When my fiance gets a headache – whether it’s triggered by stress, a sinus infection, or an unidentifiable cause – he immediately reaches for Advil. His reliance on the over-the-counter drug is so strong that we’ve had to borrow it from neighbors, search coat pockets, and make midnight runs to the corner deli when the medicine cabinet comes up short. With just four months to go before our wedding day, I’m hoping to help him trade his ibuprofen habit for a more holistic approach to headache relief.

Natural Health Magazine has six good ideas:

Aromatherapy

According to the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, inhaling essential oils will generally ease headache pain within 20 minutes. Add one or two drops to a bowl of hot water and inhale. Try sweet marjoram, peppermint, geranium, and lavender.

Yoga

Stress is the primary cause of tension headaches and a consistent yoga practice can help to alleviate anxiety. Larry Payne, Ph.D., co-author of Yoga Rx: A Step-by-Step Program to Promote Health, Wellness, and Healing for Common Ailments, recommends practicing the Wing-and-a-Prayer sequence:

- Sit in an easy cross-legged position on the floor, or sit in a chair, with your hands in prayer position at the center of your chest.

- Slowly inhale and extend your bands toward the ceiling, keeping your palms together and your eyes on your thumbs, straightening your elbows and tilting your head back.

- Exhale and lower your hands to prayer position at your chest.

- Inhale and fully extend your arms out to the sides, palms down.

- Exhale, returning your hands to prayer position.

- Repeat this sequence 8 to 10 times.

The Feldenkrais Method

Feldenkrais helps people release excess tension through simple movement. As tension dissipates, vessels become less constricted, proper blood flow to the brain resumes, and pain dissipates. Find a Feldenkrais instructor through the Feldenkrais Education Foundation of North America

Ayurveda

The Ayurvedic system of medicine follows the belief that health is maintained when the three doshas (vata, kapha, pitta) are in balance. A vata imbalance is said to contribute to tension headaches, a pitta imbalance can lead to migraines, and a kapha imbalance can stimulate sinus headaches.

Check out the American Institute of Vedic Studies for more information on Ayurvedic treatments and to find a local practitioner.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

When is a headache not just a headache? When a TCM practitioner assesses it. TCM considers the entire body, not just the headache. Patients will receive herbal supplements, acupuncture, and/or instruction in tai chi or qi gong exercises as treatment. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine has a list of certified instructors throughout the country.

Vitamin, Mineral, and Herbal Supplements

Magnesium may help the control of pain receptors and the herbs feverfew and butterbur may help prevent migraines (note raw butterbur extracts can contain carcinogens, which are filtered out of commercial products, so avoid homemade versions).

[via Natural Health]

Image: upenn.edu