How to treat headaches

The vast majority of headaches are harmless and can be treated with a pain reliever. However, self-treating headaches may run risks and rather than treating the problem you may just be getting accustomed to medicines. There are a number of natural remedies that may be effective in treating and preventing headaches.

How to treat headaches

+ When you suffer from recurring headaches, it's important to analyze the situations where they occur. This will help you to identify what triggers your symptoms: foods, excessive smoking or alcohol, lack of exercise, environmental factors or taking new medication. This way you will be able to begin to control the ailment. When you experience occasional pain that tends to go away after a few hours. Resting in a calm dark room, taking a hot shower or receiving a comforting massage with essential oils may relieve your symptoms. However, if your pain is persistent or recurring you should see a doctor.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

It is never good to self-treat your symptoms, even if your headaches are harmless, because if you take over the counter painkillers longer than advised by pharmaceutical companies and avoid going to the doctor, your headaches may rebound. That's to say that they will reappear and may worsen if you don't treat them with pain relieving medication. This causes a vicious cycle of taking medication not to treat or fight the ailment, but to prevent the pain from reappearing. Chronically taking painkillers like aspirin can bring on side effects; for example blood clotting, traumas to the digestive track such as ulcers and other physical changes.

There are a number of natural complementary remedies that might help to relieve symptoms. Holistic treatments such as tinctures and exercise can play an important role in treating headaches, sometimes providing immediate relief without side effects or creating dependency.

COMPLENTARY REMEDIES

Holistic treatment may be very useful in treating tension headaches or headaches brought on by unhealthy lifestyle habits. This can help you to harmonize and release daily tensions, which may help to prevent headaches and treat recurring headaches. The most recommended include:

  1. • Herbal remedies in infusions and decoctions.
  2. • Aromatherapy (essential oils and compresses).
  3. • Yoga.
  4. • Shiatsu.
  5. • Chinese massages and do-it-yourself massages.
  6. • Reflexology.
  7. • Hydrotherapy.
  8. • Diet for specific needs (low-fat foods that maintain constant blood sugar evel, see Healing foods on page 46).

Complentary Remedies

IMMEDIATE TREATMENT

Here are some simple strategies for relieving headaches:

  1. • Lying down in a silent, dark room. Close the curtains, turn off the TV and disconnect the telephone. Next, relax your jaw as much as you can. Inhale and exhale deeply while you relax your muscles, one by one. It is positive to visualize beautiful scenery or landscapes, or to imagine a silent place to take you away and help you mentally and physically relax.
  2. • Take a hot shower and let the water hit your tense muscles that tend to trigger headaches.
  3. • Have someone massage your temples or neck, or use do-it-yourself massage techniques.

User Contributions:

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: