Health/Natural: Headaches & Natural Medicine

Q. For the last couple of years I've been suffering from frequent headaches. Aspirin upsets my stomach, and I don't like to take other over-the-counter pain relievers because they can cause liver or kidney damage. Do you know of any natural remedies I can try to relieve my headaches?

A. Yes, there are several good options that Natural Medicine can offer you for recurring headaches. When considering natural remedies, the unique symptoms of the individual are everything. Natural medicine will then offer you a customized program of possibilities, chosen especially for you. Headaches can vary from person to person, and nutritional programs can vary, but I will list some overall options for you to consider. Maybe you could consult with a Naturopathic practitioner in your area and explore some of these possibilities.

First consider stress . Stress is one of the most common elements in our lives which can aggravate acute and chronic headaches. Stress comes at us in many forms, but the key is how we personally respond to it. Do we remember to take time to literally “catch our breath” during the day, or do we stay pumped up on caffeine, nicotine, sugar or other stimulants. Substances such as these can literally wear down the adrenal system and in the long run can put a serious strain on the nervous system. A hyper nervous system is not able to rebalance itself, and a weakened adrenal system can lead to fatigue and a greater sensitivity to stress, which can then lead to further headaches. . . and thus the cycle continues.

Aspirin and other pharmaceutical analgesics do have side effects in the long run, even though they can be helpful for quick pain relief in certain situations. The best thing natural medicine can offer you to begin with is prevention. Try to work with stress as a causative factor in you life, try to see the effects of it in your body and try to find new ways to deal with it. As I described above, the less stimulants you can use each day, the less burden you will place on your body and you will be able to bounce back from stress more readily. Gentle, yet stimulating exercise can help tremendously to relieve tension, which may be a cause of chronic headaches. Yoga, Tai Chi, walking or just stretching are all excellent to consider. Learning to breathe deeply, to expand you lower rib cage and belly, can be an immediate preventative of stress-induced headaches and body tension. I am always trying to urge people to remember to breathe deeply in a stressful situation. It will flood the system with healthy oxygen, focus the mind and release tension.

You may want to consider a good quality B-Complex vitamin formula. Choose one which contains 25-50 mg. of all the major B-vitamins, along with folic acid. B-Complex contains all the necessary B's, not just one. Some people might be taking just B-6 or B-12 without considering the entire Complex. Instead start with the whole B-Complex first and then add additional B-6 or B-12, depending upon your needs. Taking one B-vitamin by itself can possibly cause the other B's to be out of balance. B-vitamins protect the nervous system and are especially important in the case of recurrent stress-related headaches and migraines.

The mineral magnesium is known to be an excellent muscle softener and also increases our body's absorption of calcium. Try taking magnesium in the morning and especially before bedtime. You may combine it with calcium for extra bone support. Over a period of time, magnesium can be another important possibility for stress-related headaches.

Botanical medicine offers several good options. The number-one herb for most types of headaches can be feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium). This wonderful herb actually contains natural chemicals which inhibit the inflammatory process to proceed. It is one of the most researched herbs, and has had much success with all types of headaches. Another excellent herb to consider is white willow bark (Salix alba) which is one of the original pain-relieving herbs used for thousands of years. The active chemical, salicin, has proven analgesic and antirheumatic properties. I have found that a combination of feverfew and white willow, especially in a freeze-dried capsule form, can be very effective for many types of headaches.

Another thing to consider is food sensitivities, or allergies. Certain foods can lead to more frequent headaches, such as: dairy products, white sugar, white breads, pasta, or chemical additives such as MSG or artificial colorings and flavorings, to name a few. There are many other food sensitivity possibilities besides these. Taking a food allergy test can confirm if this is a factor. Also, seasonal or environmental allergies may be an issue. Do you get more headaches at a certain time of year, in certain types of weather, breathing pollution or chemical fumes, or are you sensitive to mold or mildew? These are some places you can look to find other causative factors behind your headaches.

I hope these suggestions offer you a good place to start looking at your daily lifestyle factors, and offer you some good tools with which to work. Remember . . . Stretch and Breathe. Stretch out the tension each and every day, and breathe deep in the moment of stress, exhaling deeply, to let go of tension which may create further headaches.

Dr. Susie

Reading List:
The New Age Herbalist, Richard Mabey
The Way of Herbs, Michael Tierra, OMD
The Natural Remedy Bible, John Lust, ND and Michael Tierra, OMD

©Copyright 2001 by AlternativeApproaches.com

Susie Cooper, a community herbalist and homeopathic educator, has worked in the natural foods business since 1991 and has been teaching workshops on herbal and homeopathic medicine since 1993. In addition to presenting numerous talks, she has also appeared on radio programs pertaining to natural health. With her husband, Paul, she owns and operates Blue Mountain Herbs, a small health food store in Pilot Mountain, North Carolina, where she also teaches workshops in herbal and homeopathic medicine. “Offering a proper base of education for people interested in maintaining health the natural way is of utmost importance to me,” she says. “So many options exist in the world around us, and it’s important to me to offer the best traditional educational support I can to people wanting a healthy alternative for prevention and wellness.”

Important note: The information contained in this column is not meant to diagnose or prescribe for specific ailments, but is intended for educational support only. Please seek the advise of a licensed health practitioner for specific illnesses and emergency situations.