Headache: 11 ways to cope with an attack yourself

When you have a headache, even doing what you love becomes unbearably difficult. But what if you don’t have the necessary pills at hand? What helps with headaches in this case?

The causes of headaches vary from dehydration and lack of sleep to toxic gases, poor circulation and the onset of a serious illness. To eliminate it, people take painkillers. But when it is not there, severe headaches can be relieved in other ways.

To get rid of headaches without pills, you can:

1. Do acupressure
2. Give a general head massage
3. Perform aromatherapy
4. Take a shower or bath
5. Drink clean water
6. Get some fresh air
7. Eat lemon, ginger or mint
8. Drink cinnamon tea

Do acupressure

Acupressure, or acupressure, is a treatment that applies pressure to specific points on the body. No special knowledge is required for this massage.

First you need to relax. Imagine sitting by the fireplace, wrapping yourself in a blanket and drinking delicious hot tea. Breathe slowly and deeply.

Now massage each point with light circular movements for an average of 1-2 minutes. The pain will go away after about 5-10 minutes of massage.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are six main acupressure points on the head. To quickly understand where they are located, you can use a mirror.

Before a massage, consult a specialist.

Yintang

Remember how Indian girls draw a dot on their forehead? This is where our first acupressure point is located: between the eyebrows, above the nose. Do about 30 compressions and move on to the next one.

Jiuliao

These two points are located in the lower part of the face, between the nose and upper lip, on either side of the corners of the lips. Massage slowly for two minutes.

Quanzhu

From above, at the inner corner of the eye, closer to the bridge of the nose. Massage for one minute.

Tianzhu

In the back, at the beginning of the spine, at the hairline. Massage for 1-2 minutes.

Qubin

Points on both sides near the temples, above the ear. Massage for one minute.

Haegu

Located between the thumb and index finger. Press on the point for 1-2 minutes.

How to quickly relieve a headache. Head massage

A light massage will help you take your mind off unpleasant sensations. You need to take a comfortable sitting position. By lightly squeezing your temples with your fingers and making leisurely circular movements, you will help improve blood circulation. There are also more complex massage methods that can relieve headaches at home.

• Massage your scalp in circular motions, moving from the back of your head to your forehead. For this massage you can use coconut oil or argan oil. You just need to apply the oil to your fingers and rub it into your scalp.
• You can massage your neck and back. To do this, ask someone at home to help you. In this case, the main emphasis should be placed on the back of the head.
• A gentle, gentle massage of the bridge of your nose can help.
• In the soft part between the thumb and index finger, there are nerves that are responsible for the blood vessels on the forehead. Therefore, you need to massage this area.

Give a general head massage

A general head massage can help you in the fight against headaches. Especially if the pain is due to a spasm, since such a massage improves blood circulation and helps relieve pain.

1. Throw back your head, lightly knead your neck with your fingers from top to bottom and vice versa. The movements should be spiral-shaped. Do this for two minutes.
2. Then move to the top of the head. Very gently and carefully make movements reminiscent of washing your hair. When performing this self-massage, you should feel a pleasant warmth. The appearance of heat signals good blood circulation. Duration of massage: 5–7 minutes.
3. Place your fingers on your temples, then massage them in a circular motion, moving from the temples along the ear to the back of the head. Massage for 3-5 minutes.
4. Now massage your earlobes. Movements should be gentle. Place your thumbs behind your ears and spread your fingers over your entire head. The massage lasts 2–3 minutes.

After the general massage, rest, do not make sudden movements and begin your business after 15 minutes.

Perform aromatherapy

In the 18th century, essential oils were used to treat various diseases: for a runny nose, inhalations with mint oil were made, for insomnia, they took a hot bath with chamomile or lavender. Nowadays aromatic oils are easy to find on store shelves. They are used regularly both to prevent headaches and to relieve them.

Oils from the following plants will help relieve headaches:

• lavender;
• mint;
• coriander;
• eucalyptus;
• rosemary;
• angelica;
• basil;
• sandalwood;
• clary sage;
• Linden;
• yarrow, etc.

