10 Natural Remedies for Headaches Worth Trying

Easier than you think: Next time your skull's pounding, turn to these natural DIY headache remedies for quick relief.

Write it down

When it comes to headaches, particularly migraines, the best offense is a strong defense. What’s fine for one person sets off a headache in another, says Sait Ashina, MD, a migraine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Brookline, MA. Finding your triggers can help you reduce the frequency of your headaches. To do that, keep a diary and note the date, time, and circumstances surrounding your headache, he says. You can share it with your doctor at your next appointment. In the meantime, use it to inform your daily habits, like avoiding a certain food that may give you trouble, keeping strict meal times, or learning that you have to go to bed and wake up at the same time daily.

Beautiful African-American woman drinking tea at home
Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

Coffee

There’s a reason that some OTC migraine-specific drugs contain caffeine: the alerting substance can help other pain meds work better; it may also alter your mood to change up your perception of pain, per a 2014 paper in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. A cup of coffee alone can also tell a headache to take a hike. The catch is that should be done only twice a week, according to the American Migraine Foundation. Any more and your body can build up tolerance. (If you are a daily coffee drinker, be sure to sip your Joe at the same time, and the same amount daily. Inconsistency can trigger an attack.)  Try sipping a cup of coffee for headache relief, but avoid these 13 foods that make headaches worse.

Woman with beautiful legs using foot bath at home, closeup with space for text. Spa treatment
New Africa/Shutterstock

Foot soak

Hydrotherapy may interrupt pain signals to quell discomfort. In a small study in 2016 in the Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice, migraine sufferers who soaked their feet and arms in a hot water bath and took medication (in this case, NSAIDs) experienced fewer disabling headaches compared to a medication-only group over the course of the six-week study span. To help soothe a throbbing headache, soak your feet in a small tub filled with hot water for headache relief. After 20 minutes, hotfoot it to the nearest towel and dry off.

Towel on forehead, on man feels sick
paikong/Shutterstock

Heat relief

To cure a tension headache (caused by contractions in the head and neck, and brought on by—among other things—stress, anxiety, and lack of sleep) without painkilling drugs, dip a washcloth in hot water, wring it out, and fold it into a compress. Now place it on the back of your head for relief or the back of your neck to relax tight muscles, suggests the National Headache Foundation.

Asian woman with ice cold pack on her forehead for relief fever headaches and migraines
catinsyrup/Shutterstock

Ice pack

To ease a headache (including migraine and cluster headaches), you’ll want to use ice. Cold temperatures constrict the blood vessels and reduce blood flow, taking the pressure off and providing relief to a hurting head. Try placing a cool towel or ice pack on your forehead or on the back of your neck, suggests the Mayo Clinic. Find out how to spot (and stop!) sneaky signs a migraine is coming.

African american man relaxing after work breathing fresh air sitting at home office desk with laptop, black relaxed entrepreneur meditating with eyes closed for increasing productivity at workplace
fizkes/Shutterstock

Change your breathing

Especially if your headache is triggered by stress, relaxing breathing techniques can be one of the easiest natural remedies for headaches—no equipment required. Find a quiet space to sit or lie down, suggests Cleveland Clinic. Breathe in for five seconds, then exhale for another five seconds. Repeat as necessary, paying attention to how your body relaxes as your breathing gets slower and more rhythmic.

Fatigued upset middle aged older woman massaging nose bridge feeling eye strain or headache trying to relieve pain, sad senior mature lady exhausted depressed weary dizzy tired thinking of problems
fizkes/Shutterstock

Massage remedy

Use the tips of your index fingers and press in the inner corner of the eyebrows, says Paul Robison, a licensed acupuncturist based in Washington, D.C. and the founder of liveloveflourish.com. Move fingers in small circles for a minute. Repeat 3-5 times. Focus on more pressure points for headache relief.

Man's hand puts ginger tea on a light background. The concept of health.
White bear studio/Shutterstock

Ginger tea remedy

Ginger works especially well for migraines—one clinical trial in the journal Phytotherapy Research in 2014 found that ginger powder is as effective as prescription migraine medications. Make a tea by pouring three cups water over two tablespoons freshly grated ginger. Let steep four to five minutes, then strain through a small sieve into a teacup. Sip the tea for headache relief. Ginger tea bags are also available, but the tea lacks the punch of fresh ginger-root tea. Try these other natural remedies for headaches you can find in your kitchen.

Close-up Of A Woman's Hand Drinking Glass Of Water
Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock

Drink water

Dehydration could make headaches worse, so drink up! A 2015 paper in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice pointed to a study on 102 patients dealing with frequent headaches found that those who started sipping an extra 1.5 liters of water a day had less severe headaches, though staying hydrated didn’t affect the frequency of their headaches. Learn about 13 other surprising things that could be triggering your headaches.

Young sporty woman practicing yoga, doing Sukhasana exercise, Easy Seat pose, working out, wearing sportswear, black pants and top, indoor full length, yoga studio
fizkes/Shutterstock

Yoga

A small study of migraine patients found that those who did yoga in addition to taking conventional migraine treatments found more relief than those who only took medication. The study authors suggest that any exercise would probably have benefits, but yoga is one of the most realistic activity-based natural remedies for headaches because the slow movements are less likely to trigger migraines. Check out these 9 easy yoga poses you can do every day.

Sources
Medically reviewed by Renata Chalfin, MD, on October 15, 2019