10 Natural Ways To Reduce Tension Headache Pain

B-Vitamins

Individuals who experience chronic headaches, including those of the tension variety, are often deficient in certain neurotransmitters, such as serotonin. One of the many jobs of B-vitamins is to form these neurotransmitters. B-vitamins also help increase energy production to promote healthy blood cells and adrenal effects, which may improve headaches. Studies have shown vitamin B2 may be able to reduce the frequency of blood vessels while vitamin B3 opens up blood vessels, allowing increased blood flow to the brain, thus taking away the pain associated with constricted blood vessels in this area. Taking a B-vitamin supplement daily may also help reduce the pain of tension headaches.

Go Gluten-Free

According to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, even patients who have not been diagnosed with celiac disease see a significant reduction or complete resolution of headaches after shifting their diets and going gluten-free. Even if an individual tests negative for celiac disease, they may still experience headaches due to gluten sensitivity. There is a scale from being able to tolerate gluten to being allergic to the point of celiac disease, and part of that is being able to eat some gluten, but also being sensitive to it. A gluten sensitivity might trigger symptoms when the amount of tolerable gluten is passed. Start by eliminating all gluten for several days then slowly reintroduce products containing gluten back into the diet to observe what the big triggers are. Keeping a food journal of symptoms is a good way to detect gluten sensitivity.