Natural Solutions for Headaches

Do you suffer with frequent headaches?

Have you ever had one of those days where a dull, throbbing ache settles behind your eyes, or a tight band seems to squeeze your temples, making even the simplest daily tasks feel like a mountain to climb? If you are struggling with frequent headaches, please know you are not alone. It is one of the most common reasons customers step through our doors at the Natural Health Store, looking for a gentle, natural way to find comfort.

When a headache strikes, it is incredibly tempting to reach for a quick fix. But our bodies are wonderfully complex, and a headache is rarely just a random event. More often than not it's your body, letting you know that something is out of balance. It could be something as simple as needing to drink an extra glass of water, or it could be a sign of a deeper, systemic imbalance.

Whenever someone asks me for a natural solution to their headaches, I ask a lot of questions to try to figure out the possible root causes, and work from there. By understanding the why behind your headaches, it can help me find the most the most likely natural remedies to help you get back to feeling like your bright, vibrant self.

The Many Faces of Headaches: What is Your Body Trying to Tell You?

To find a lasting solution, we first need to look at the context. Headaches can be triggered by an absolute multitude of factors. Let's explore some of the most common, yet frequently overlooked, culprits that might be causing your head to throb.

Hormone Health and Fluctuation

For many women, headaches follow a very predictable monthly pattern. Have you noticed that your head starts to ache right before your period begins, or perhaps during ovulation? This is often due to the natural, sudden drop in estrogen. During perimenopause and menopause, hormone levels can bounce around unpredictably, leading to more frequent tension headaches or migraines. When hormones are out of sync, it can affect the blood vessels in the brain, leading to that all-too-familiar throbbing pain.

Blood Sugar Roller Coasters

We lead busy lives, and it is easy to skip a meal or grab a quick, sugary snack on the go. However, when you skip meals or eat highly processed, sugary foods, your blood sugar spikes and then crashes rapidly. This sharp dip in glucose levels causes the blood vessels in your brain to constrict and then dilate, which is a classic trigger for a dull, nagging headache. Keeping your blood sugar stable with regular, nourishing meals is one of the simplest ways to keep these headaches at bay.

Blood Pressure Variations

Both high and low blood pressure can be silent triggers for head pain. When blood pressure is too high, it puts extra pressure on the blood vessels in the head, which can manifest as a throbbing headache, often felt at the back of the head. Conversely, low blood pressure can mean less oxygen-rich blood is reaching your brain, leaving you feeling dizzy, fatigued, and plagued by a dull, constant ache.

Constipation Can Trigger Headaches

It might surprise you to learn that your gut health has a direct impact on your head. When you suffer from constipation, waste products and toxins sit in your colon longer than they should. If they aren't eliminated regularly, some of these waste products can be reabsorbed back into your bloodstream. This auto-intoxication can irritate your nervous system and dilate blood vessels, leading to a toxic, heavy headache. Ensuring your digestive system is moving smoothly is often the secret key to clear-headed comfort.

Food Intolerances and Dietary Triggers

Are you reacting to something on your plate? Food intolerances can cause systemic inflammation, which often shows up as a headache. Common culprits include dairy, gluten, yeast, and foods high in histamines (like aged cheeses, red wine, and fermented foods). Preservatives like MSG or artificial sweeteners can also trigger reactions.

If you suspect a food intolerance is behind your pain, I highly recommend keeping a detailed food and symptom diary for a few weeks. Write down everything you eat and note when your headaches occur. Once you spot a pattern, you can try gently eliminating that food for a few weeks to see if your head clears up.

Medication-Induced Headaches

It is a frustrating paradox: sometimes, the very medicines designed to help us can cause headaches.

If you take over the counter pain relievers too frequently, your body can become accustomed to them. As the medicine wears off, a rebound headache can set in, leading to a vicious cycle of taking more medication.

Certain daily medications, such as some blood pressure drugs, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), the contraceptive pill, or even certain cardiac medications, list headaches as a common side effect.

My Personal Journey with Stress and Tension Headaches

The most common reason for headaches that I come across in the shop is stress and tension. I have experienced these myself in the past, and to be completely honest, I refused to believe for a very long time that my headaches were stress related. At the time, I was working in a busy hardware store, and I knew absolutely nothing about natural remedies. I just assumed headaches were an annoying part of life that I had to endure.

However, when I began my journey working in natural health, my eyes were opened. I finally accepted that my headaches could well be stress related. I decided to try a natural, holistic approach, and the results were truly life changing.

The first thing I turned to was Bach Flower Remedies, which are great for emotional support. I sat down and assessed how I was actually feeling:

I realised I was feeling incredibly overwhelmed by my daily tasks. I was busy with two young children at this point and a full time job. The first remedy that I chose was Elm, which is the perfect remedy for when you feel like you have too much on your plate.

