How to Get Rid of a Headache Without Medication 13 Natural Headache Remedies
“Light and noise can be directly impairing.” Distancing yourself from whatever’s exacerbating your pain can help you get back to 100% faster. If you can’t get away, try closing your eyes and relaxing for a moment. Most of us need to drink at least eight cups per day, advises Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN, and that number goes up when you factor in heat, sweat, medications, and humidity shifts. “Start your day with a little refreshment in the form of 16 ounces of water — right away,” she says. Keeping a 16-ounce container of water on your nightstand or putting out a glass before bed to fill in your kitchen in the morning helps.”
Stay hydrated when drinking alcohol.
People may want to discuss a persistent or particularly severe headache and other symptoms with a doctor to find and resolve a problem. There is some evidence that people who regularly experience headaches or migraine may be more likely to have low magnesium levels. In other cases, such as with a tension headache where the muscles are too tight, a warm compress may help relax these muscles and bring relief. As a study in the journal Antioxidants notes, even slight dehydration may alter how people think and function, making them feel worse, with or without a headache.
ways to relieve a headache without medication
For tension-type headaches, your options will look a little different than if you’re struggling with migraine attacks. Aromatherapy that uses some essential oils may also relieve symptoms of a headache. The 2018 review in Children noted that inhaling lavender essential oil for 15 minutes reduced the severity of headaches, according to one study. For muscle tension headaches, hot and/or cold compresses can offer relief.
Migraine
You may also have screen-related headaches as part of computer vision syndrome, or digital eye strain. Other symptoms can include blurred vision, dry eyes, and pain in your neck or shoulders. More data is necessary to understand if acupressure can relieve headache pain. Researchers still found that acupressure could at least relieve migraine nausea. Massage therapy can potentially be helpful if you have headaches, though research is limited. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to stop a headache without always using medication, like trying acupressure, taking screen time breaks, and exercising regularly.
- Most of these devices are prescription-only, so if you are interested in hearing more about how they work, and whether they might be a good fit for you, talk with your doctor.
- Which one you prefer is up to you, but they both can help with migraines and headaches.
- Aromatherapy that uses some essential oils may also relieve symptoms of a headache.
- But just as there are drinks that can reduce headaches, there are those that can trigger them.
Let’s talk about what kinds of headaches to know and how to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Bright lights, loud noises, and strong smells may make headache symptoms worse. They can also run tests to help rule out health conditions and nutrient deficiencies, such as B12 and iron deficiency, which may cause or worsen headaches (65, 66). Headaches can be a symptom of a serious underlying health issue, such as a tumor, a blood clot, or another medical condition that requires immediate medical attention (5). Therefore, people who get frequent headaches should be mindful of their caffeine intake (44). Aged cheeses, alcohol, chocolate, citrus fruits, and coffee are among the most commonly reported food triggers group activities for recovering addicts in people with migraines (1).
For example, one study in 80 people diagnosed with migraine demonstrated that taking 100 mg of CoQ10 per day reduced migraine frequency, severity, and length (39). Keep reading for 18 effective home remedies to naturally get rid of headaches. You may be able to get relief from options like biofeedback, stress management, acupressure, and rest. Your water intake needs to take into account your age, weight, and daily activity. You can also reach your water requirement from sources other than plain water—like low-calorie liquids, fruits, and vegetables. You’ll how to slowly wean off alcohol need to increase your water intake to stay hydrated and stave off headaches if you’re physically active or live in a warm, humid environment.
Acupressure is a form of traditional Chinese medicine massage where manual pressure is applied to points on the body called acupoints. Headaches can be a way of your body letting you know you need to slow down—especially if you’re not getting enough quality sleep. Poor sleep might look like not getting enough sleep, sleep deprivation, or not getting restful sleep. One review found that odors from sources such as perfumes or other strong-smelling chemicals may trigger migraine after just a few minutes of exposure. Some other areas to try massaging include the area between the eyebrows and the two spots at the base of the eyebrows on either side of the bridge of the nose. These spots may hold tension from the eyes or head, and massaging them could help relieve this tension.
There are many ways to increase your activity level, but one of the simplest ways is to increase the number of steps you take throughout the day. Strong odors like those from perfumes and cleaning products can cause certain individuals to develop headaches. Thorne Research signs of being roofied CoQ10 (previously Q-Best 100), which provides 100 mg of CoQ10 per 1-gelcap serving, is a good option for people who experience migraine. Medication overuse and infections of the central nervous system can cause headaches as well (6).