Essential oils should not be applied undiluted to the skin! Most of them are very concentrated and will cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction. Before using the oil, you must mix it with another neutral, for example, apricot kernel oil, or with cream, shampoo, milk, yogurt, honey or sour cream. The aroma oil can be inhaled using aroma lamps, a diffuser or other means.

Eight ways to use aroma oil:

• Bath.
  Mix eight drops with one tablespoon of regular bath oil or milk, then add to water.
• Diffuser.
  Aroma diffusers are special ultrasonic devices into which water and essential oil are added, and then, under the influence of ultrasound, fragrant steam is sprayed. Add 3-4 drops per 15 m2 to the bowl. Turn it on for 15-20 minutes 2-3 times a day.
• Aroma lamp or candles.
  Light them 2-3 times a day.
• Compress.
  Add a few drops of essential oil to warm water. Wet a towel and place it on your forehead.
• Face massage.
  Mix about six drops with a tablespoon of massage oil. Now massage your face and neck in circular motions.
• Full body massage.
  Add a few drops to a tablespoon of unscented massage oil.
• Inhalation.
  Add 3-5 drops to a large container of hot water. Take a towel, cover your head and inhale the fragrant steam for five minutes (this method is not recommended for asthmatics).

Use only natural oils! Sometimes essential oils contain artificial scents, which can have the opposite effect or even make the situation worse.

It's time to get a grip!

And now about what you should do to cope with the attack yourself.

1. The easiest way is to do nothing, but just lie down, close your eyes and relax in complete silence, wait 10-15 minutes until it goes away on its own. In most cases, the method works. 2. Massage the head with light stroking movements from the forehead to the back of the head. Next, walk from the crown down to the ears and from the crown to the back of the head, smoothly going down to the neck. You also need to remember to massage your neck. 3. Ventilate the room well or, if time and weather permit, go for a walk in the fresh air. 4. Darken the room and humidify the air using devices or simply by hanging wet rags on the radiator. 5. Take a warm (but not hot) bath, adding a few drops of essential oils to the water: lavender, lemon, peppermint, marjoram. Fragrant foam and sea salt are welcome! Or standing in a hot shower will help relieve cramping headaches caused by muscle spasms in the back of the neck and head. You can take mustard foot baths - they reduce blood pressure in the brain. 6. Apply cold compresses - they constrict the blood vessels in the painful area and reduce painful pulsation. A bag of ice cubes wrapped in a towel should be applied to the forehead, temples or back of the head for approximately 10–15 minutes. 7. Spread the temples or the back of the head with menthol ointment (ordinary Vietnamese balm will do) or essential oil (citrus or rosemary). 8. Drink a glass of still water. Often, cramps arise from dehydration of the body, which can occur not only on a hot day, but also, for example, after a workout in the gym. 9. Eat something warm: soup, porridge. Irregular eating often leads to headaches. This is likely due to fluctuations in blood glucose levels. 10. Listen to calm, pleasant music or watch an interesting comedy program. Laughter not only tones blood vessels, but also promotes the production of pleasure hormones, endorphins, which have an analgesic effect. 11. If your head hurts quite often, and examinations do not find any neurological disorders in you, try constantly wearing a thread of natural yellow amber around your neck. It is believed to relieve migraines.

Take a shower or bath

One of the simple and effective ways to get rid of headaches is a hot shower or bath. If the pain is associated with poor circulation due to pinched vertebrae, back problems or muscle spasms, then you need to dilate the blood vessels so that the blood circulates well and supplies the cells with oxygen. In this case, both a hot water bottle and a hot shower will do. If you add lavender oil diluted in milk to a hot water bath, it will not only relieve stress, but also relieve pain.

Basil

How to relieve headaches without medications quickly. Here we need another spice, basil. It is an excellent pain reliever, effectively relaxing all muscles and thereby relieving spasms.

• To make basil tea, place a few fresh leaves in a glass or cup and pour boiling water over it. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then you can drink it. For basil tea to have both a therapeutic and preventive effect, it is enough to drink it twice a day.
• Basil for headaches can be used not only as tea, but also fresh. You can simply chew a few leaves a day.

Drink clean water

Dehydration is one of the things that can easily lead to a little personal headache-related hell. Perhaps pain is just a signal from your body about a lack of moisture.

