Headaches are one of the most common ailments people face on a daily basis. Headaches can be caused by a wide range of things ranging from restricted blood flow to stress to serious medical conditions. Fortunately, most headaches are simple tension headaches and there are many herbal remedies that can give you quick relief.
You can find herbal headache remedies from almost every medical philosophy including Chinese herbal medicine, Ayurveda medicine (the traditional medicine in India), and traditional herbal and homeopathic medicine.
A common herb used in Chinese medicine is ginger and it is one of the recommended treatments for headaches. You can eat a small piece of fresh ginger or drink a ginger tea. Ginger can be found in some regular grocery stores and many health food stores now.
There are a couple common treatments that are used in Ayurvedic medicine for headaches. The first uses warm mustard oil on a cloth. You apply this compress to your forehead to relieve pain. Another way to treat headaches is to add boiling water to some coriander seeds. When this mixture steams, you enhale the steam. Enhaling the steam can be helpful getting rid of sinus headache pain.
Drinking warm tea is another common herbal remedy for headaches. Tea can be made from peppermint, chamomile, or rose hip. Tension headaches can often be relaxed away with a nice cup of tea. Valerian root is another remedy that can be taken as a tea or as a capsule. This one can make you drowsy though so be careful the first time you take it.
Aromatherapy offers several remedies for getting rid of headaches which can be very pleasant to use. Lavender oil is the first remedy. You can put a couple drops of it under your nose or rub the oil into your temples (if somebody else can rub it in for you it is even more relaxing). The relaxing effect of lavender can relax away your tension headache. Taking a hot bath with relaxing scents like chamomile or lavender is another good way to treat a tension headache. These remedies can be part of your everyday relaxation routine even if you don’t have a headache.