The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Ice Packs
Posted by Anonymous (Ohio) on 09/07/2015
★★★★★
For headaches:
Pure and simple use a ice pack or get a freezer bag and fill is with ice apply to temple or where the headache is head will feel like its freezing remove a few min. and the put back on for half to whole hour.
Drink a little warm green tea in conjunction with this. Hope it helps.
Avoid Gluten
Posted by Jon (Australia) on 03/03/2015
★★★★★
Getting rid of Gluten from our diet stopped the recurring headaches. If some gluten is ingested the headache comes back. Try it for youself by going gluten-free for 2 weeks.
Lemons
Posted by Mindy (Temple, Pennsylvania, United States) on 02/07/2013
★★★★★
Often if I have a headache, I'll pour a generous amount of lemon juice on a paper towel and dab it or lay it on my forehead. I don't know why, but this usually helps lessen the headache or make it go away completely!
Eliminate Msg
Posted by Mary (St. Petersburg, Florida, USA) on 02/23/2012
★★★★★
Hi Everyone, Last week I wrote in complaining of throbbing headaches and received very helpful responses. The first thing I did was remove MSG from my diet and the headaches ceased literally overnight. I am here to report that I am still HEADACHE FREE.
I went through my kitchen and cleaned out the canned/processed/added-chemical food items. I started shopping at stores where they maintain a meat department that offers fresh items, especially chicken. Frozen chicken has "broth" added. I found that there are very few canned items that are acceptable and without added chemical components. There is even added stuff in the simplest items like cream for the coffee. Why does simple cream need anything added? Did you know that it is illegal to sell "raw" milk or cream here in Florida? So unless you own a cow or goat you have to take what they sell in the stores.
One responder suggested considering an alkaline diet. I find that eliminating processed food items and switching to fresh makes great strides toward alkaline without really trying very hard. I still need to get some pH test strips and see how I am doing.
A big plus for alkalizing and eliminating MSG is that I eat less. I know the MSG makes you crave a particular food and we know MSG is in almost everything. That makes you crave almost everything. I have often wondered why, as a grown adult person, I could not control my food cravings. I thought something was wrong with me. I'm sure others have felt this way too. These last few days of being chemical free have been a real eye opener for me. Grown adult people are well able to control their food habits when they are not being influenced by brain-chemistry altering substances.
OK, and now the bonus points. I am sleeping better. I have been able to go to sleep at night and stay in the bed. That is not my usual. In the past I would always toss and turn, get up and down. Prowl around the house because I couldn't sleep, etc. Etc.. On and on. It is wonderful to be able to lay down and sleep peacefully.
Thanks again to all who responded to my questions.
Mary
Headache Triggers - Barometric Pressure
Posted by Louie (New Mexico) on 05/01/2016
★★★★★
Atmospheric pressure changes can have an enormous effect on your whole body. During a career of flying airliners, with pressure changes several times a day, it can be debilitating. The problem is that sinuses have very small drain holes that can be easily plugged with mucus. This traps a volume of air in your sinuses and when the atmospheric pressure rises or falls, creates pressure, negative or positive, in your sinuses that can cause a whole range of symptoms. Sometimes it just makes you feel tired and worn out; sometimes headaches; it may feel like your eyeballs or teeth are going to be pushed out of your head. Look at a picture of a skull to see how close your sinuses are to things you really don't want to be pushed on. Things it's like eyes, teeth, brain. The material between your sinuses and these other things is extremely thin. I have more than once had a dentist trying to inject Novocain in my gums, pop through into a sinus cavity and have the Novocain run out my nose. That's how thin it is and how easy it is for that pressure to push on surrounding things. The trick is keeping those little drain holes open.
Breathing Technique
Posted by Mark (Melbourne, Australia) on 10/21/2011
★★★★★
Sometimes solutions can be so simple. All you may need to do to relieve this may be to cup your hand gently over your nose and mouth and breathe gentle slow breaths for a few minutes... If this works you are habitually but mildly hyperventilating. Other times it could be a matter of drinking more water.
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Monica (Twinlake, Mi) on 11/14/2011
I'm just reading along... Then bam... That post was hilarious!! ... I must say... But sorry that happened- lol.
