Natural treatment for headaches is basically unheard of in traditional medicine. After all, pharmaceutical companies make more money if you take a pill every time a headache flares up. But let’s not take aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen for granted. They can often stop a headache in its tracks. Unfortunately, not only do over-the-counter (OTC) medications fail to prevent the next headache, they could actually be the cause.

That’s right, rebound headaches (also called medication overuse headaches) are a side effect of many OTC headache medications. It is no wonder then that many are looking for natural remedies for migraines and headaches. Consider the following list of eight all-natural headache remedies.

#1 Laughter

You’ve heard it called the best medicine. Laughter may be a great way to reduce your headaches. The idea is that when a person is laughing, the brain gets more oxygen. Since reduced oxygen in the brain may be to blame for some headaches, this may be a viable option.

#2 Water

It is a basic element of human life. We need water to live. Unfortunately, most people don’t get anywhere near the amount they require. Don’t believe us? Try tracking your water intake for a week and see how often you have 8-12 glasses of water in a day. You may be surprised. But then again, your body may already be trying to tell you it needs more water. Headaches are one of the earliest signs of a lack of proper hydration.

#3 Exercise

It’s all about getting that blood flowing so your brain has enough oxygen to function properly. That’s why daily exercise can help. Even just 20-30 minutes of cardio each day can improve circulation. Just be sure to check with a physician before making a drastic change to your exercise routine. You shouldn’t go from no exercise in the past six months to trying to jog 10 miles tomorrow morning. Start slow and gradually increase your exercise duration and intensity.

#4 Sleep

Are you noticing how many of these are the basics of life? And yet the modern lifestyle has us push these things into the background. The standard for adults is eight hours of sleep per night. And it is best if you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day (yes, even on the weekend). Creating the right environment for sleep is important. Keep the bedroom dark, and don’t use mobile devices in bed. Quiet is important to. If you need to drown out noise from outside your apartment, try using soothing white noise.

#5 Posture

Spine-health is so important when it comes to fending off migraines – the health of the neck in particular. How can you maintain proper posture throughout the day? Here are a few tips:

• Keep monitors at eye level so that you are not constantly looking down.
• Reduce how frequently you check mobile devices. Craning the neck to look down at a phone repeatedly throughout the day can result in “text neck” – in other words, neck pain that may lead to headaches.
• Be careful not to slouch while driving.

#6 Aromatherapy

Many headaches are brought on due to stress. That’s why the most common form of headache is the tension headache. Aromatherapy may help by assisting with stress relief. A couple of scents that people seem to find relaxing are peppermint and lavender. Try using essential oils with a diffuser to keep a steady flow of calming scents in the air. Of course, be sure to avoid any scents you are allergic to as a reaction can bring on a headache as well as other symptoms.

#7 Supplements

There are several supplements that may be able to replace deficiencies that could lead to headaches. For example, B vitamins are essential in forming neurotransmitters including serotonin. Another viable supplement is magnesium. This is a common deficiency, and it may be responsible for some of the visual and sensory changes that take place during migraine headaches. Plus, if you deal with both headaches and constipation, you get the added benefit of magnesium being good for the digestive tract. On the negative side, you may experience diarrhea as a side effect of taking too much magnesium, so be sure to talk with a physician before starting on new supplements.

#8 Upper Cervical Chiropractic

Many headache and migraine conditions begin following head or neck trauma. This makes sense because such injuries can cause a misalignment of the atlas and axis, the top two bones in the neck. A misalignment in this location can, in turn, reduce blood flow to the brain, inhibit brainstem function, and affect cerebrospinal fluid drainage. These are all underlying factors in headache and migraine occurrence.

It is no wonder then that many patients in case studies experience significant benefits once the C1 and C2 are properly realigned. Upper cervical chiropractic uses precise and gentle adjustments that are long-lasting. This gives the body the time it needs to heal. Once proper blood flow and CNS function are restored, a patient may even find that migraines and headaches become a thing of the past.

To learn more about upper cervical chiropractic and what it may be able to do for you, please contact a practitioner in your local area. A no-obligation consultation can help you to discern if this subspecialty of chiropractic is the right natural option for you. You may even see benefits right form your first adjustment.

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