Headaches

The majority of headaches, however, are tension headaches, which tighten up muscles in your head. They are triggered by stress, illness, bright lights, food sensitivities or even changes in the weather. Next time you experience this type of headache, remember that it can be eased with relaxation techniques, gentle massage of the back of the neck and sedative herbs. In fact, a good way to deal with most headaches is to reduce the stress in your life.

Hangover, hunger, migraine, cluster and "ice cream" headaches (brought on by sudden cold, such as eating ice cream too quickly) are examples of circulation or vascular headaches. They are helped by taking herbs that promote relaxation, along with those that dilate blood vessels in the head.

In some cases, long-term use of typical commercial headache relievers—codeine, acetaminophen, meperidine (Demerol), ibuprofen and even aspirin—makes your headaches more frequent, more severe or both. When the New England Center for Headache in Greenwich, Connecticut, took people who experience chronic headaches off their daily dose of five or six painkillers, a surprising two-thirds of them were having fewer headaches by the end of the month. After two months, four-fifths of these people were experiencing even less pain than when they were taking the pills. And the immediate side effects of the drugs—digestive problems, drowsiness and dizziness—are nothing to shrug off.

If these statistics alone are not enough to persuade you to turn to herbs the next time a headache strikes, consider the long-term effects of the typical painkillers. The results of a 1994 scientific survey suggest that there might be a direct correlation between the habitual use of acetaminophen—at least one tablet a day for a year or more—and the development of kidney failure. The survey also indicated that people who take large quantities of other pain relievers, such as ibuprofen, naproxen and indomethacin, may increase their chance of kidney failure eightfold. The majority of painkillers also cause stress on the liver, especially in high or repeated doses. This is because they are detoxified in the liver.

Want some natural alternatives to ease your aching head? Try drinking a ginger tea. Numerous clinical studies have shown that this herb can be used to relieve headaches. Researchers believe it does so by relaxing the blood vessels in the head and diminishing swelling in the brain. It also activates natural opiates in the brain that relieve pain, and it reduces prostaglandins, which are responsible for causing inflammation.

Other traditional headache teas are made with chamomile, lemon balm and linden (the flowers of the lime tree), which is is far more popular in Europe than in North America. In The British Herb Pharmacopoeia, linden is listed as a sedative for treating nervous tension and headaches. Researchers suspect that this herb heals migraines (and other vascular headaches) by improving blood circulation.

For other ways to ease tension headaches, see the information on natural aspirins and muscle relaxants in "Pain: Inflammation" in chapters 125 through 135. You should also consider using herbs known to reduce stress (see "Stress" in chapter 20)—these may take care of your stress headaches.

In a 1994 study on headaches, the essential oils of peppermint and eucalyptus relaxed both mind and muscles. When these herbs were diluted in alcohol, then sponged on the foreheads of study participants, both greatly reduced sensitivity to headaches. My own favorite headache herb is lavender. A tincture of lavender called Palsy Drops was recognized as an effective herbal treatment in the British Pharmacopoeia for more than 200 years. Until the 1940s, physicians used this tincture to relieve muscle spasms, nervousness and headaches.

The essential oils of any of these herbs—peppermint, eucalyptus and lavender—can also be used to make an excellent compress to place on your forehead whenever a headache hits. Most headaches respond best to a cold compress, but you may find that a warm or hot compress, or alternating cold and hot compresses, works even better. My rule of thumb is to do whatever feels best to relieve the pain. If you are using a compress on someone else, simply ask which the individual prefers. I find that placing a second compress on the back of the neck is especially helpful. When you are on the run and do not have time for compresses, dab a small drop of lavender, eucalyptus or peppermint essential oil on each temple.

Bathing can also be helpful, although some people cannot tolerate a hot bath—it only makes their heads pound more. But if you are one of those people for whom bathing does help, add a few drops of a relaxing essential oil (you can use lavender or see chapters 111 through 116 for other aromatherapy options) to your bath water.

One interesting technique that short-circuits a vascular headache, such as a migraine, is to regulate circulation by raising the temperature of the hands by 15 degrees. Simply place your hands in hot (but not too hot) water and add a couple drops of lavender, eucalyptus or peppermint essential oil to the water to increase its effect.