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by James As Cmmonly Called ;-) (Rugby, Warks) on 11/18/2012
Honestly, Bonnie with the pepper up the nose and cupboard ACTUALLY had me crying with laughter :-D
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Jolly (A2 Michigan) on 11/15/2015
Yes Thank you EC and Thank you Bonnie for the laugh - your humor echoing through the years - now 2015! I've been with this head ache for two days and looking for a remedy here on EC. Laughing with your post has helped relieve a big piece of the tension! As others have shared - yes, sorry for your experience, but thank you so much for sharing it in such a humorous and healing way!
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Valerie (New York) on 07/18/2018 2 posts
I've never heard anyone suggest SNORTING cayenne pepper for a headache or to clear sinuses, but adding some to any kind of smoothie, juice or tea is a better way to take an ample amount without it burning or creating a queezy feeling in your tummy. Many people get results with cayenne hot sauce or powdered cayenne, but clear liquid cayenne tincture is nicer to add to something you're going to drink, then shake or stir well. Start with the smallest recommendation, diluted in order not to burn, then gradually increase if necessary, to test efficacy for headaches or sinus conditions.
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Nikki (Pittsburgh, PA) on 04/29/2009
★★★★★
Cayenne Pepper relieved my cluster headache! I had been suffering from absolutely debilitating cluster headaches- they seemed to have been taking over my life! I stubled across this website today after spending the day alternating between rocking back and forth in pain and looking up clinics in my area. I didn't have any powdered cayenne on hand, so I crushed up a seed of a dried cayenne pepper that I had from last summer's yield, and snorted that. Lo and behold, I am now able to type this with about 90% of the headache gone. I took the pepper seed about ten minutes ago, and plan to try more in a minute.
I can't believe how well it works! I am bookmarking this site asap!
Thank you all so much!
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Sara (Aurora, CO) on 02/25/2009
★★★★★
Cayenne pepper in hot water for headache: I was reading through here because I had a sinus headache from the day before and nothing was helping. I gulped 1/8 of a tsp of Cayenne Peppe r(wasn't brave enough to sniff it up my nose ;D) in hot water, then I swished with cold water and swallowed that too. Took a couple of very deep breaths.(not too hard to do when your mouth is on fire.) And the headache is gone less than 2 minutes later. Even the ache-y-ness in my body is gone!
I <3 Earth Clinic!
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Jenna (Austin, TX) on 01/19/2009
★★★★★
I tried cayenne pepper on the tip of my toungue and it worked immediately. I used just a pinch, let it stay there for about 30 seconds (yes, it burns a bit) and then swallowed it with a large glass of water. No more headache. Thank you Veronica!
Water
Posted by June (KC, KS) on 09/07/2008
★★★★★
Almost without exception, if I have a headache and drink a couple large glasses of water it will get rid of my headache. Why? Because the extra water helps eliminate toxins in the bowels! I have been doing this for years and I rarely get headaches. If I do, I drink as much water as I need to go #2 and I almost always get instant relief. A naturepath friend of mine used to say: If you've got problems with your head, start with your tail! I believe in almost every instance headaches are caused from toxic buildup. At work I see many people gulping down otc pain meds when really they are just dehydrated and suffering from toxic overload!
5 HTP
Posted by Stefanie (Minden, Louisiana) on 07/17/2008
★★★★★
I found this remedy when I was looking for herbal remedies for my daily headaches. I found 5-HTP. According to the article,some of the things it helped with are insomnia, headaches, anxiety & depression. I thought could it be? I immediately went to my husband to show him what I had found because he had problems sleeping at night as well. We went a few days later to our local drug store and picked up a bottle of 50mg. 5-HTP. We had decided on the lowest dosage available in our area, upping the dosage as we went along if it was necessary. We have only been on it for a few days now but there is a very noticeable difference. We both have been sleeping through the night and feeling more refreshed when we wake. My anxiety attacks are gone as well as my headaches. We both are much less snappish than what we were before. We haven't noticed any side effects so far. We are taking them with a meal or a small snack and so far we have stayed at 50mg. Thanks for the very useful information that lead to this discovery!
Latex Pillow
Posted by Stella (USA) on 06/21/2008
★★★★★
re: Stiff Neck and Headaches. If you have a constant issue with bad pillows as I have had then a Latex Pillow may be the answer.I have invested so much money in bad pillows. I've tried all makes and models, then I finally bought 100% latex pillow. Wow! it's a dream come true, It's not too high, not too low, It's very cushy and doesn't bottom out, which means no more stiff necks and morning headaches. I never cared for memory foam, but I love latex.
