Nearly all people at some point in their life experience a headache. They can run the gamut from very mild dull ache, to a throbbing, face crushing, nauseating, debilitating pain. Fortunately, there are several effective natural headache remedies for a variety of headache types.

The first thing to do before treating a headache is to determine what headache type you have.

There are two general types of headaches: Primary and Secondary.

A primary headache is the most common. These are when the main condition is the headache and related head pain. These include migraine headaches, tension headaches, cluster headaches, dehydration headaches, etc. Usually, a primary headache is not dangerous, but it can be very painful, and make life nearly unbearable. But, the underlying medical condition is just the headache, not something more complicated. So, treating the headache will treat the problem, so to speak.

Then there are secondary headaches. These are more dangerous because they are a symptom of a (usually) major health problem. They can pose an immediate threat, and cannot be treated with herbal or general OTC medications.  For example, a tumor in the skull or brain can create cranial pressure that is very painful. Another source of a secondary headache is a brain hemmorage. A severe hit to the head can cause head trauma, such as water on the brain, or other inflammation that will cause a severe headache. All of these are very serious, and a little aspirin or a little lavender won’t do anything to solve these problems. It is necessary to seek immediate professional medical treatment for the underlying cause. Only this will stop a secondary headache.

So, assuming you have a primary headache, here are some natural headache remedies that are used to treat them:

Feverfew – This can be a great herb for treating a migraine. It will reduce the frequency of a migraine occurence, as well as the duration, and degree of pain that comes with it. Best to take feverfew every day if you want the migraine relief. It will not stop a migraine once it starts…it is more a preventative measure.

Peppermint oil – Use a 10% peppermint essential oil solution, and gently apply it to the forehead. This can relieve the pain and possibly the duration of a tension or dehydration headache.

Tiger Balm – This is a mixture of essential oils, and it has a similar application and effect as peppermint oil. It is sold over the counter at many health food and supplement stores, or it can be found online. Studies have shown it works as a topical application to relieve headaches.

Melatonin – When it comes to migraines, this natural hormonal supplement has proven effective in decreasing the amount of migraines a person will have in a month.  It needs to be taken every day, but it can be a wonderful natural migraine remedy.

There are several other effective herbal headache remedies, but these are some of the most effective for stopping migraines and tension headaches.