7 Quick And Natural Ayurvedic Home Remedies For Headaches

Meet Dr. Manika Yadav, the Ayurvedic Physician and Yoga Therapist at Beverly Hills Headache Institute.


Dr. Manika is an Ayurvedic Doctor from India, the birth place of “Natural healthcare system -Ayurveda”. After an extensive study of almost 9 years, she earned her Bachelors degree in Ayurveda from Nashik University. She went on to obtain her Masters Degree in Ayurveda from SDM College, Udupi, one of the renowned schools of Ayurveda in India. She is an internationally certified Yoga teacher from The Yoga Institute, Mumbai. She has also won many accolades and appreciations in National & International Ayurvedic research presentations.

She has a rich experience in treating patients suffering from different ailments and conditions over the years. She specializes in:

> Ayurvedic Genetic Constitution (Doshic Constitution)
> Pulse Assessment 
> Ayurvedic functional food & lifestyle modifications
> Customized Vitalizing Herbal remedies
> Medical Therapeutic Yoga

7 Quick And Natural Ayurvedic Home Remedies For Headaches

“It’s just a headache” — is definitely an understatement! Mind you, it’s that headache which made you break your promise to your kids that you will watch with them the most talked about animated film “Finding Dory.” You took sick leave from work because of that headache. You are not in the mood to make love with your husband on your wedding anniversary, again because you have a headache. You called your mom to say you can’t make it… you can’t come and pick her up for your monthly beauty salon bonding due to that endless headache problem.

How many happy days have you missed because of that headache? And how many more days are you willing to lose?

I’m sure you are tired whining about your recurrent headaches. It’s even more frustrating at times when your favorite over-the-counter painkiller does not give you the relief that you need. Then, you get too desperate to feel better and end up increasing your dose. Well, the majority of patients that come to see me complain that their over-the-counter pain medications are no longer working after regular use. So, they ask for a prescription drug, hoping that it will finally relieve their headaches.

But let’s make this clear: over-the-counter drugs are those that you can easily purchase from the drugstore without a doctor’s prescription. It is also one of the reasons many people have recurrent headaches. Why? You have easy access to it. So whenever you have pain, you just quickly take the pill, yet you fail to determine what triggered your headache, what caused it –for as long as you’re feeling better. Your headache may recur, so the cycle continues: you have pain, you take a pill, you feel relieved, and then the pain occurs again and so on.

Prescribing pain reliever pills is easy. However, I want to do more than just scribbling on my prescription pad. I want to empower my patients. I want you to gain control over your headaches. I don’t want you to rely solely on synthetic painkillers. The fact that these pills are made of chemicals, they really have side effects. You can’t take them everyday for the rest of your life.

What are the common side effects of over-the-counter painkillers?

Some of the common over-the-counter pain medications are acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol, Anacin), aspirin, ibuprofen (i.e. Advil, Motrin, Nuprin) and naproxen (i.e. Aleve). Unlike other painkillers, acetaminophen doesn’t cause stomach upset but if you take too much of it, it can damage your liver! Meanwhile, regular use of NSAIDs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, ulcers, and gastrointestinal bleeding.

It’s fine if you are taking over-the-counter medications occasionally, but if your headache is persistent, I will recommend that you try some natural Ayurvedic remedies that are also good for acute headaches.  The good news is that you don’t have to worry about adverse effects when using natural remedies. They are made of natural ingredients, no harmful chemicals involved. And the good news is that most of these are likely available in your kitchen!

Also, let me remind you that there’s no “one size fits all” treatment for a headache. It’s because our genes, lifestyle, diet, environment and many other factors vary. Headaches have different causes and origins. Some people might feel quick relief in using over-the-counter painkillers while others may feel more comfortable and safe in using natural remedies. There are some cases that require further medical intervention as well.

Again, you have to listen to your body, as to what makes you feel better. Also, it’s always best to undergo proper diagnosis, especially if you have recurrent headaches. Let your doctor recommend what’s best for you.

Personally, I use various approaches when it comes to treating headaches; it’s a combination of alternative and orthodox medicine. Besides, it’s on a case-by-case basis.

So here are 7 quick and natural Ayurvedic home remedies for your headaches.

  • Soak 4 – 5 almonds in water overnight. In the morning, grind them into a paste and warm them slightly in ghee (clarified butter). Chew them thoroughly and swallow. This helps in treating headaches that have been going on for a long time.
  • Early morning after waking up, dab a ripe apple with salt and eat it. Then drink some warm water or milk. Continue this for ten days to reduce the problem of continuous headaches.
  • For headaches that are caused by common colds, drinking a mixture of half spoon ginger powder and sugar helps tremendously.
  • For headaches that are caused by excessive gas in the stomach, drinking a glass of warm water with a fresh lemon squeezed in it brings the headache as well as the gas problem down.
  • Drink a glass of warm water mixed with an inch lump of jaggery. This also helps in reducing headaches.
  • Taking around 2 tablespoons of Aloe Vera gel, up to 3 times a day, relieves headaches related to hyperacidity.
  • Grated coconut mixed with sugar candy in equal amounts can also reduce headaches.

If you want to learn more about other natural treatments that can be tailored specifically, make an appointment with Dr. Manika.

Until next time!

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