Remedies for Headache

Headache can be defined as a painful symptom that affects the head and sometimes radiates to the cervical area. It usually resolves spontaneously.

The various types of headaches are distinguished by:

• Pain localization.
• Intensity.
• Cyclicality.
• Characteristics of manifestation.

• Stress.
• Mental fatigue.
• Period.
• Excessive noise.
• Lack of sleep
• Hangover etc.

In some cases the headache is idiopathic and the reasons are not known.

Sometimes it is of such intensity and duration that it evolves into a real disorder (remember that recurrent and often drug-resistant headaches are the most important symptom of migraine).

Other times, headaches can characterize the onset of many other disorders, such as viral, allergic, vascular, autoimmune, respiratory and / or otolaryngology (see headache causes).

What to do

• Drug therapy: some drugs are able to reduce or make the headache disappear. The type of molecule, the dosage and the effectiveness change according to the situation.
• Sleep: sleep is responsible for the energy recharge of the brain.
• Maintain a correct posture: this concerns the position both upright and sitting and lying down.

  If the headache is due to a muscular contracture or to the stress of the nerves in the cervical area, correcting the posture (especially during sleep) helps to prevent it.

• Sleep supine with a suitable pillow.
• Practicing motor activity: it can be useful for weak and tediant headaches.
• Apply a damp and cold cloth on the forehead: it gives a very pleasant feeling of relief, especially when the headache is localized frontally and caused by vasodilation.
• Apply a warm pillow (containing cherry seeds) behind the neck: it favors the remission of the headache when it is caused by inflammation of the cervical.
• Deep breathing and mental training: relaxation, especially that induced by advanced techniques, is able to significantly reduce the headache. Even sexual activity can promote relaxation and remission of the headache.
• Self-massage and acupressure:
• Forehead skin: press this area between thumb and forefinger, then release it slowly and repeat several times.
• Under-the-neck area: compress by applying pressure with the tips of the thumbs.
• Narrow bandage of the head: it is an old remedy that serves to reduce the flow of blood to the scalp and decrease the typical pulsations of the headache.
• Dark: intense light can make the headache rise or worsen. It is advisable to turn off the lights completely and, in the case of the sun, use sunglasses with certified lenses.
• Regularize living habits, especially those of meals and sleep.
• Keep your mood high and treat any ailments such as anxious or depressive symptoms.
• Small doses of caffeine: if the etiology involves vasodilation, the vasoconstriction of caffeine can help reduce pain.

What NOT to do

In case of an intense headache, it is better to avoid:

• Too much sleep and overtime.
• Practice intense motor activity.
• Sleeping in a prone position, taking incorrect postures during work and other daily activities: muscle contraction and inflammation of the shoulders and / or cervical areas can be responsible for the headache.
• To exceed with alcohol: alcohol is notoriously a vasodilator.
• Exceed with caffeine: it can create a physical dependency and require chronic high-dose intake to maintain normal vasoconstriction.
• Exceed with the painkillers: it is not said that increasing the dose can better fight the headache.
• Wait too long before taking the drugs: nobody would like to take the drugs to fight the headache, but sometimes it is inevitable. The longer you wait, the more complicated the resolution becomes.
• Exceed with environmental and personal deodorants: they can exacerbate the headache.
• Excessive stress on the brain: hyperstimulations such as those caused by sexual activity can lead to the onset and worsening of the headache.
• Loud noises.
• Chewing gum: it can stiffen the masticatory muscles and help the headache.
• Tobacco and carbon monoxide: creating a hypoxic condition can cause the onset and worsening of the headache.
• Altitude: the high altitude can favor the onset of headache.

What to eat

Some foods can improve the metabolic condition and help prevent headaches (see diet and headaches). On the other hand, let us remember that there are no miracle diets.

• Natural antioxidants: they are mainly:
• Vitamin A: contained mainly in the liver, in milk and cheese, egg yolk in vegetables and in red or orange fruits (carrots, peppers, melon, pumpkin, apricots, etc.).
• Vitamin C: contained above all in some vegetables and herbs (lettuce, parsley, peppers, etc.) and in the sour fruit, such as citrus fruits and kiwi.
• Vitamin E: contained above all in the germ of cereals (of wheat, of corn, etc.), in some oily legumes (as in soy, in peanuts, etc.), in dried fruits (for example in walnuts), in some fatty fruits (such as avocado) and in extraction oils.
• Zinc and Selenium: contained in meat, fishery products, eggs, milk and derivatives.
• Antioxidant polyphenols: in all vegetables and fresh fruit, in whole grains and in legumes.
• Omega 3 fatty acids: they have a natural anti-inflammatory function and are mainly contained in: oily blue fish (Sardinian, mackerel, bonito, alletterato etc.), algae, certain oily seeds (flax, kiwi, grape seeds etc.) and extraction oils.
• Coffee: for the reasons we have already described, a coffee could help fight the headache.

What NOT to Eat

• Not easily digestible foods: overcooked or raw, very fat; for example: stew, beef tartare, fries etc.
• Very cold foods: popsicles, ice creams.
• Excess alcohol.
• Savory: some declare the onset of headache after a very salty meal.
• Nitrates: contained in canned meats and cured meats, these substances tend to dilate blood vessels.
• Chocolate: it is rich in tyramine, an amine suspect for involvement in headache.
• Chinese food: it is rich in monosodium glutamate which, in some people, promotes the onset of headaches.
• Aspartame: it is a sweetener (sweetener) that in some people favors the onset of headache.

Natural Cures and Remedies

• Cold packs: it is sufficient to soak a gauze or a cloth of cold water and apply them on the forehead; repeat each time the temperature returns to normal. Bioaromas can also be used, but individual sensitivity must be respected.
• Supplements rich in vitamin C, other antioxidants and omega 3.
• Herbal teas based on: lemon balm, valerian and chamomile. They are indicated for inducing relaxation.

Pharmacological care

• NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs):
• Ibuprofen (eg Brufen, Moment, Subitene).
• Acetaminophen or Paracetamol (eg Tachipirina, Efferalgan, Sanipirina).
• Acetylsalicylic acid (eg Aspirin, salicin, Vivin C, Ascriptin).
• Naproxen (eg Aleve, Naprosyn, Prexan, Naprius).
• Ergotamine (eg Cafergot, Virdex): indicated for disabling headaches (acute migraine).
• Isometeptene (eg Octinum): powerful vasoconstrictor used as an alternative therapy to treat very severe headaches (migraine).
• Contraceptive pill, patch or whatever: if the triggering agent is the hormonal variation that occurs punctually during menstruation.

Prevention

• Sport and sexual activity: they work preventively against stress, therefore they can prevent the onset of headaches.
• Balanced diet.
• Exclusion of responsible foods: it is recommended to avoid foods potentially involved in the headache.
• Supplement the diet with magnesium and vitamin C: ascorbic acid is a remedy indicated even before hiking in the high mountains
• Avoid binge eating.
• Sleep regularly.
• Practice yoga, pilates or other relaxing activities.
• Do not abuse anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers: it increases the risk of rebound effect.
• Avoid fasting.

Medical treatments

• Specific treatment for migraine.
• Specific cure for metabolic disorders or tumors that are the basis of the headache.
• Acupuncture: it is an alternative remedy that in some cases works.