I was tired, both mentally and physically, so I added Olive, which is brilliant for restoring energy to an exhausted mind and body.

I was holding onto a lot of anger and frustration back then, so I chose Holly, this is the perfect flower remedy to help bring a sense of peace. 

Finally, I found it incredibly difficult to make decisions, constantly wavering back and forth, so I added Scleranthus to help me find balance and clarity. This could be as simple as, what will I cook for dinner? What time will I go to town at? What clothes will I wear? This type of thinking uses up an awful lot of energy.

I mixed a few drops of each of these into a dropper bottle with water and took them consistently throughout the day. At the exact same time, whenever I felt a headache starting to creep in, I would gently massage one drop of pure Lavender Essential Oil onto each of my temples.

Between the emotional support of the flower remedies, the soothing properties of the lavender oil, and the simple, honest acceptance that I was stressed, I never looked back. My headaches finally became a thing of the past. If you are carrying a lot of tension in your life, I truly believe this gentle, mindful approach could work wonders for you too.

Magnesium: The Ultimate Relaxation Mineral

If you are looking for a physical supplement to target muscle tension, stress, and vascular constriction, magnesium is, without a doubt, the gold standard. It is often referred to as nature's tranquiliser because of its incredible ability to relax both our muscles and our nervous system.

When we are stressed, our bodies rapidly deplete our magnesium stores, which can cause the muscles in our neck, shoulders, and scalp to tighten up, restricting blood flow and causing a classic tension headache. Magnesium helps to block the pain receptors in the brain and prevents the blood vessels in the head from narrowing.

Because we are all unique, magnesium comes in several different forms. Here is a breakdown of the wonderful options we stock, to help you choose the one that best fits your lifestyle:

Salus Haus Liquid Magnesium is a fantastic, highly bioavailable liquid formula. Because it is already dissolved, your digestive system doesn't have to work hard to break it down, making it incredibly gentle on the stomach and rapidly absorbed. It has a pleasant, fruity taste and is perfect for daily maintenance to keep tension at bay. This is suitable for young children age three, I hope that someone this young gets headaches but you never know.

Biocare Magnesium Taurate is a specialised capsule where magnesium is bound to the amino acid taurine. Taurine is highly beneficial for cardiovascular health, nerve function, and supporting blood pressure. This form is particularly excellent if you suspect your headaches are linked to blood pressure fluctuations or high levels of mental stress.

New Era Tissue Salts, Mag Phos are traditional, tiny homeopathic tissue salts that dissolve instantly under the tongue. They bypass the digestive system entirely and get straight to work. Mag Phos is traditionally known as the tension and spasm remedy. It is perfect to keep in your handbag for those acute moments when you feel a sudden, sharp headache or muscle spasm coming on.

Choose BetterYou Magnesium Body Spray Oil if you prefer not to swallow tablets or liquids, this transdermal spray is a  great alternative.  You simply spray it directly onto your skin. You can massage it onto the back of the neck and shoulders-and massage it in. It delivers magnesium directly through the skin into the bloodstream, bypassing the gut completely. Several customers have told me it gives them fantastic, almost instant relief from tight neck muscles. Plus, it is completely safe to use during pregnancy, which is fantastic.

The Power of Essential Oils for Quick Relief

Never underestimate the power of pure essential oils to soothe a busy mind and a tight head. They are incredibly easy to use and can provide a wonderful sense of comfort and sensory distraction.

Lavender Essential Oil is highly regarded for its calming and sedative properties, lavender helps to relax the central nervous system. Massaging a diluted drop onto your temples or inhaling the scent directly can help melt away stress-induced headaches.

Peppermint Essential Oil contains menthol, which has a wonderful cooling effect on the skin. It helps to stimulate blood flow, relax muscles, and open up the sinuses. Try mixing a drop of peppermint oil with a little carrier oil (like jojoba or sweet almond oil) and gently massaging it onto your temples, forehead, or the back of your neck. You will feel a lovely, refreshing tingle that acts as a natural distraction from the pain.

12 Questions & Answers About Natural Headache Solutions

To help you navigate your journey to a clear head, we have compiled twelve of the most common questions we hear from customers at the Natural Health Store.

1. How does dehydration cause a headache?

When you don't drink enough water, your body loses fluid, causing your brain to temporarily contract or shrink slightly from fluid loss. This pulls the brain away from the skull, triggering pain receptors and causing a dull, throbbing headache. Simply drinking a couple of large glasses of water can often relieve this type of headache surprisingly quickly.