In one 1993 study on cluster headaches, a cream made from capsaicin—the compound that makes cayenne and chili peppers hot—was shown to provide some relief. After two weeks of regularly rubbing this cream onto their temples, the people who participated in this study said that the capsaicin cream made a difference. One-quarter of the people who used it had far fewer headaches than the group using plain cream, and those who tended to get cluster headaches benefited the most. As you might expect, there were a few complaints about burning and runny noses! However, for most people, having the sniffles was far better than having a blinding headache. A study conducted in 1965 showed that capsaicin works by blocking a neurotransmitter called substance P (for pain)—it simply stops pain impulses from registering in the brain. For full blocking effect, capsaicin must be applied four or five times a day for four weeks.

Migraines are a particularly nasty and increasingly common type of headache. When you have a migraine, the pain, which often lasts all day, is usually felt on only one side of the head. It may also be accompanied by nausea, distortion in vision and a peculiar visual sensation, called an aura, that precedes the headache with flashes of light, tunnel vision and/or blind spots. These headaches seem to occur when arteries in the brain constrict, then suddenly relax. No one knows why, but twice as many women experience migraines as men, most often before or during menstruation.

In 1990 I read an article in a scientific journal about a woman who treated her migraines with ginger. When the migraine aura first started, she stirred 500 to 600 milligrams of powdered ginger into a glass of water and drank it down. Only 30 minutes later, her pain subsided. She took ginger again that day, and for several more days, to ward off future attacks. Encouraged by her success, she began adding fresh, uncooked ginger to her meals and found that she was having far fewer attacks. I know people who suffer frequent migraines who will not leave the house without carrying a little crystallized candy ginger or a piece of raw ginger root in their pockets. One friend told me that even cooked ginger seems to do the trick for her.

As you will read again and again in this book, ginkgo is wonderful for improving blood circulation—for this reason, it is a great choice for a remedy to treat circulation headaches. French scientists have done many studies on ginkgo. Several of these showed that treatments made using this herb were effective for reducing vascular headaches (migraines, cluster headaches, hangovers). In at least one of these studies, ginkgo reduced headaches in 80 percent of the people who took it, most of whom were experiencing migraines on a regular basis. People who participated in the study said that they had tried just about everything they could think of to get rid of their headaches, but nothing worked until they discovered ginkgo. The researchers responsible for this study concluded that ginkgo should be considered one of the most effective remedies for migraines. Ginkgo is also the remedy of choice to treat dizziness and tinnitus, or ringing in the ear, which are often associated with headaches.

Feverfew is also a good choice for the treatment of migraines and other vascular headaches. In his 1772 Family Herbal, John Hill stated, "In the worst headache, this herb exceeds whatever else is known." The City of London Migraine Clinic in England found that almost 75 percent of those with migraines who took feverfew had fewer, or at least less severe, headaches. In a study done at the Department of Medicine and Haematology at City Hospital in Nottingham, England, people who experience many headaches ate fresh feverfew leaves for three months and stopped using their usual headache drugs for at least the last month. The result was less severe headaches and fewer symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. The team that ate feverfew discovered an unexpected side effect as well—an increased sense of well-being.

When I first read about this study, I realized that the renowned sixteenth-century herbalist John Gerard may have been on to something when he suggested feverfew "for them that are giddy in the head . . . melancholic, sad, [or] pensive." Although feverfew has been studied for years, the exact way in which it works remains a mystery. Researchers have said that one way the herb appears to reduce migraines is by inhibiting the release of serotonin in the brain. It may also decrease swelling in the brain by reducing the amounts of prostaglandins, histamines and other substances that cause inflammation, according to Denis Awang, Ph.D., former director of the Natural Products Section of Canada's Department of Health and Welfare. The fresh leaves of feverfew are more potent than the dried, so when you buy a tincture or freeze-dried capsule, make sure that the product was made with fresh leaves (this should be clearly marked on the label).

Remember, though, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you suffer from migraines, you should follow the suggestion of the National Headache Foundation to avoid certain foods known to trigger migraines: ripened cheese (Cheddar, Gruyère, Brie and Camembert, among others), onions, pickles, cured meats, avocados, fresh bread, red wine, sour cream, nuts, chocolate, coffee, tea, cola and alcohol. (This list makes a cocktail party sound like a certain invitation to a migraine!) In an experiment at a Texas neurology clinic, over 25 percent of people who get migraines improved when these foods were removed from their diet.

Headache Tincture

1 teaspoon each tinctures of feverfew leaves, ginkgo leaves, valerian rhizome, ginger rhizome and peppermint leaves

Combine ingredients. Take a dropperful as needed, up to 8 times a day.

Lavender Headache Compress

5 drops lavender essential oil

1 cup cold water

Add essential oil to water and swish a soft cloth in it. Wring out the cloth, lie down and close your eyes. Place the cloth over your forehead and eyes. Use throughout the day, as often as you can.