

However, if you are already a heavy coffee drinker, skip this. Caffeine withdrawal can cause headaches, creating a vicious cycle.

04. Drink Some Ginger

An anti-inflammatory, ginger was traditionally used to treat headaches, and it seems to work. Grind up a half-teaspoon ginger, stir it into a glass of water, and drink this “ginger juice.” Or pour 1 cup hot water over 1 teaspoon freshly ground ginger, let the tea cool a bit, then drink it.

Ginger is especially effective against migraines, though how it works is not well understood. Doctors do know that ginger has an effect on prostaglandins, hormonelike substances that contribute to inflammation. Ginger also helps control the nausea that so often accompanies migraines.

05. Put Some Oil on Your Head

Sometimes, you feel pain in your head when your scalp is dry. You can put a little oil in the middle of your head and massage it gently. You can use any oil for this, simply coconut oil or any hair oil.

But keep in mind, some hair oil products can cause headaches. If that’s the problem, stop using that hair oil and try a new one.

06. Expose the Head

Sometimes, when your head is covered with a cap, a hat, a helmet or something else, it feels painful. This is called compression headache. Remove what you wear and expose your head to the air.

07. Go to a cool shady place

Some people get headaches when they are exposed to the sun for a long time. At a time like that, go to a cool and shady place and take rest.

08. Drink Plenty of Water

If you drink less water, you may get a headache and it is called dehydration headache. Therefore, drink plenty of water a day to prevent dehydration. Prolonged lack of water can sometimes lead to dizziness.

09. Relax Your Mind

The main cause of headaches that many people struggle with is a stressful lifestyle. So, listen to relaxation music, watch some funny movies, take a nap, take a cold shower or do something that can relax your mind. It will help you to relieve your headache.

10. Garlic with Oil

Mash a clove of garlic, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and turn on your gas stove. Put mashed clove of garlic on the spoon with coconut oil. Place the spoon over the flame and heat well. Then apply the heated oil in the center of the head and massage well.