 can go a long way to relieve tension headaches without the need for chemical painkillers. As to relieving migraine headaches, a number of nutritional supplements and herbs have good track records, but they should not be used without the guidance of a trusted doctor or naturopath.)
Massage and techniques such as acupressure (acupuncture without the needles) can go a long way to relieve tension headaches without the need for chemical painkillers. As to relieving migraine headaches, a number of nutritional supplements and herbs have good track records, but they should not be used without the guidance of a trusted doctor or naturopath.
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Dear EarthTalk: Are there natural headache remedies that can get me off of Tylenol, Advil and other medicines whose side effects can be as bad as or worse than the pain that led me to use them?
-- Jan Levinson, Portland, ME
Many of us may be too dependent on over-the-counter painkillers to treat the occasional headache, especially given the side effects of such drugs. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) can increase the risk of heart and circulation problems—including heart attack and stroke—and is also tough on the digestive tract. Too much acetaminophen (Tylenol) has been linked to nausea, diarrhea, and kidney and liver problems. Many natural health care practitioners disparage drugs for merely masking the symptoms of larger problems.
All headaches are not the same and gobbling down pain pills will not address the causes, whatever they may be. Some headaches are caused by tension; others stem from sinus congestion, caffeine withdrawal, constipation, food allergies, spinal misalignment or lack of sleep. And then there are migraines, which researchers think are neurological in nature: The brain fails to constrict the nerve pathways that open the arteries to the brain, resulting in a pounding headache as blood flows in unchecked. Assessing what kind of headache you may have can help lead the way to a solution beyond deadening the pain with a pill.
To make tension headaches go away, the Farmers’ Almanac recommends applying an ice pack to the neck and upper back, or, even better, getting someone to massage those areas. Also, soaking the feet in hot water can divert blood from your head to your feet, easing any kind of headache pain in the process.
Another all-natural headache cure is acupressure (like acupuncture, but without the needles), which promotes healing throughout the body by stimulating channels of energy known as meridians. Victoria Abreo, alternative medicine editor for the website BellaOnline, says that anyone suffering from a tension headache can employ a simple acupressure technique to help relieve the pain: “With one hand, press the shallow indention in the back of the head at the base of the skull. Simultaneously, with the thumb and forefinger of the other hand, press firmly into the upper hollows of the eye sockets, right where they straddle the bridge of the nose and meet the ‘t’ of the eyebrow bridge.” She says to press softy at first, and then more firmly, holding for three to five minutes.
As for migraines, avoiding certain trigger foods might be key to staving them off. Abreo says migraine sufferers should try steering clear of dairy products, processed meat, red wine, caffeine and chocolate. New research has shown that some people with specific dietary deficiencies are more prone to migraines.
According to Dr. Linda White, who writes about natural health for Mother Earth News, some recent clinical trials have shown three nutritional supplements—magnesium, riboflavin and coenzyme Q10—to be particularly effective at reducing the frequency and severity of migraines. Also, a number of herbs—including feverfew, butterbur, lavender, gingko biloba, rosemary and chamomile—have proven track records in preventing or stopping migraines. Since herbs can be potent and are not regulated or tested, headache sufferers should consult a trusted doctor or naturopath before using alternative remedies.
CONTACTS: Farmers’ Almanac, www.farmersalmanac.com; BellaOnline, www.bellaonline.com; Mother Earth News, www.motherearthnews.com.
EarthTalk is produced by E/The Environmental Magazine. GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.
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12 Comments
Add CommentLeft out aspirin. As far as I know, other than stomach irritation there are no other side effects. Aspirin also helps unclog the arteries. If your reader wants it "natural" then using willow bark will deliver a tea or concentrate that basically contains the original, natural aspirin.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisaspirin can cause people to go into comas.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisRelaxation therapy and its related methods of meditation and biofeedback also provide headache relief, except that to use them people actually have to expend effort, rather than just take a medicine or have something done for them. There is a literature showing sufficient efficacy for such methods dating at least to the 1980s.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisis this a joke? Acupressure is a cure for headaches? Meridians? I didn't realize I was reading Pseudoscientific American.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI must agree with bergonom. It is hard enough battling woo-woo and Pseudoscience without this sort of "friendly fire". "channels of energy known as meridians" - Very disappointing coming from Scientific American!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI use pressure points to stop sneezes on a nearly daily basis and have used them to stop migraines as well. Pressure points work by either interfering with specific nerves/nerve bundles, or by altering blood flow. Some even work in a round-about way by causing pain, which makes the brain release pain-killing endorphins. There's nothing pseudoscientific about it. I am a bit disappointed that sciam actually made reference to "channels of energy known as meridians", when there are completely legitimately scientific explanations for the way pressure points work.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMy favorite headache cure, however, is peppermint candies. A lot of headaches (at least for me) can be caused by low blood sugar. Additionally, peppermint has been used for thousands of years as a headache and migraine remedy.
I can very well accept that pressure etc could produce physiological changes relieving such pain - I agree that wouldn't be considered pseudoscience. "channels of energy known as meridians" is pseudoscience and unfortunately gives credibility to such pseudoscience when published in such a scientific publication
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf SciAm is going to start spouting pseudoscience, could it mention 'woo-woo' in the title so I know which articles to believe?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt is amazing to me that people make their beliefs sound as it they were facts. Meridians have been shown scientifically. Also, there have been numerous studies on animals and babies showing efficacy of acupuncture and all were positive.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisJust because you do not believe in something doesn't make it "not true." Open your minds to allow information to come in.
http://www.tensionheadache.medgrip.com/video
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisevery period i have <a rel="follow" href="http://www.healthtree.com/atoz/headache-termination/"> Headaches</a>. they are my nightmare and i don't know who to ride of them. i tried everything, nothing work. some one suggest me to do acupuncture i will try it because i don't have an option.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisevery period i have <a rel="follow" href=" http://www.healthtree.com/atoz/headache-termination/
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"> Headaches</a>. they are my nightmare and i don't know who to ride of them. i tried everything, nothing work. some one suggest me to do acupuncture i will try it because i don't have an option.