It is very important to drink clean water. Tap water may be hard or have high levels of iron or chlorine. Therefore, to take care of your health, it is better to use a water filter.

Get some fresh air

Increased carbon dioxide levels are one of the most common causes of headaches.

To normalize the level of carbon dioxide, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the room. But open windows do not guarantee relief from migraines: noise, harmful gases and unpleasant odors can enter from the street, which will only intensify the pain. The breather supplies fresh air with the windows closed, cleaning it from dust, allergens and gases. It also has a climate control function and can heat the air in the room to the required temperature.

Go for walks in public gardens and parks more often. Even fifteen minutes in the fresh air will help normalize heart function, relieve headaches, reduce stress and improve your mood.

Eat lemon, ginger or mint

Some products help in the fight against headaches:

1. Lemon.
   Apply lemon peel or zest to your temples and forehead, or mix a couple of drops of lemon with water and drink slowly to help relieve headaches. A cup of tea with lemon is also great.
2. Mint.
   Pour one tablespoon of dried mint into 200 ml of boiling water and leave for ten to fifteen minutes. After this, strain the broth and drink.
3. Ginger.
   Make a cup of ginger tea. It will not only relieve headaches, but also help improve immunity.

You need to prepare tea as follows:

• Add a tablespoon of grated ginger root or a teaspoon of dry ginger to a small saucepan with boiling water;
• cook over low heat for several minutes;
• strain and let it brew;
• add tea, as well as honey or sugar to taste;
• Drink this ginger tea several times a day.

Ginger inhalations also help. To do this, add a few tablespoons of ginger to water and boil. Then cover your head with a towel, lean over the hot broth and inhale the steam.

Aromatherapy

In modern conditions, when alternative medicine occupies an increasingly large niche in the treatment of various ailments, many turn to aromatherapy. Some essential oils, in addition to their calming effect, also have the ability to relieve headaches.

• Take lavender oil. Just add two or three drops to hot water, then lean over and inhale its aroma. You can also use lavender oil to massage your temples and forehead. Ingestion of lavender oil is not allowed.
• Another thing that relieves headaches is rosemary essential oil. It is best to massage your temples with it. But, to achieve a greater effect, you can add a little rosemary to tea brewed with sage. How to make tea. Take a teaspoon of sage and rosemary, mix and pour a glass of boiling water. You need to leave it for 30 minutes and then strain. It is good to replace coffee or black tea with this drink.
• You can also massage your forehead and temples with eucalyptus oil. The massage should be done for 15-20 minutes. This will help relieve tension in the head muscles.

You can also use coconut and almond oils.

Drink cinnamon tea

Consuming cinnamon helps improve blood circulation, which is a necessary condition for saturating the body with oxygen and other nutrients.

Pour hot water (not boiling water) over half a teaspoon of dry cinnamon or one tube. Add a little sugar and leave for half an hour. Drink two sips every hour. In case of severe pain, it is necessary to make this solution more concentrated.

Make cinnamon tea. For this:

1. Brew tea in a small kettle.
2. Add one teaspoon of dry cinnamon, ground ginger and a little black pepper.
3. Leave for five minutes to allow the tea to steep and cool properly.
4. Stir and add a teaspoon of honey. Honey contains vitamins A, C, E, B vitamins, potassium, iodine, calcium, magnesium. Calcium and magnesium improve cerebral blood flow and relieve pain. In addition, headaches can be caused by a drop in blood sugar levels. Honey will also solve this problem. It is important that the water is not too hot, otherwise the honey will lose its healing properties. Scientists have found that when honey is heated above sixty degrees, fructose begins to oxidize, which turns into a carcinogen.
5. Add a couple of orange slices, lemon, lemon balm or mint to taste.
6. Drink this tea if you have a headache several times a day.

There is another way to use cinnamon:

Prepare a thick mixture from ground cinnamon. Mix three teaspoons of cinnamon with a small amount of water so that the consistency resembles thick sour cream or paste. Lie down, apply the mixture to your temples and forehead, leave for half an hour. A warming mixture of cinnamon will relieve headaches, especially if they are caused by a sudden change in weather and pressure changes.

People with gastrointestinal problems, as well as heart disease and high blood pressure, are better off drinking cinnamon in small quantities. Frequent consumption of cinnamon irritates the walls of the stomach, increases heart rate and increases blood pressure.

