How to Recognize Which Headache is Dangerous

Headaches are common in our daily life. Usually they are not serious and occur from stress, sinus, and tension. The problem arises when you have to differentiate between dangerous and non-dangerous headaches which are rare, but require immediate attention. Before you ignore a serious, urgent headache you should know when to see a doctor.

Recognize Which Headache is Dangerous

Here are some which require your attention:

• Thunderclap headache
This type of severe headache that occurs frequently, it develops within 60 seconds and has severe pain. Causes of a thunderclap headache can be bleeding in the brain after an injury, stroke, or aneurysm.

• Headache after injury
If you have experienced a head injury your headache requires special attention. A headache after an injury may indicate concussion and requires immediate medical treatment. Even a fairly minor injury to the head can cause an invisible bleed, causing pressure in the skull.

• Headache that is worse upon waking
A headache that’s worse in the morning and causes vomiting is a dangerous headache. As the day progresses it gradually improves but worsens with exercise, coughing, or bending and does not improve with regular headache medicines. Beware! This can be a sign of brain tumor. Per Casilda Balmaceda, M.D., an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, only 8% of those with brain tumors have headaches as the first and only symptom.


18 Natural Migraine Plus Headache Remedies

• Worst headache of your life
You can actually find the term, “worst headache of your life,” in medical textbooks to describe the pain linked with a subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. It involves pain in the upper neck and head when lying still, stiff neck, inability to tolerate light, confusion, and vomiting. See a healthcare professional right away for diagnostic testing.

• Sudden headache
A headache that occurs suddenly without cause demands concern. These headaches can be severe and often make one side of the body numb, it can also cause weakness in your face, arms, and legs. This sudden headache can be a sign of a stroke. Other symptoms include loss of balance, difficulty in seeing from one or both eyes, and trouble walking or speaking. If you experience any of these symptoms you should immediately see your health care professional.

Home Remedies for Headache Treatment

Headaches, including migraines, are extremely common. Because headaches can stem from a variety of causes, some headache sufferers seek treatment on a near-daily basis. Fortunately, there are several home-remedy treatments that can help alleviate migraine pain and other types of headaches. Read on to discover which headache remedies you may already have at home.

Headache Home Remedy: Lavender Oil

Not only does lavender smell great — it’s also a useful home remedy for headaches and migraine pain. Lavender oil can be either inhaled or applied topically. Two to four drops for every two to three cups of boiling water are recommended when inhaling lavender-oil vapors as a headache treatment. Unlike many medicinal oils, this home remedy can also be safely applied externally without the need to dilute it. Lavender oil should not be taken orally.

Headache Home Remedy: Peppermint Oil

Peppermint is a soothing home remedy that has been shown to benefit tension headaches. This fresh-smelling oil has vaso-constricting and vaso-dilating properties, which help control blood flow in the body. Headaches and migraine pain are often due to poor blood flow, and peppermint oil helps to open and close the vessels that promote flow. Peppermint home remedies also open up the sinuses so that more oxygen can get into the bloodstream.

Headache Home Remedy: Basil Oil

Basil, the strong-scented herb used as a topping for pizzas and pastas, certainly tastes and smells good. And for people in need of a natural headache treatment, the oil derived from basil plants can also be a useful home remedy. Basil works as a muscle relaxant, so it is especially helpful for headaches caused by tension and tight muscles.

Headache Home Remedy: Diet Fixes

One of the most useful home remedies for reducing headaches and migraine pain involves making changes to your diet. Certain foods have been shown to affect the frequency and severity of headaches and migraine pain, including dairy; chocolate; peanut butter; certain fruits, such as avocado, banana, and citrus; onions; meats with nitrates, such as bacon and hot dogs; foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG); foods containing tyramine, an amino acid found in red wine; and foods that are fermented or pickled. Keep track of these trigger foods and your reaction to them with a food diary.

Home Remedies for Headache Treatment

Headaches, including migraines, are extremely common. Because headaches can stem from a variety of causes, some headache sufferers seek treatment on a near-daily basis. Fortunately, there are several home-remedy treatments that can help alleviate migraine pain and other types of headaches. Read on to discover which headache remedies you may already have at home.

Headache Home Remedy: Lavender Oil

Not only does lavender smell great — it’s also a useful home remedy for headaches and migraine pain. Lavender oil can be either inhaled or applied topically. Two to four drops for every two to three cups of boiling water are recommended when inhaling lavender-oil vapors as a headache treatment. Unlike many medicinal oils, this home remedy can also be safely applied externally without the need to dilute it. Lavender oil should not be taken orally.

Headache Home Remedy: Peppermint Oil

Peppermint is a soothing home remedy that has been shown to benefit tension headaches. This fresh-smelling oil has vase-constricting and vase-dilating properties, which help control blood flow in the body. Headaches and migraine pain are often due to poor blood flow, and peppermint oil helps to open and close the vessels that promote flow. Peppermint home remedies also open up the sinuses so that more oxygen can get into the bloodstream.

Headache Home Remedy: Basil Oil

Basil, the strong-scented herb used as a topping for pizzas and pastas, certainly tastes and smells good. And for people in need of a natural headache treatment, the oil derived from basil plants can also be a useful home remedy. Basil works as a muscle relaxant, so it is especially helpful for headaches caused by tension and tight muscles.

Headache Home Remedy: Diet Fixes

One of the most useful home remedies for reducing headaches and migraine pain involves making changes to your diet. Certain foods have been shown to affect the frequency and severity of headaches and migraine pain, including dairy; chocolate; peanut butter; certain fruits, such as avocado, banana, and citrus; onions; meats with nitrates, such as bacon and hot dogs; foods containing mono sodium glutamate (MSG); foods containing tyro mine, an amino acid found in red wine; and foods that are fermented or pickled. Keep track of these trigger foods and your reaction to them with a food diary.


Headache Home Remedy: DIY Scalp Massage

Do-it-yourself scalp massages can be an effective way to alleviate migraine pain, and they feel great. Researchers in Brazil showed that massaging the greater occipital nerve — the area in the back of the head, at the base of the skull — reduces migraine pain. Massage in general has been identified as a useful home remedy for headaches, especially reflexology (massaging reflex points on the hands and feet).

Headache Home Remedy: Feverfew

Feverfew, as its name suggests, is used to treat fever, but it’s most commonly known as an herbal headache treatment. This home remedy became popular in the 1980s, when a landmark study in Great Britain showed that 70 percent of participants had less migraine pain after taking feverfew daily. Since then, more studies have demonstrated feverfew’s benefit in preventing and treating migraine pain. One study showed improvement in migraine pain among people who took daily feverfew in combination with white willow, another herbal home remedy, which contains properties similar to aspirin.

Headache Home Remedy: Flaxseed

Some headaches are caused by inflammation, which can be reduced by consuming omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed can help provide headache relief because it’s rich in omega-3s. Flaxseed can be used as a home remedy in several forms, including as an oil and ground or whole seeds.