Natural Headache Relief

Headaches can be incapacitating at the worst and a nagging annoyance at best. They can impact work and school productivity, and a bad headache can just put you out of commission, regardless of your profession. Taking medications will help alleviate discomfort, but some of these pain-killers have side effects (such as stomach pain) and, if taken for a long time, pain relievers can cause a rebound effect (in the form of another headache) once you quit taking them.

Some of the common causes of headaches are muscle tension, dilation and constriction of the blood vessels within the brain, food sensitivities, and hormonal fluctuations. Once you’ve seen your doctor and have ruled out anything serious, there are a few all-natural strategies to headache alleviation that you can try.

1. Cramp Bark (Vibernum opulus)

As the name of the herb suggests, Cramp bark will help relieve muscle tension and cramps. Vibernum prunifolium can also be sold as “Cramp bark,” however it is normally made use of to relieve uterine cramping. Cramp bark (Vibernum opulus) is touted as a prevention and remedy for muscle stress headaches. It is frequently used tablet form, but a tea made from the bark can also be consumed.

2. Massage

The calming effect of massage will help ease muscle stress and increase blood circulation, both of which might help headaches. There are massages you can do on your own in your own home or ask another person to do them, or you can go to a professional for headache pain relief and prevention.

3. Chiropractic

Muscle tension can cause bone and joint misalignment, say chiropractic professionals, and then the misalignment exasperates the muscle tension as muscles attempt to draw the bones back into alignment. Having an adjustment at a chiropractor brings almost instant headache pain relief, and seeing the chiropractor regularly (say once a month) can help stave off future headaches.

4. Feverfew

This daisy-like little flower is regarded by many herbalists to be a very effective remedy for headaches, especially migraines. While there are numerous ways to use it, capsules are the easiest and have the fewest negative effects. You may take feverfew on a regular basis to prevent migraine episodes.

5. Willow

You might have heard about white willow for relief of pain; but in fact, various willow (Salix) species can help reduce discomfort. The forerunner to aspirin, the inner bark of the white willow can provide pain relief for headaches. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect. White willow (and other willow bark) is generally consumed supplements.

6. Stress Management

It’s generally understood that tension and headaches are interconnected. Participating in regular stress relief may help stop the onset of headaches. Stretching, meditation, Yoga, Pilates, and other strategies may help align the body and reduce stress.

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