6 Ways to Treat Your Headache Without Pain Suppressants

By Dr. Allison Markee

Part of my commitment to health is to do my best to understand what my body is telling me through pain signals rather than silencing them through pain suppressants. The causes for headaches can be very multifaceted so for patients with consistent headaches, I recommend tracking diet, water, sleep and movement. Consistently tracking these variables can help us to see if a pattern can be identified around what is triggering the headaches. Based on what I’ve learned about my body, here are some actions I took when I woke up with a headache. For reference, my headache was in my temples, telling me it was likely tension related. 

•First I drank about 20 oz of water which mildly lightened my symptoms. 

•Next I took my magnesium supplement because I know I tend to run low in magnesium and magnesium deficiencies can manifest as muscle tension in the body. 

•Then, I drank a cup of coffee. Coffee has caffeine which has vasoconstriction properties which have been shown to help with headaches. That’s why you’ll see caffeine in medications for migraines.

•I skipped my morning workout and instead opted to spend some time outside relaxing in the sun and grass. Spending time barefoot outside (also known as grounding) has been shown to reduce pain, inflammation and stress. 

•Once my muscles were heated up, I used a tool I have that anyone can purchase called a “fascia blaster”. I used this tool on my scalp to workout the tension I felt in the muscles around my temples and down into the back of my neck and shoulders. This helped tremendously and made the most noticeable difference.

•Lastly, I took an epsom salt bath. The warm water and epsom salt (another form of magnesium) were extremely therapeutic for my muscles. 

Every body is different, so what worked for me may not be a perfect fit for you, but hopefully this gives you some tools that you can play with. There is no one right answer to health although it’d be a lot easier if there was! Again, if you get frequent headaches, I recommend tracking what may be triggering them. If you try different self care remedies, track what does and doesn’t work! 

Lastly, chiropractic care can be tremendously helpful for people who suffer from frequent headaches! If you’re have headaches frequently, let us know and we can make recommendations specific to you and your care.