Canadian Medical News

You can feel it coming. Your shoulders feel tight, and there appears to be some kind of vice grip clutching your head like a bird of prey. You almost feel queasy because the pain is so immense. You cannot open your eyes without squinting because the light makes it worse. You finally give in and pop a few pain relievers all the while wondering how long you have to be attached to medication to feel decent. This is what headache pain relief often amounts to, but that is unfortunate.

Pretty much every person on the planet has experienced a headache at some point in their lives. Whether it is from squinting to read, a head cold or caffeine withdrawal, there are numerous reasons why a person gets a headache. However, it is not always necessary to take medication to rid yourself of the pain. There are many other more natural ways to get headache pain relief. Here are a few to try:

Massage: Trigger point massage is the most effective for headaches. There are all kinds of knotted up muscles in our bodies, and trigger point therapy can help release those areas, thus relieving the pain that they can cause in other areas of the body.

Acupuncture: The idea behind this ancient form of healing is that the body has energy centers that get blocked. Acupuncture is well known for its ability to relieve headaches and many other kinds of pain and illness.

Magnesium: Try taking some powdered magnesium as it is the calming mineral. It loosens muscle tension and relaxes the body.

Drink more water: If you are not drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day (and more if you exercise), drinking more water is one simple way to rid yourself of headaches. The body will produce headaches even in mild cases of dehydration, so start drinking your water.

Exercise: If you are not exercising on a regular basis, you should because “feel good” hormones are produced when you exercise. They are natural pain killers, so they work like a charm for headaches.
Headache pain relief can be simple and easy if you know what to try. You may have to try a few different techniques before finding the one that is right for you, but don’t give up. Getting away from medications is certainly worth the effort for your long term health.