16 Natural Ways To Get Rid of a Headache Fast

 John Summerly/ Wake Up World

There are many different things that can cause headaches: Abrupt changes in your diet or an everyday schedule like getting too much or too little sleep, stress, long working hours, skipping a meal, or from using the computer for a long time without taking breaks. Headache can cause unbearable pain along with nausea, and at times vomiting. Many people don’t realize that the most common cause of a headache is dehydration. There are many over the counter medicines available in the market to get rid of headache, but all of them have potential side effects, disrupt gut bacteria and can cause other health problems. Instead of relying on quick fixes through drugs, try some of these natural remedies which are proven effective for even some of the worst headaches including tension, cluster and migraines.

1. Water

Headaches aren’t unhealthy by themselves, headaches are a sign that tell us that something is wrong, however our body does not always give straight and clear signals that tell us how to behave. When our body is dehydrating, we don’t always feel thirsty, and most often headaches is your body telling you to hydrate. Most adults require anywhere between two to five litres a day depending on their height and weight and depending on the type of lifestyle they have.

If the reason behind the headache is dehydration, then you can easily get relief from the pain by drinking large amount of water. Water is very effective home remedy for headaches. Simply drink a glass of clean, filtered water at the first sign of headache and continue taking small sips throughout the day. Once your body gets hydrated the pain will automatically start to ease. When suffering from a headache, it is advisable to stay away from any kind of drinks that can dehydrate your body, especially caffeinated.

2. Massage Scalp, Neck and Ear Lobes

Doing some light massage can distract you from the pain, as well as improving circulation and relieving tension. For a basic massage, gently press your fingers over your temples, and move them in slow circles. Or, try these more advanced techniques:

• Do a scalp massage. Hop in the shower and treat yourself to a long scalp massage as you shampoo your hair. Or, for a drier version, pour a little bit of coconut or argan oil on your fingers and rub into your scalp.
• Find two tennis or racquet balls and put them in a sock. Lie on a flat surface and place the two balls just below the base of your skull, on the occipital bone, and relax. You may feel sinus pressure or minimal discomfort at first but it will go away. This is especially helpful for sinus headaches.
• Have someone else massage your neck and back if possible. The simple touch of someone else who cares about you can relieve a lot of tension instantly. Have them focus on the occipital region as well.
• Gently massaging the bridge of your nose can help relieve sinus and migraine headaches.
• Massage the soft part of your hand in between your index finger and thumb. Nerves in that spot allow your blood vessels in your forehead to constrict.
• Firmly massage the acupressure point on each hand where the thumb and index finger bones meet (second metacarpal bone). It’s best if somebody does this for you, so both hands can be massaged simultaneously, but if that’s not possible, massage one hand for five minutes, then massage the other hand.

3. Ice Pack

Using an ice pack to apply cold compress over the forehead can give quick relief from headaches. To apply cold compress you can also apply a cold cloth on your head and temples for ten minutes and again repeat the process after some time until you get some relief. A bag of frozen vegetables can also serve as an icepack. When cold compresses are placed over the forehead, it numbs the pain and helps the blood vessels to shrink and improves the blood circulation, thus giving relief from the pain. This particular remedy works when the headache is due to stress or sinus.

4. Practice Relaxation Techniques.

People around the world use a variety of tricks to distract themselves from pain. If you’re in the midst of a headache, don’t worry about learning something new — stick to whatever is closest to your comfort zone. (You can always read up on different meditation techniques later, when you feel better.) Some popular options include:

• Meditation.
• Prayer.
• Deep breathing.
• Visualization.
• Listening to binaural beats
• Try to just calm down. If you can fall asleep, that might help.