Treating headaches with folk remedies can not only alleviate the pain itself but also address its underlying causes. Headaches not only cause significant discomfort and decrease productivity but also seriously affect the overall condition of the body, especially if left untreated.
There are numerous medications available for treating headaches, and many pharmaceutical products are heavily advertised. However, reliance on pills can lead to dependency, and the chemical components of medications may accumulate in the kidneys and liver over time.
One of the most challenging aspects of headaches is the multitude of factors that can cause them, and only proper diagnosis can lead to a swift resolution of discomfort and pain.
Causes and Types of Headaches
There are many causes of headaches, making it difficult to pinpoint the primary cause. Observing one’s own experiences is often the only way for individuals suffering from headaches to understand what triggers their symptoms.
The most commonly known causes include:
Elevated temperature during infectious diseases,
Sinusitis,
High blood pressure,
Weather conditions,
Alcohol and smoking,
However, the list of factors contributing to painful sensations is much broader.
This includes:
Muscle tension due to prolonged immobility,
Poor circulation,
Spinal misalignment,
Eye strain,
Dental issues,
Brain tumors,
Headaches during menstruation,
Headaches often accompany the flu or other infectious diseases, especially when accompanied by a fever. Severe nasal congestion and sinusitis can also lead to painful sensations.
A strong morning headache is a typical symptom of high blood pressure.
For those sensitive to weather conditions, experiencing headaches “weather-wise” is common, as well as experiencing discomfort during seasonal changes.
Unhealthy habits undoubtedly have a significant impact on well-being, including headaches. Smoking, including passive smoking, alcohol, and other types of narcotics, often cause headaches.
Poor-quality food or its untimely intake also contributes to the development of illnesses. Headaches can also result from poor sleep, stress, and exposure to unpleasant odors.
Medications aimed at treating various body systems can lead to allergic reactions and headaches. Folk remedies for treating headaches act without adverse effects or contraindications.
Most Common Types of Headaches
A headache can be an independent condition or a symptom of a more serious illness, such as a head injury or brain tumor.
Most often, headaches start from tension or migraines. Tension headaches arise from fatigue, stress, heavy workloads, etc. More than ninety percent of the world’s population has experienced tension headaches at some point. Typically, the pain manifests in the back of the head or in the frontal region. The pain gradually intensifies and can radiate to the neck and shoulders. Severe pain episodes do not last long.
Migraines, on the other hand, are much more challenging and painful to endure. Often, migraines are hereditary. The causes of migraines are numerous, just like headaches in general, and each person suffering from migraines may have their own individual cause. With migraines, the pain often starts in the temples and eyes, accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Migraines involve very intense headaches, but they rarely last longer than one to two days.
Psychogenic headaches, which arise in people sensitive and prone to emotional experiences, are much less common. These individuals may experience headaches due to work-related failures, problems with friends and relatives, etc.
Cluster headaches, also known as bundle or histamine headaches, are relatively rare. This condition affects only about half a percent of the population and is caused by the dilation of the ophthalmic artery.
Sometimes, women may experience headaches during menopause, but these usually subside over time.
There are many types and causes of headaches, but folk remedies for headache treatment are suitable for all sufferers and in most cases guarantee relief from the ailment.
There’s no need to fear headaches: in only a few cases out of a thousand, they are a sign of a serious illness. However, enduring severe pain is also not advisable; it should be treated!
Treatment of Headaches with Folk Remedies
Folk methods of treating headaches encompass a myriad of ways, techniques, and recipes, as people have suffered from headaches since ancient times. The oldest healers recommended outdoor walks, good sleep, and a measured attitude towards surrounding people and events. All existing pain relief recipes can be divided into the following sections:
Herbs and their mixtures,
Home treatments,
Various types of tea,
Orders for headaches,
Massage and acupuncture,
Mud therapy, treatment with sand and stones.
Herbal Treatment
The most numerous treatment recipes are based on herbs and their combinations. This is fair because the healing properties of herbs were known to ancient healers thousands of years ago. Here are the most well-known recipes:
“Magic mix.” Mix one tablespoon each of rosemary, creeping thyme, and sage. Add one tablespoon of boiling water and let it infuse for 10 minutes. After straining, drink until the infusion cools.
Herbal decoction. Mix one tablespoon each of common yarrow, valerian root, peppermint, woodland strawberry, chamomile flowers, and calendula. Pour a liter of boiling water over the mixture. Finely chop the components, boil for 10 minutes, and strain. Take one glass per day.
Herbal collection. Mix one tablespoon each of stinging nettle, narrow-leaved plantain, and common mallow. Finely chop the mixture, add half a liter of water, and boil for 10 minutes. Take one glass per day.
Elderberry. Brew one tablespoon of Siberian elderberry with a glass of boiling water. Take one-quarter glass before meals.
Similarly, brew St. John’s wort, lemon balm, clover, plantain, chamomile, peppermint, and others.
Home Treatment Recipes
Modern society has adopted many ancient ways of relieving headaches, and new ones have emerged:
Applying compresses of raw potato slices to the forehead,
Applying a split aloe leaf to the forehead and temples,
Applying freshly cut cabbage leaves to the head,
Fresh juices of viburnum and black currant help,
Fresh berries of cranberry and strawberry help,
Applying large copper coins to the temples,
Propolis and mumie infusions are very popular and effective,
Pharmacy menthol oil and “Star” balm are used,
These are just a few examples of folk remedies for treating headaches. Each person may find different methods more effective, and it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional if the headaches persist or worsen.
Tea Treatment
Various types of tea are used for treating headaches. A pinch of mint is added to green or black tea and brewed. A very strong and effective remedy is tea made from lemon balm and catnip. Five tablespoons of this herbal mixture are poured with boiling water and infused for half an hour. It should be consumed half a glass 3-4 times a day.
Orders for Headaches
Orders can be read for both the patient and the remedy they will take (oil, water, etc.). Sometimes, orders were the last resort when everything else had been tried, and they helped! The afflicted person, for whom the order is read, must believe in the effectiveness of this method.
Head Massage
There are several points to target when experiencing headaches. They are located in the nose, temples, eyebrows, and temples. When massaging these points, they should be lightly rubbed and pressed, but not for more than one minute on each point.
Mud Therapy, Clay Treatment
Headaches can also be treated with such medicinal substances as clay and mud. For this, clay is mixed with peppermint infusion, and then the mixture is applied to the affected area of the head. Similarly, mud therapy is conducted, but instead of clay, therapeutic mud mixed with various herbal infusions is used. It can be mixed with menthol, peppermint, vinegar, garlic, lemon, and lemon balm.
Treatment of Headaches in Pregnant Women
Pregnancy excludes the use of almost all medicinal and many folk remedies, so treating headaches during pregnancy is quite challenging. However, pregnant women are not advised to endure severe pain either, so they are recommended to take walks in the fresh air, apply compresses with cold and warm water. Beneficial massages of the legs, neck, and shoulders can be done. Cabbage leaves can be applied to the head.
Headaches can be treated with folk remedies, but it is crucial to choose the most effective remedy, and also not to forget that continuous pain is a reason to visit a doctor!
