Natural Remedies for Headaches

Approximately half of all Americans suffer from one form of headache or another. Usually we pop a pill and hope for the best, but did you know that eventually we could develop a dependency on them? It's also possible that over time, our bodies require larger doses of the drug in order to achieve the desired effect. In some cases, the medications that should help us end up doing damage to our internal organs, such is the case of acetaminophen.

Headaches are our most common ailment. There are steps that we can take to ease the pain associated with them without harming our bodies.

There are natural herbal remedies that we can utilize that are far better for us than the traditional prescription or over-the-counter medications.

Lemon

Squeeze the juice of three or four slices of lemon into a cup of tea. This should provide you with immediate relief.

If you have a headache caused by the heat, take the crust of the lemon and pound it into a fine paste in a mortar. Apply as a plaster to the forehead.

Another use of the lemon is to take the freshly paired rind and apply it to each temple.

Apple (good for curing all types of headaches)

Remove the upper rind and the inner core of an apple, add a little salt, and eat. This should be done on an empty stomach each morning for about a week.

Cinnamon

Good for headaches that are brought on by exposure to cold air.

Mix cinnamon with water to make a fine paste. Apply to the temples and forehead for relief.

Marjoram (Useful for treating a nervous headache)

An infusion of the leaves is taken as a tea.

Rosemary

Valuable in treating headaches that result from cold.

Boil a handful of the herbs in approximately one litre of water. Put in a cup or mug, cover your head with a towel, and inhale the steam for as long as you can handle it. You should repeat this process until your headache has been relieved.

Aromatherapy is another excellent way to treat your headache. It's one of the most powerful home remedies there is for treating headaches.

Stay away from poor quality essential oils. You will want to use the purest of essential oils that you can find.

Some oils to try are Peppermint, Sandalwood, Lavender, and Eucalyptus. Try each one to find the scent that does the trick for you because no two people are alike. What may work for one person doesn't always work for the next. You can also try combining these oils if you like.

A compress may also be used by adding five drops of lavender essential oil in either cold or warm water. Soak a soft washcloth in it and then put it on your head or neck.

If you are pregnant, you should discuss the use of these and other herbs with your physician before you try them.