When one starts to get the tightening sensation in the head, it's so, so easy to reach for a bottle of pain-relief medication. But, many over the counter drugs have side effects that could even be worse than the headache itself! Therefore it is better to consider other more natural alternatives instead of looking for a quick fix. All headaches stem from either chemical, emotional, or structural problems. Instead of taking painkillers to alleviate a headache, it is more beneficial to find out the underlying causes of them to prevent them from happening in the future. Painkillers only mask the symptoms and if taken in excess over long periods of time, they can cause other health conditions.
One of the major causes of headaches is dehydration. To treat your headache naturally with water, it is a good idea to first find out what type of headache you have. First, there are chronic tension headaches that can result from stress overload, fatigue and even from physical problems, psychological and emotional issues, and depression. Then, there are cluster headaches, which are categorized by coming in groups of one to four a day in a set cluster periods that could be days or months. Hormonal headaches are similar to migraines in that they affect only one side of the head, and they are also frequently accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and/or noise. Finally, there are sinus headaches, which can be experienced after a cold or other medical condition.
Water can aid as a treatment for all of these headaches. In tension headaches, it was noted above that a cause can be fatigue. Fatigue is a side effect of dehydration. So, if dehydration is the cause of the fatigue and fatigue is the cause of the headache- start by treating the fatigue and getting hydrated. Try to drink as much water as possible over a time span. Consuming a large amount of water at once could lead to water intoxication. However, tension headaches could also be a symptom of other problems, it is a good idea to seek help from a medical professional if the headaches persist.
Here is an example of using water to heal headaches. A woman by the name of Margi contributed a piece of advice at clusterheadaches.com, reporting that her husband's headaches have not come back since he started drinking a glass of water at least every hour. Additionally, the hot water from a nice, warm shower or bath can help relax those tightened muscles.
As far as preventing headaches, staying hydrated can help. But not all forms of liquid are helpful. In fact, a very common form of headache can come in the form of caffeine withdrawal. Of course, having a coffee or soda can give the body what it wants and help ease the headache pain, but it could also begin a vicious cycle.
Since caffeine dehydrates, the headache prone may be better off avoiding it and instead of drinking more water, juices, and decaf teas, coffees, and sodas. Caffeine can cause a “rebound” effect which means it temporarily gets rid of the headache, which goes away and comes back worse than before. Try to eliminate caffeine from your diet even though you may experience withdrawals for a few days, it will be well worth the temporary suffering. To alleviate some pain, drink a lot of water throughout the day.
Some natural remedies to relieve headaches:
- Peppermint Oil – Place a few drops of this essential oil on your forehead, neck, and temples. In addition, breathing in the soothing oil can ease symptoms. (Keep away from your eyes!)
- Honey – Take two teaspoons of honey with each meal. Honey contains potassium and magnesium which will help relax arteries and allow more blood to flow to the brain.
- Walking – If you feel a headache coming on, take a short walk. This will relax you and your circulatory system so that more blood and oxygen can get to the brain.
- Mustard – Add 2 teaspoons of mustard powder in a hot footbath and soak your feet in the water for 10-20 minutes.
- Cayenne pepper – Put ½ to one teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a glass of water and drink slowly. This will dilute your blood vessels and improve circulation.
In essence, when dealing with headaches the pain can be relieved by drinking clean water, avoiding caffeine, and applying natural remedies. Just drinking a few glasses of water whenever you feel you might be coming on with a headache might save you from taking many pills over the course of your lifetime. Try several different remedies to see what works for you and kiss those headaches goodbye!