Cinnamon is prohibited for nursing and pregnant women!

When should you see a doctor?

Take headaches seriously.

You should contact a specialist if:

• headache more than once a week;
• you take pills more than once a week;
• You need to increase the dose of your medications to relieve your headache;
• the pain becomes stronger or its nature and location changes;
• pain is accompanied by fever, clouding of consciousness, general weakness, speech impairment or other factors.

Peppermint

Peppermint can be considered a good alternative to tablets. Its calming and relaxing properties have long been known. In addition, it has an amazing ability to relieve even severe headaches. There are several ways to quickly relieve headaches using this medicinal plant.

• Massage your temples with peppermint essential oil.
• Grind fresh mint leaves, make a compress from them and place them on your forehead.
• Also use fresh leaves to make restorative tea. It should be consumed warm.
• The gruel obtained from crushed mint leaves can also be used for self-massage of the temples. Rub the mint in for at least 15 minutes.

Headache prevention

To minimize the occurrence of headaches, you must:

1. Get enough sleep.
   Constant lack of sleep leads to stress and weakened immunity. To get enough sleep and rest, a person needs to sleep on average eight hours. For normal rest during sleep, it is better to go to bed at the same time. Following a routine helps set your internal biological clock and therefore improve your sleep quality. Also, in the dark, melatonin is produced - the so-called hormone of sleep and youth, which has a beneficial effect on health.
2. Exercise.
   During exercise, the “hormone of happiness” is produced - endorphin, which helps reduce emotional tension and relieve stress. Physical activity also saturates the body with oxygen. This has a beneficial effect on blood circulation and the general condition of the body.
3. Drink less coffee.
   With constant abuse of coffee, the nervous system is overloaded, which always works in stress mode. Excess caffeine can lead to a number of serious consequences, such as insomnia, irritability, decreased mental alertness and headaches.
4. Drink more water.
   Water removes toxins from the body and improves metabolism. Scientists estimate that you need to drink an average of two liters of water per day. If you are not used to drinking this amount, you should not force yourself. It is better to drink a little more every day, gradually accustoming the body to the desired norm.
5. Worry less.
   Try to devote more time to your family, friends and what you love. Even a simple walk in the fresh air will help relieve stress and therefore prevent headaches.
6. Watch your diet.
   Eat foods that do not contain dangerous additives. When consuming a large number of low-quality products, intoxication of the body can occur, and as a result, a headache may occur. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet. They contain many vitamins and microelements, which will help strengthen the immune system and protect against diseases that can lead to migraines.

Attention! All the methods presented for combating headaches do not guarantee a 100% result. Before using them, consult a specialist. Be healthy!

Author: Anastasia Panova

Folk remedies for headaches, basic methods

Many folk remedies have antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory or sedative effects. Some of them help increase or decrease blood pressure, relieving the patient of certain vascular disorders.

To choose specific treatment methods without the risk of worsening the condition, you need to establish the cause of poor health.

Drinking a glass of water at room temperature is a harmless way to relieve discomfort. The remedy is effective due to the fact that water thins the blood and relieves vascular spasm, which is often the cause of painful sensations.

To make the water work better, you should drink it in small sips, and then lie down and rest away from noise and bright light. To prevent poor circulation in the vessels of the head and thereby prevent the occurrence of pain, you can regularly drink enough clean water throughout the day.

Tea with lemon relieves spasms and dilates blood vessels. The addition of mint, which has a good antispasmodic, vasodilating and calming effect, will help enhance the effect of the drink.

Herbal teas are one of the best ways to get rid of pain of almost any nature. Valerian, elderberry, cinnamon and chicory are traditionally considered the most effective remedies.

Cinnamon infusion: brew 2 g of powder with a glass of boiling water, then, after leaving for half an hour and adding a spoonful of sugar, drink a small sip every 2 to 3 hours. Cinnamon helps to quickly reduce pain of any kind.

Chicory brewed with aloe . Chicory is brewed with boiling water, then finely chopped agave leaves are added and left to steep for about a couple of hours. For a single dose, you can drink half a glass. The decoction dulls acute pain.

