Stress headache - diffuse pain in different parts of the head, which is one of the most common health problems. The causes and types of headache vary. In medicine, primary and secondary headaches are distinguished.
Primary include tension headache and migraine. Secondary is based on a disease, a specific condition, or substance intake. The causes can be trivial and benign (sunstroke, overdose of caffeine), but also serious and potentially life-threatening (meningitis).
Occasional headaches are treated with symptomatic remedies. Many people ignore pain, which can make it worse in the long run. Folk remedies for headaches can not only aggravate the condition, but also cause additional disorders.
What remedies are effective for headaches and why alternative methods can harm?
In many studies, pain medication - acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), ibuprofen, and paracetamol - have been shown to be effective for headaches. Caffeine increases the effectiveness of analgesics, so it is used in combination. It is important that patients take painkillers for a maximum of 10 days per month, because otherwise it can lead to other disorders.
If the headache is caused by a blockage of blood vessels in the brain (ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack), the use of folk remedies can lead to fatal consequences - death. With a sharp and shooting headache, you need to see a doctor to rule out more serious causes.
Folk remedies for headache: herbal medicine
1. The use of chamomile tea.
Doctor's comment: An important ingredient in medicinal chamomile is essential oil, comprising 0.3-1.5% by weight of the plant. The components of the essential oil have anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, vasodilating, carminative and antacid effects. The main areas of application are gastrointestinal disorders - gastritis, enteritis, colitis.
The main side effect of chamomile is a headache. A folk remedy is not only useless, but can also be harmful.
2. Take 2 tablespoons of dill seeds and pour a glass of boiled water. Let it brew for 30 minutes, strain and take throughout the day.
Doctor's comment:dill seeds contain vitamins B and C (85 mg per 100 g) and have a weak antiseptic effect. The seeds contain a minimum content of essential oils and electrolytes. The composition does not contain substances that affect vascular tone or receptors of the central nervous system. Useless remedy with unproven clinical efficacy.
3. 1 gram of ground cinnamon, pour a glass of hot water and add a little sugar. Take 4 times a day.
Doctor's comment: Chinese cinnamon contains eugenol, cinnamaldehyde, cinnamon alcohol and coumarin - a substance toxic to the liver. Cinnamon has a long history of use in traditional medicine, so it has been studied in various clinical conditions. There is no scientific evidence that cinnamon relieves headaches.
In large doses, Chinese cinnamon can cause coumarin poisoning, which aggravates a headache. Potentially hazardous recipe.
4. Pour a tablespoon of crushed valerian with a glass of hot water and let it brew for 20 minutes. Strain the resulting broth and take 4 times a day.
Doctor's comment: Valerian officinalis has a calming effect. Valerianic acid is known to bind to Type A gamma-aminobutyric receptors (GABA). GABA receptors play an important role in suppressing signals from nerve cells. However, it is not known whether valerianic acid can cross the blood-brain barrier.
A small German cohort study was conducted that examined the efficacy of valerian for tension headache. Scientists did not identify the difference between the placebo group and the one that took valerian; the effect of valerian in headache is comparable to placebo. Useless recipe.
5. Pour 4 teaspoons of lemon balm in a glass and pour boiling water. Take tea 3 times a day.
Doctor's comment: in traditional medicine, lemon balm leaves are prescribed for the treatment of disorders of the intestines, nervous system, liver and bile ducts. The clinical efficacy of lemon balm with the above indications was not confirmed in a 2013 meta-analysis.
The effect of lemon balm has not been studied in tension headaches. It can have an unpredictable effect: from strengthening to reducing headaches. It is recommended to refrain from the use of unverified funds.
Folk remedies for headache: food
1. The use of large amounts of salt at low blood pressure.
Doctor's comment:since the 1970s, a low-salt diet has been recommended as a preventive measure for patients with arterial hypertension. There is evidence that “salt sensitivity” depends on many different factors — genetic predisposition, age, or body mass index.
Randomized controlled trials have shown that salt intake does not always increase blood pressure. In many salt-insensitive patients, blood pressure remains in normal ranges. Salt can benefit headaches in a limited number of patients.
2. 4 teaspoons of green tea pour boiling water and take during the day.
Doctor's comment: Green tea contains not only caffeine, but also tannins - astringents. In large doses, tannins cause a severe headache. Caffeine is contained in a very small dose, so the effect is not manifested. The recipe is harmful in large doses and useless in small ones.
3. 3 teaspoons of honey mixed with 1 tablespoon of elderberry. Pour the resulting product with boiling water and take 3 times a day.
Doctor's comment: black elderberry contains a purple dye - sambician. Bioflavonoid, which refers to phytochemicals, is mainly found in the peel of berries (up to 60%). The composition does not contain compounds that have an analgesic effect.
Ripe berries contain a small amount of cyanogenic glycosides. In one study, 0.06 mg of cyanogenic glycosides / g dry weight of fruits was found (equivalent to 0.0054 mg of hydrogen cyanide).
In children and sensitive people, eating black elderberry can lead to symptoms of poisoning: from vomiting and mild bouts of nausea to severe diarrhea or severe headache. The recipe is not only potentially useless, but also dangerous in large quantities.
4. 1 tablespoon of black pepper mixed with honey and taken on an empty stomach 2 times a day.
Doctor's comment: black pepper contains piperine (5-8%), essential oils, monoterpenes and oxidized terpenes. Piperine may increase the bioavailability of other substances - indomethacin and ibuprofen. In isolated form, piperine does not reduce pain. The use of black pepper will not bring benefits. A prescription is useful if a person is taking effective painkillers at the same time.
Folk remedies for headache: magnetotherapy and aromatherapy
1. Darsonvalization at home.
Doctor's comment: in the middle of the 20th century, darsonvalizer manufacturers were subjected to numerous lawsuits and actions by the US government. The main reason is the inefficiency and danger of the devices, as well as the overvalued market value. Darsonvalization does not have a clinically significant effect on biological tissues. The procedure is harmless, but expensive.
2. Attach 2 static magnets to the temples and hold for 30 minutes.
Doctor's comment: The effectiveness of static magnetotherapy has not been proven in any large randomized trial. Manufacturers of magnetotherapeutic devices claim that the analgesic effect is achieved through the "ionization" of the body, which roughly contradicts modern scientific data.
Acute headache is not recommended to be treated with folk remedies. There are clinically proven and safer drugs - paracetamol, for example. In case of chronic headache, it is required to consult a doctor to identify the root cause. Treatment with folk remedies carries a risk, because some substances are poorly understood and can cause unpredictable side effects.
