Others may be caused by underlying medical issues, like a blow to the head or something more serious.

Fortunately, you can ease most headache pain naturally. While over-the-counter medications may alleviate the pain of both chronic and occasional headaches, natural remedies provide relief without the side effects of pharmaceuticals.

The Different Types of Headaches

No two headaches are alike. Head pain can come on suddenly or develop gradually, go away within an hour or last for several days, or feel sharp, dull, or throbbing. If you have a migraine, you may see flashes of light, become hypersensitive to noise, or feel nauseous.

Doctors have described two main types of headaches: primary and secondary. Primary headaches result from physical issues. Some examples include altered blood flow to the brain, neck, and head, hormone or nerve activity in the brain, tension in the head and neck muscles, or some combination of these factors.

Primary headaches include:

• Migraines (with or without aura)
• Cluster headaches
• Tension headaches

Secondary headaches, on the other hand, are caused by a disease or condition that pushes, pulls, or presses on pain-sensitive nerve endings in the brain. These conditions may cause secondary headaches:

• Dehydration
• High blood pressure
• Sinus infection or allergies
• Eye infection or eye strain
• Cavities
• Fever and congestion
• Stress
• Other conditions

Knowing the causes of your head pain will help you decide which remedy will work best.

Natural Remedies for Headaches

Over-the-counter pain medications such as aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen tend to be the standard recommendation for alleviating a pounding headache. But, many natural remedies can eliminate headaches, or at least reduce their intensity and their frequency of occurrence. Consider the following strategies and see what works best for you.

1. Drink More Water

If you suspect that dehydration may be causing your headache, drink up! Consuming two to three cups of water may help, but it may take 30 minutes to three hours to work. Research hasn't found that drinking more water can prevent headaches, however. Generally, it's important for your overall health to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water throughout the day.

2. Use Essential Oils

Essential oils provide many therapeutic benefits, and both lavender and peppermint essential oils can help relieve headaches. Studies have found peppermint oil to be as effective as acetaminophen (paracetamol) and aspirin for tension headaches. Apply a couple of drops of undiluted peppermint oil to your temples, making sure to avoid your eye area. If your skin is sensitive, you can dilute it in a carrier like almond or coconut oil. Using lavender essential oil for aromatherapy also helps relieve stress and headaches; simply rub some between your hands and inhale. Some evidence suggests that lavender is an effective and safe way to reduce the severity of migraine headaches.

3. Sleep More

If you have a headache, take a nap. But if you get headaches regularly, you might want to consider how much sleep you get each night. Migraine, tension, and cluster headaches are associated with sleep deprivation and other sleep disorders like insomnia. If you struggle with insomnia, natural solutions to better sleep, can help, such as keeping electronics out of your bedroom and setting your bedroom thermostat between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Conversely, while you need to get seven to nine hours of sleep every night, sleeping too much can actually increase the occurrence of headaches.

4. Apply Heat or Cold

Placing a cold compress on your neck may reduce the pain of a migraine, while heat may be better for tension headaches. However, either may reduce pain and help relieve your headaches. Try both and see which works best for you.

5. Turn Off the Lights

Photophobia, or sensitivity to light, co-occurs with migraines so frequently that doctors consider it diagnostic of them. Blue light, which emanates from cell phones and computer screens, can cause stress headaches as well, so turn off your devices and step away for a while. One solution for photophobia-induced headaches is to go into a dark or dimly lit room for 20 to 30 minutes. While sitting quietly in the dark, it's a great time to quiet your mind and meditate.

6. Meditate & Practice Yoga

Meditation offers a simple way to relax, still your mind, and breathe deeply — all of which reduce headache pain. Whether you are a beginner or you meditate regularly, this quiet practice can calm your nerves, steady the blood flow to the brain, and eliminate tension. Mindfulness meditation reduces the intensity of primary headaches and yoga can reduce the frequency that people get migraine headaches. Consider learning about the best meditation practices and try different yoga classes to see what style you prefer.

7. Try Acupuncture

Studies found that getting at least six acupuncture treatments reduces the frequency of migraine headaches as effectively as pain medication. A review of multiple studies found that 41 percent of people getting acupuncture had half as many migraine headaches in the months following treatment. Acupuncture also proved more effective than sham acupuncture, a "control" technique used to test for the placebo effect.

8. Use Pressure Points

In acupressure, practitioners push on specific body pressure points for different conditions. You can even perform acupressure on headache pressure points on your own. Try using your right thumb and index finger to press hard on the loose skin between these same fingers on your left hand for ten seconds. This pressure point is called LI-4 or Hegu.

9. Get a Massage

Since many headaches come from tension in the upper back, neck, jaw, and shoulders, a massage can do wonders. Massage has many therapeutic benefits with few risks. It improves blood circulation while reducing blood pressure, soothing pain, reducing stress and anxiety, and just making you feel good. Add in some lavender or rosemary oil for the bonus of aromatherapy with your massage.

Foods That Help With Headaches

Although some foods are known to cause headaches, others may help prevent or ease a headache. Try the following foods, which are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients, next time your head hurts.

Kale & Leafy Greens

Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, chard, and collard greens are foods high in folate. A low intake of this B vitamin may increase the risk of headaches. Kale is a superfood, one of the most nutrient-rich foods around. Kale has healthy omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and magnesium, all of which help you sleep soundly.

Almonds

People who suffer from migraines may have lower levels of magnesium in their blood serum compared to people who don't get them.^[Magnesium affects the release of neurotransmitters in the body, and the constriction of blood vessels (vasoconstriction), which can affect headaches. Almonds have naturally high levels of magnesium — one ounce of almonds provides 80 milligrams.

Coffee & Tea

Did you realize that you can find headache relief from a cup of Joe? Caffeine is commonly used in over-the-counter pain relievers, but you can get this same effect from coffee. Between 100 and 130 milligrams of caffeine — the amount in an 8-ounce cup of coffee — may help ease both migraine and tension headaches.

You can get the same amount of caffeine from black or green tea. Drinking a hot mug of relaxing tea, like chamomile or ginger, may also help calm your nerves and reduce head pain.

Organic Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

Organic raw apple cider vinegar (ACV) is an amazing creation. Not only does it contain a probiotic "mother" that revs up your immune system, but ACV also gives your digestive system a boost which can help with headaches. ACV also encourages normal blood sugar, which is beneficial because blood sugar spikes may cause head pain.