Treatment of headaches due to hypertension

Hypertension results from increased intracranial pressure and causes pain inside the head. The ailment can be effectively treated with folk remedies.

Garlic infusion is one of the effective remedies for lowering blood pressure and eliminating pain. The head of garlic needs to be crushed well and filled with water (for 200 ml of water you will need about 20 g of vegetable). A 24-hour infusion is taken three times a day, one teaspoon at a time.

Melissa . Among the medicinal herbs, lemon balm is used to dilate blood vessels and reduce blood pressure (it can be combined with chamomile, valerian or mint). The crushed dry raw materials are brewed with a glass of boiling water, after infusion and straining, drink 2 times a day.

How to cope with migraines with folk remedies

Migraine is a special condition caused by a violation of the vascular circulation of the brain. Therefore, the goal of treatment procedures will be not only to relieve pain, but also to activate blood circulation and normalize the functioning of the nervous system.

Contrast procedures help quickly relieve pain and eliminate migraines by alternating hot and cold compresses, which are applied to the back of the head and temples. The interval between lotions should be from 1.5 to 2 minutes.

Compress with saffron. A compress consisting of saffron, half a spoon of which is combined with 3 egg yolks, effectively eliminates the manifestations of migraine and fights the cause of its occurrence. After applying the mixture to a gauze cloth, it is applied to the place where the pain is most severe until the condition improves.

A cold compress with lemon juice is made like this: squeeze the juice out of one fresh lemon and leave it in the refrigerator for a while. Then, moistening the gauze with it, apply it to the place where the pain is localized until it becomes easier.

What to drink to relieve migraine pain

Valerian infusion . A homemade infusion of valerian will be a life-saving remedy for migraines. The recipe involves preparing the root of the plant (using dry crushed raw materials) and cooking it in a water bath. Pour boiling water over the dry root, heat it in a water bath for 20 minutes, leave for another hour and use it as a drink, after diluting it with boiling water.

If a cervical migraine bothers you, a decoction of St. John's wort will help: the dry root of this plant is poured with boiling water and kept on fire for 3 minutes. After a short steaming, the decoction is drunk up to 4 times a day, 50 ml, until the unpleasant symptoms disappear.

Chamomile tea is useful for painful pulsation in the crown of the head, as well as malaise from a hangover. And if the malaise is caused by fatigue and prolonged stress, linden tea will be the best remedy.

Elimination of pain in acute respiratory infections

Pain in the head during colds is caused by nasal congestion and difficulty breathing. Headaches are especially acute in children.

The best remedy that has an analgesic and restorative effect is to drink lemon frequently; you can alternate between black, green and chamomile tea.

If the frontal and temporal parts of the head are of particular concern, wetting these areas with heated lemon pulp or menthol oil helps.

Another productive remedy is cinnamon infusion. Cinnamon is diluted in water in a ratio of 1/8 teaspoon of powder to a tablespoon of boiling water, infused and taken every 2 hours, a couple of sips.

How to help during pregnancy

Pregnancy is a special period when, for obvious reasons, almost all medications are contraindicated. But headaches, which occur in the first trimester due to active hormonal changes in the body, must be fought. The following tools will be useful for this purpose:

Herbal infusion consisting of a collection of thyme, rosemary and sage. All components are brewed in 250 ml of boiling water, left for 10 minutes and drunk warm. You can take it up to six times a day if the discomfort does not go away;

Herbal decoction: take a spoonful of valerian root, St. John's wort, mint, calendula and wild strawberry and pour the resulting mixture with a liter of boiling water. After boiling for 10 minutes, cool and drink 200-250 ml per day;

Regular black or green tea with mint and, if there are no contraindications, a pinch of cinnamon.

Cold bandages applied to the forehead like a compress can relieve tension and provide an antispasmodic effect. The usual wet dressing can be replaced with cabbage leaves, currant leaves or aloe. This treatment is complemented with relaxing massages.

What to do for osteochondrosis

The pain caused by cervical osteochondrosis has a special nature: it requires additional anti-inflammatory and warming effects. Both water and alcohol drugs are taken internally. The raw materials used are coltsfoot, sunflower root or pine buds. Just a spoonful of this remedy is drunk several times a day for both treatment and prevention.

