Listen Live
St Jude banner
CLOSE

Popping a pill. When it comes to putting a stop to migraines or other headache pain, that’s the first step that many people take. But if you’re concerned about how much over-the-counter medication you’re swallowing, there are other head pain relief strategies to try, many as close as your kitchen.

MUST READ: Headache Locations: What Do They Mean?

With the power of  alternative medicine, and several simple home remedies, you can take control of headaches naturally.

“It is easy to become reliant on drugs — we all live in a fast-paced nation, and there is little understanding when you miss obligations over a headache,” says Moshe Lewis, MD, a pain management specialist in Redwood City, Calif.

The next time you feel the pounding about to begin, try these 5 ideas to conquer headaches:

Acupressure. Performed by a qualified practitioner, acupressure can bring relief for headaches and a variety of other pain-related conditions, says Lewis. Japanese research explains that acupressure may work by stimulating the autonomic nervous system, which is why it may have an impact on headache and related conditions such as chronic neck pain.

MUST READ: 4 Times Your Headache Is Something More Serious

Though recent studies haven’t been done, earlier research on 500 people with frequent headaches found that self-administered acupressure was helpful and worth trying because there are no negative side effects.

Ice. Applying ice or a cold pack to an injury is an age-old home remedy for all types of pain, and it may do the trick for migraines and other headache pain, too. Wrap your cold pack in a thin cloth to prevent your head from becoming too cold and apply it directly to your forehead.

Lewis suggests sticking to just 10 minutes an hour, as needed, to keep your whole body from getting a chill.

5 Alternative Strategies For Headache Relief  was originally published on blackdoctor.org

1 2Next page »