Jahnavi Sarma
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There are medications that can offer relief. But you can also try out a few home remedies that are actually quite effective. @Shutterstock
The cause of an ice pick headache is not known but the pain can be debilitating, and it can interfere with daily life. Many experts believe that it may be due to some temporary transient breakdowns in the brain's central pain control mechanisms. Short flashes of "stabbing like" head pain in the front or temple areas of the head characterizes this headache. Usually, you may experience this headache without any warning. It also goes away on its own. But the problem here is that the pain can literally blind you and you are rendered useless for the duration it strikes. It renders you incapable of doing and thinking of anything. Experts recognize it as an idiopathic headache, which means there is no known cause for it. There are medications that can offer relief. But you can also try out a few home remedies that are actually quite effective. Here, we list a few of them.
This is one of the simplest methods that can help you get rid of the debilitating pain of this kind of headache. Just swallow a teaspoon of hot yellow mustard. According to experts, the spicy stimulation can temporarily give you relief. Mustard is easily available in most kitchen and you just have to reach out to your kitchen shelf.
According to a case study published in the journal Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback you may get some relief by warming your hands. You can also use a heat pad or a cold pack on your head, neck, shoulders, hands and feet to get relief. You may want to warm your hands and immerse your feet in ice cold water. This works wonders. Taking a cold shower may also help.
This is another simple trick that works quite well. Squeeze out the juice of a lemon, mx it in a small cup of water, add some rock salt and gulp it down. You get a punch of minerals, enzymes, cofactors, and important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory vitamins like vitamin C. This can offer instant relief in most cases.
Turmeric, with its potent anti-inflammatory properties, is another home remedy that many people swear by. Take an inch of raw turmeric and crush it to take out the juice. Have this immediately. You may add some freshly ground black pepper to it for added benefits. The piperine in black pepper increases the efficacy of turmeric by almost 300 per cent. But raw turmeric may not always be available. In this case, you may also mix a teaspoon of turmeric powder with some water and gulp it down.
Many essential oils come with potent anti-inflammatory properties. Peppermint and any kind of menthol are highly effective in getting rid of the pain caused by ice pick headaches. A blend of basil, marjoram, lavender, peppermint, chamomile and helichrysum is also a very good remedy. Just apply a drop or two to your forehead and massage it in. You may also inhale the fragrance to get relief or add a few drops to your bath water.