11 More Herbs for Headache Relief

The majority, an estimated 90%, of headaches are tension headaches. Migraines, cluster headaches and headaches from caffeine withdrawal make up the remainder. Whatever the cause, headaches can be very debilitating.

If you are having trouble finding something that will ease your headache explore some of these herbal options. One of them might be the remedy for headache that you have been looking for.

Bay Laurel - This is sometimes used in combination with feverfew in the prevention of migraines. It contains similar compounds to feverfew.

Corydalis - Not only is this good for headache relief but also for pain relief in general. Traditional Chinese medicine uses corydalis as a pain reliever. People who should not use this herb include pregnant or breastfeeding women, children and those with liver or kidney disease. It is wise to talk to a knowledgable health care provider before using this herb. It is generally only available in prepared products.

Evening Primrose - Contains a phenylalanine, a pain relieving compound. 6-8 capsules of evening primrose oil can help those with chronic headaches.

Ginger - Ginger is used by some people who suffer from migraines. Try making ginger tea by infusing either chopped fresh ginger root or dried ginger powder. Alternatively use 500 mg ginger capsules. Some recommend combining ginger with turmeric.

Lavender Oil - Apply a few drops of lavender oil to the temples. This is one of the few essential oils that can be applied to the skin in full strength.

Lemon Balm - Sometimes known as melissa this herb is well known for helping relieve headaches. Steep 1 0r 2 teaspoons of dried herb in a cup of boiling water.

Rosemary - Make an infusion of 1 or 2 teaspoons of the dried herb in a cup of boiling water. Also try rosemary oil, juniper oil and lavender oil together in a carrier oil to massage into the back of the neck and shoulders.

Oregano - Make an infusion of dried or fresh oregano leaves for a cup of tea to help relieve nervous headaches.

Skullcap - This can be useful for headache relief. Make a hot tea from infusing the herb with water or use a tincture. Avoid skullcap if pregnant. The botanical name to look for is scutellaria.

Thyme - Thyme tea is another one to try in the arsenal against headache pain.

Valerian - Effective against headaches. It helps the body relax if pain is present. It is also used to help insomnia.

Some of these herbs can be combined together. For example try a tea made of lavender herb, lemon balm and skullcap.

I am sure that there are other herbal remedies for headaches that people have found useful in easing their headaches. If you have a favorite one that works for you please share it with us by leaving a comment.

Annie's Remedy has more detailed information about herbs and their other uses.

Be headache free

Jocelyn

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5 Herbs for Headaches

Are there herbs that are known as headache remedies? Following the thought of herbs for pain relief I thought I would go hunting for which specific herbs were known as remedies for headaches.

Unlike the list of kitchen herbs with analgesic properties in the previous post not all of the herbs in this list are used in cooking.

Feverfew

While not a kitchen herb, feverfew has been used for a long time as a headache remedy. A study published in 1997 (Palevitch, Earon and Carasso) showed that feverfew significantly reduced pain, nausea and sensitivity to noise and light.
The easiest way to get feverfew is probably by buying a supplement. One of the most popular feverfew products for use with migraine headaches is Migrelief. This product contains feverfew, magnesium and Vitamin B2. It is intended to be used regularly as both a preventative and to reduce the severity of attacks.

Peppermint

Peppermint has been used for hundreds of years for headache relief. In 1879 the British medical journal Lancet reported that pepperment oil helped relieve headache. There are many different ways of using peppermint. A simple cup of peppermint tea can help some headaches.
Peppermint essential oil can be used in a variety of ways. Do not use it undiluted on your skin.

• Break it down in equal parts with extra virgin olive oil and massage into temples, jaws and the back of the neck. This is useful for tension headaches.
  
• Add about 10 drops of peppermint essential oil to a small pot of hot water. Use it as a steam treatment and inhale the peppermint from the steaming water. This can be good for relieving a headache from sinus pressure.
• Add 10 - 15 drops of peppermint essential oil to a warm bath and relax in the warmth, inhaling the peppermint as you do. This can sometimes bring relief to a headache.

Ginkgo Biloba

This herb is known to improve circulation. It is thought that it helps reduce the pain of headaches by encouraging oxygen delivery. It is also known to help reduce inflammation. This can help with some headaches.

The best way to obtain this herb is with a standardized supplement.

Cayenne Pepper

This is one remedy for headache that you might have in the kitchen. Be careful because to much of it can cause stomach upsets. It is thought that the stimulating effect of cayenne affects the blood flow in some way and helps ease headaches and migraines.

Used in the form of a nasal spray it is sometimes used as a treatment for cluster headaches.
It is possible to put the spice in to empty capsules or buy a standardized supplement product.

Butterbur

Butterbur is a herb that has had quite a number of controlled studies done on it in relation to migraine prevention. Each trial showed that treatment with butterbur resulted in at least a 50% reduction of migraine attacks by more than two thirds of all patients in the trials. Details of these studies can be found at butterbur research.
There are a number of butterbur products on the market, perhaps a soft gel capsule might be the most convenient way of using this herb.

If you are unsure of whether it is appropriate for you to use any herbal treatment talk to a health professional who is knowledgeable about the use of herbs.

To a headache free life

Jocelyn

17 Kitchen Herbs for Pain Relief

What options are there for pain relief when regular pain killers don't work for your pain? That is the question I have been contemplating recently. The question was sparked after talking to a couple of people who found that sometimes the pain killers just don't work.

Because I have found herbs to be very useful for all kinds of ailments in the past I thought it would be interesting to see how many culinary herbs and spices might have a pain relieving component.
There are other herbs that are not used in the kitchen that also have pain relieving function but I wanted to stick to those herbs and spices that people could reasonably find either already in their kitchen or easily buy in the supermarket.

All of the herbs in this list are known to have an analgesic factor. According to Wikipedia the word analgesic means without pain. Of course just because a herb has an analgesic factor does not mean that a cup of herbal tea for example will necessarily ease a particular pain. However, it can be useful to have some idea of the wide variety of herbs that do have this function.

Each of these herbs also has many other functions as well. Many of them are also antibacterial, anti spasmodic, anti viral, anti fungal or anti inflammatory.

The List

• Allspice
• Bay Laurel
• Caraway Seeds
• Cardamon
• Chamomile
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Coriander
• Fennel
• Ginger
• Marjoram
• Nutmeg
• Peppermint
• Rosemary
• Sage
• Thyme
• Turmeric

I found a great web site that has loads of information about different herbs and spices. It includes common uses and information on how to use them. This page will take you to the list of analgesic herbs for natural pain relief.

The only ones in the list that I have personally tried are rosemary, sage and peppermint although I used mint instead. I did find that they helped me. All I did was use 1 teaspoon of dried herb in a cup of boiling water and let it steep for a while. Use a tea pot or an infuser in a cup.

To a pain free, healthy life

Jocelyn