2. What are "rebound" headaches, and how do medications cause them?

Rebound headaches, also known as medication-overuse headaches, happen when you frequently take pain relievers (like ibuprofen or paracetamol) to treat your headaches. Over time, your body adapts to the medication. As it wears off, your body experiences a minor withdrawal symptom in the form of a new headache, leading you to take more medication. Gently breaking this cycle, often under the guidance of a healthcare professional, is the key to stopping them.

3. Can poor posture or screen time trigger a tension headache?

Absolutely. Sitting at a desk, looking down at a phone, or staring at a computer screen for hours can cause you to hunch your shoulders and strain your neck. This muscle strain creates tension that travels up into your scalp, causing a classic tension headache. Eye strain from bright screens and bad lighting also forces your eye muscles to work harder, triggering pain behind the eyes.

4. Why does constipation lead to a headache?

When your bowel movements are sluggish, waste stays in your colon for too long. The body can reabsorb toxins and metabolic waste products back into the bloodstream. These circulating toxins can cause mild systemic inflammation, irritate nerves, and lead to a dull, heavy feeling headache. Keeping your bowels regular is incredibly important for maintaining a clear head.

5. How can I identify if a food intolerance is causing my headaches?

The best approach is to keep a detailed food and symptom diary for two to three weeks. Note down everything you eat, drink, and any symptoms or headaches you experience, including the time they start. Look for patterns, for example, does a headache consistently appear a few hours after eating dairy or wheat? Once you identify a potential trigger, try eliminating it entirely for 3 to 4 weeks to see if your symptoms improve.

6. Is magnesium safe to take every day?

For most people, magnesium is incredibly safe and highly beneficial to take daily, as many of us do not get enough of this vital mineral from our modern diets. However, taking too much oral magnesium can sometimes cause loose stools. If this happens, you can simply lower your dose or switch to a transdermal option like BetterYou Magnesium Body Spray Oil.

7. Which magnesium is best if I have a sensitive stomach?

If you have a sensitive digestive system, we highly recommend Salus Haus Liquid Magnesium or BetterYou Magnesium Body Spray Oil. The liquid magnesium is very gentle and easily absorbed, while the magnesium spray bypasses the digestive tract completely, meaning it won't cause any stomach upset at all.

8. Can I use essential oils for headaches if I have sensitive skin?

Yes, but you must be cautious. Never apply undiluted essential oils directly to sensitive skin. Always dilute a drop of your chosen essential oil (like peppermint or lavender) into a teaspoon of a gentle carrier oil, such as jojoba, coconut, or sweet almond oil, before applying it to your temples or neck. Do a patch test on your inner arm first to ensure there is no redness or irritation.

9. How do Bach Flower Remedies work for stress headaches?

Bach Flower Remedies do not target physical pain directly; instead, they work on an emotional level to help balance your mind. By addressing feelings of overwhelm (Elm), exhaustion (Olive), impatience (Impatiens), or worry, they help reduce the emotional stress that triggers physical tension in your body, thereby helping to prevent tension headaches from forming.

10. What is the link between hormonal changes and menstrual migraines?

Menstrual migraines are often triggered by the sharp drop in the hormone estrogen that occurs just before your period begins. This drop can affect chemical messengers in the brain, such as serotonin, and cause blood vessels to spasm. Supporting overall hormone balance with herbs, nutrition, and stress management can help smooth out these hormonal dips.

11. How does low blood sugar trigger a headache?

When you go too long without eating, your blood glucose levels drop. Your brain relies entirely on glucose for energy. When it detects a shortage, it triggers a cascade of signals, releasing stress hormones that constrict blood vessels and tighten muscles, resulting in a dull, steady headache often accompanied by irritability or lightheadedness.

12. When should I see a healthcare professional about my headaches?

While natural remedies are wonderful for everyday headaches, it is very important to listen to your body. You should consult a healthcare professional if your headaches are sudden and exceptionally severe, if they are accompanied by fever, stiff neck, confusion, or visual disturbances, if they occur after a head injury, or if you are experiencing a change in your normal headache pattern.

Taking Your Next Steps Safely

Natural remedies are a great way to support your health. However, because your health is so precious, we always advise taking a responsible approach. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking prescription medications, or managing an ongoing medical condition, please make sure to consult your GP or a qualified healthcare provider before introducing new supplements or making significant changes to your routine.

We are Here to Help!

Finding the right path to relief is a personal journey, and you don't have to do it alone. Whether you want to explore the Bach Flower Remedies, find the perfect magnesium supplement for your needs, or simply have a friendly chat about your lifestyle, we would love to help.

Why not pop into our store for a warm welcome and personalised advice, or browse our carefully selected natural products online? Let's work together to help you find that wonderful feeling of relaxed alertness and a beautifully clear head!