Apples
Posted by Teresa (Fort Worth, TX) on 03/22/2008
★★★★★
Last week after using ALOT of an over-the-counter pain aid(this particular one never works for me but that's all we have at my job) I felt really drawn to eating a green granny smith apple I had brought with me. I ate it slowly over the course of 30-45 minutes and by the time I was through with it my headache was gone! The ONLY thing that had ever worked for me before was a different over-the-counter pain aid. I am extactic about my apple-cure discovery. Oh, let me add that the headache hasn't even tried to come back either. That headache had been coming and going for three days. Yeah!
Garlic
Posted by Beverly (Willsboro, New York) on 08/23/2007
★★★★★
I have started taking garlic tablets EVERY DAY Because in the past I have had over the period of 2 yrs flashing bright lights, like lightening) in front of my eyes. Even when I put my head under a pillow I still saw them, and it was very scarey. I went to a nuerologist and had a cat scan of my brain, his conclusion was' he said I have the side effects of a migraine with out the headaches. Well, since taking one garlic tablet every day, I am very excited to say, that I have had NO problems for about 4 years. So of course I told the Doctor. He didn't say much,I guess he was skeptic.
Cayenne Pepper
Posted by Kj (Dc, Wash) on 06/17/2010
★★★★★BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS
I have to say that the cayenne pepper worked, but it burned like HELL!!!!!! I WON'T be doing this again! I spent the last 10 minutes running around the house screaming like a maniac for water. I think next time, I'll just use aspirin.
Gatorade
Posted by Jacob (Church Point)
★★★★★
Drink two glasses of gatorade whenever you have a headache. I'm not sure how that works but I have tested it out on myself and it's true, it does work. If anyone finds out how gatorade helps against headaches, please e-mail me, I've been longing to know
Gatorade
Posted by Fayefaye (Portland, Maine) on 12/08/2012
★★★★★
From what I understand it's dehydration. Gatorade helps me too with dehydration headaches. Gatorade is filled with electrolytes wich help the body rehydrate! Good one! I've had a headache now for three days and I know I've been dehydrated and forgot about the wonders of electrolytes! Coconut water is a great natural alternative.
Gatorade
Posted by Marcia (pulaski, WI)
★★★★★
I tried gatorade on the advice of a personal training client. The theory is that certain migraine headaches, particularly those following exercise, may be the result of dehydration or electrolyte imbalance. I found that within 20 mins. nearly all of my symptoms subsided, with none of the drowsiness or nausea usually felt.
Gatorade
Posted by Yeshuaspalm (Rancho Mirage, Ca) on 10/17/2009
I too used to drink Gatorade often for headache or fatigue or just feeling really ill. However gatorade is not the healthiest drink so I tried instead:
1/4-1/2 tsp. Sea salt (celtic seems to need less)
and 1/4 of a lemon or sea salt plus 1 tsp molaasses or raw honey
stir into 8 ounces of cool water
Molasses is rich in minerals as is the sea salt and honey is full of medicinal qualities...If I believe I am more dehydrated I will try the molasses or honey first and if I believe I am toxic I will use the lemon.
Avoid Air Conditioning
Posted by Diane (AL) on 06/22/2021
★★★★★
COLD AIR CONDITIONING... My husband keeps our house at 68, with ceiling fans. My headaches started and then it got worse. Couldn't think or remember where I was going. When I would work outside in the garden, in the heat, the headaches would go away. One night at 1am it was so cold I went and got in my car and turn the heat on. The headache went away. It affected our dog, he was having problems breathing. I also, netted my nose with peroxide and water. It's getting much better. If I go to a building, like today at my vets. It was cold, my head started hurting. The woman next to me said the same thing. We went outside and waited. This is what worked for me.
DMSO
Posted by JKey (WI) on 12/07/2020
Any results on the DMSO and ACV....
DMSO
Posted by Anniem (Virginia ) on 07/20/2022
If it itches after application it is because it was not rubbed it until dry. Take at least 3 minutes to rub it in. If it still itches use less dmso and put a little coconut oil on the area if you can't tolerate the itching. No gloves are necessary, just wash your hands before and after.
