5 Drug-Free Headache Remedies

Persistent or recurrent headaches can disrupt your normal routine and make you feel irritable and overwhelmed. If you’re looking for solutions outside of medication to relieve pain and prevent headaches from coming back, AABP Integrative Pain Care and Wellness can help.

Our board-certified pain management specialists take a holistic approach to addressing different types of headaches, including tension headaches, cluster headaches, and migraines.

Our providers can suggest strategies you can use outside of medication to achieve lasting pain relief. We also offer treatments like epidural injections and nerve blocks to help you manage chronic headaches that don’t respond to traditional therapies.

Why you have headaches

Head pain can be triggered by several stimuli in your environment or because of your lifestyle choices. Common factors that can contribute to headaches include:

• Stress
• Travel
• Routine changes
• Loud noises
• Bright lights
• High-sugar diet

Underlying medical conditions like high blood pressure (hypertension), nerve damage, and diabetes can also increase your risk for headaches.  Headaches can also be a side effect of unmanaged mental and emotional health disorders like anxiety and depression.

In some cases, the medications used to treat headaches might become the source of persistent pain in the head, neck, and shoulders – a condition known as medication overuse headache (MOH).  

If over-the-counter medicines are making your headaches worse or more frequent, you must find alternative strategies you can use to keep pain at bay.

5 drug-free headache treatments to consider

Our pain management team has extensive experience managing headaches with lifestyle changes and other holistic strategies. Here are five effective ways to address headache pain without medications:

1. Adjustments to your environment

Become aware of the factors in your environment that might contribute to headaches. If you have an active headache, try dimming the lights or using a different wattage of light bulb in your home.

You should also eliminate strong-smelling candles and avoid using chemical-based cleaners in your living space.

2. Heat therapy

Active head pain from a tension headache may be manageable with a heat pack on your forehead, neck, or shoulders.

You might also benefit from a warm bath or a soak in a hot tub to relax the muscles responsible for pain.

3. Ice therapy

Place an ice pack or frozen washcloth on your forehead in 15-minute intervals to alleviate a headache.

Cold therapy effectively reduces swelling and can numb the nerves that contribute to headaches and migraines.

4. Massage

Massage therapy is a great way to increase blood circulation throughout the body and reduce tension in the soft tissues.

A skilled therapist can determine which techniques are the most beneficial for your headaches and their underlying cause.

5. Mindful relaxation techniques

Mindfulness techniques like deep breathing exercises, yoga, and meditation provide many holistic health benefits.

In addition to relieving muscle tension and reducing stress, practicing mindfulness techniques regularly can prevent headaches and migraines. You can also learn how to manage stress better and overwhelm to improve your physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

Call AAPB Integrative Pain Care and Wellness in Brooklyn or Garden City, New York, today to schedule a headache evaluation. You can also use the online feature to book an appointment.