Tension headaches as well as chronic headaches account for about 90 percent of headache complaints. Quick help is needed when the head tenses, presses or throbs. What really helps against an aching head?
What helps against a headache?
Infographic on the causes and symptoms of migraines and headaches. Click image to enlarge. Tension headaches are best combated with a warm bath, a hot water bottle can also help. As a home remedy, warm and moist compresses are also recommended, which are placed on the shoulders and neck. In general, tension headaches are best treated with heat. A bath also helps, whereby here attention should be paid to an increasing temperature (starting at about 34 °C warm water, increased to a maximum of 43 °C). The bath should last 10 to 15 minutes. Sometimes cold helps, for example as a cold compress or cold arm and foot bath. Peppermint oil is considered the home remedy of first choice for headaches originating from the temple. A light massage with the oil is appropriate and relieves tension headaches. The peppermint oil has a similar effect here as paracetamol. Coffee is universally popular as a medicine against headaches. The caffeine it contains improves blood flow to the brain. Infrared radiation and mud packs also have a positive effect on blood circulation. Home remedies do not always help. Then medications must be taken, such as paracetamol or tablets with the active ingredient acetylsalicylic acid. Ibuprofen also helps against pain. It is important to always take the tablets in the specified dosage, otherwise they do not work properly, are underdosed or overdosed. Especially when taking only half the dose, it can happen that the tablet does not work properly and another one is taken. This leads to a (sometimes dangerous) overdose. If headaches occur in children, they should definitely be examined by a doctor. Self-treatment with medications is not recommended, since overwork and stress are usually behind the complaints. These problems must definitely be clarified. Children should also not be treated with essential oils, this is especially true for children under the age of six. The oils can cause respiratory problems and even suffocation.
Quick help
Many headache sufferers attribute the pain to lack of fluids and increase their drinking. Therefore, those who know they are not drinking enough should increase their fluid consumption. This counteracts a thickening of the blood and thus an undersupply of the brain with oxygen. Quick help promises the already mentioned coffee, if a splash of lemon is added. The caffeine causes the vessels to contract, which has a short-term effect on blood flow. The lemon is said to support the entire immune system and thus ensure that at least cold-related headaches occur less frequently. The tension headache can be countered with fresh air. Insufficient fluid intake is often the reason for headaches. However, it has not yet been clarified whether the extra oxygen or the brief time out is responsible for the symptoms subsiding. Those affected also report helpful massages. These loosen tense muscles, because these can also lead to headaches. Not only the massage of the temple is profitable here, but also a massage of the shoulder and neck muscles is recommended. Quite quickly, of course, also act drugs, here are especially paracetamol and ibuprofen to highlight.
Alternative remedies
Naturopathy has many different remedies for headaches. If these arise, for example, due to stress, globules from Cocculus should relieve the pain. Against stress-related “splitting the head” pain helps Nux vomica. If headaches occur suddenly and as a result of anxiety, excitement or anger, Aconitum is recommended. Belladonna helps with throbbing pain and overstimulated senses. Pain due to long work at the computer is combated with Cimicifuga. Gelsemium is also used for pain that really constricts the head. Weather-related headaches are treated with Aconitum or Rhus toxidendron. In general, long-term therapies are gladly carried out with homeopathic remedies, quick pain therapies with remedies of orthodox medicine. Naturopathy also uses curative treatments of three-week duration with a one-week break.The potencies used should not be too high, D6 or D12 are quite sufficient. If the symptoms improve, the respective remedy should be discontinued.