Rubs prepared from the leaves and roots of horseradish or propolis are effective. These remedies warm and thin the blood, eliminating the very cause of the ailment.

How to deal with tension pain

Fatigue, constant tension and frequent stress can make severe headaches chronic. You can eliminate this problem by taking an infusion of peony or valerian root. Method of preparation: dry raw materials (a tablespoon), pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes under the lid and drink three times a day, before meals. If the ailment is stressful and chronic, the infusion is taken for a month.

Regular use of fresh blackcurrant or viburnum juice with the addition of honey calms the nervous system and helps reduce side symptoms such as headaches. And tea with cinnamon and mint will help you quickly get rid of this symptom.

Hangover treatment

Vasodilation after alcoholic libations, a general weakening of the body as a result of intoxication, causes excruciating pain in the head. A contrast shower and drinking liquids: apple juice, water with lemon juice, rosehip decoction and medicinal herbs help get rid of a hangover and discomfort.

Those who are prone to hypertension experience increased blood pressure. In this case, folk remedies for hypertensive patients are used.

Compresses: benefits and features

Compresses are very good at eliminating headaches of various natures. Depending on the patient’s condition and the ingredients used, they can be cold or hot. A cold compress aims to stop blood flow to the head and is best for quickly reducing pain. This procedure helps to narrow blood vessels and is useful for migraines, nervous disorders, and colds.

Hot compresses have a different purpose: they help dilate blood vessels, normalize blood pressure and relieve tension. For example, for migraines, the best solution would be to alternate between cold and hot treatments.

For acute respiratory infections, the best solution would be a mustard compress, being an effective method of traditional medicine. A bandage with mustard is applied to the occipital area or temples. Ready-made mustard plasters are not difficult to buy at the pharmacy or prepare yourself using gauze and mustard powder. However, if the body temperature is elevated, it is better to postpone mustard procedures so as not to cause fever.

• Read the article: How to install mustard plasters for adults and children

A vinegar compress will help relieve tension and get rid of the symptoms of hypertension. For this procedure, table vinegar is mixed halfway with water and applied to the temples and forehead. The vinegar dressing is kept on the skin for 10 minutes, then renewed. The procedure is repeated until the pain decreases.

Application of clay

Clay is used due to its high efficiency and lack of side effects, including for pregnant women. Any clay can be used for treatment, but blue or green varieties are more often used.

It is diluted with water to a thick consistency, formed into a cake and placed on the head for a few minutes. For greater effect, you can add mint essential oil.

Massage

The human body includes a lot of biologically active points and zones, when exposed to which you can get rid of various ailments and diseases. A productive means of combating headaches, along with herbal remedies, is acupressure.

The acupressure technique includes the following steps:

• use your index finger to massage the point under the nose just above the upper lip;
• they also affect the point located under the lower lip;
• massage points behind the ears and on the back of the head.

If the problem is caused by high blood pressure or poor circulation in the vessels of the neck, the following massage procedures are used at home:

• gentle relaxing stroking of the trapezius muscles and neck;
• massage of the shoulder girdles with movements moving from top to bottom;
• massage of the muscles located in the frontal part of the head, the effect begins from the middle part of the forehead, then moving to the temples.

Any type of massage can be done independently. For a more effective result, it should be combined with the use of natural medicines and aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy

Some essential oils have strong antispasmodic, analgesic and calming effects. These include oils:

• lavender,
• rosemary
• mint.

To reduce or eliminate the pain symptom, it is enough to apply just a couple of drops of one of these oils to the temples, forehead and neck. Since essential oils are concentrated, it is important not to use too much, as overdosing can only make you feel worse.

If the pain arose from a cold and was caused by sinusitis, then inhalation with rosemary, eucalyptus, mint or lavender oils will help clear the maxillary sinuses and remove the inflammatory process in this area.

Thus, folk remedies for headaches are universal ways to eliminate unpleasant symptoms, regardless of the cause of their occurrence. Knowledge is especially useful for people with contraindications to pharmaceutical drugs, during breastfeeding and pregnancy.

It is important to accurately determine the cause of this symptom by consulting a doctor and eliminating the possibility of a side effect from the action of the folk remedies used.