Home remedies for headaches

Tension headache as well as chronic a headache make up around 90 percent of headache symptoms. Quick help is needed when the head is tense, squeezed or throbbing. What really helps against a sore head?

What helps against a headache?

Infogram of the causes and symptoms of migraines and headaches. Click image to enlarge.

Tension headaches are best combated with a warm bath; a hot water bottle can also help. As home remedies, warm, moist compresses are also recommended, which are placed on the shoulders and neck. In general, tension headaches are best treated with heat. A bath also helps, whereby one should pay attention to an increasing temperature (starting with approx. 34 ° C warm water, increasing to a maximum of 43 ° C). The bath should last 10 to 15 minutes.

Sometimes cold helps, for example as a cold compress or cold arm and foot bath. Peppermint oil is considered to be the first choice home remedy for headaches that start from the temple. A light massage with the oil is appropriate and relieves tension headaches. The peppermint oil has a similar effect to paracetamol.

Coffee is popular as a medicine for headaches. The contained caffeine ensures better blood flow to the brain. Infrared radiation and fango packs also have a positive effect on blood circulation.

Home remedies don't always help. Then medication must be taken, such as paracetamol or tablets with the active ingredient acetylsalicylic acid. Ibuprofen also helps against pain. It is important to always take the tablets in the specified dosage, otherwise they will not work properly and will be underdosed or overdosed. If you only take half the dose, it can happen that the tablet does not work properly and another one is taken. This leads to a (sometimes dangerous) overdose.

If children experience headaches, they should definitely be examined by a doctor. Self-treatment with medication is not recommended, as the symptoms are usually caused by overwork and stress. These problems need to be clarified. Children should also not be treated with essential oils, especially children under the age of six. The oils can cause respiratory problems and even suffocation.

Quick help

Many headache sufferers attribute the pain to a lack of fluid and increase the amount they drink. Anyone who knows that they are drinking too little should therefore increase their fluid consumption. This counteracts a thickening of the blood and thus an undersupply of the brain with oxygen.

The coffee mentioned above promises quick help if a squirt of lemon is added. The caffeine causes the blood vessels to contract, which affects the blood circulation for a short time. The lemon is said to support the entire immune system and thus ensure that at least cold-related headaches occur less frequently.

The tension headache can be countered with fresh air.

Inadequate fluid intake is often the cause of headaches.

However, it has not yet been clarified whether the excess oxygen or the short break is responsible for the resolution of the symptoms. Those affected also report helpful massages. These loosen tense muscles, because these too can lead to headaches. Not only the massage of the temples is beneficial here, but a massage of the shoulder and neck muscles is also recommended.

Medicines also work very quickly, of course, paracetamol and ibuprofen in particular.

You can find your medication here

➔ Medicines for headaches and migraines

Alternative remedies

Naturopathy has many different headache remedies ready. If these are caused by stress, for example, globules made from cocculus are supposed to relieve pain. Nux vomica helps against stress-related "head splitting" pain. If a headache occurs suddenly and as a result of fear, excitement or anger, aconite is recommended. Belladonna helps with throbbing pain and overstimulated senses.

Cimicifuga combats pain caused by long work at the computer. Gelsemium is also used against pain that really constricts the head. Weather-related headaches are treated with Aconitum or Rhus toxidendron.

In general, long-term therapies are often carried out with homeopathic remedies, and rapid pain therapies with conventional medicine. Naturopathy also uses three-week cure-based treatments with a one-week break. The potencies used should not be too high, D6 or D12 are completely sufficient. If the symptoms improve, the respective agent should be discontinued.