8 Odd Ways to Cure a Headache

Boy, oh boy, did I have a whopper of a headache the other day. It was one of those stop-you-in-your-tracks throbbers that (thankfully) only come around every now and then. I took some ibuprofen and laid down with a cool washcloth over my eyes, and as I felt the grip of pain loosen its hold on me, I thought about how there are as many crazy home remedies for headache pain as there are for curing hiccups!

Here’s an assortment of the oddest—and most effective:

1. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes in a steamy hot (but not burning!) bath while holding an ice pack on your head. The combination of heat and cold will ease your pain by drawing blood away from your head and narrowing the blood vessels in your scalp.

2. Tape a fresh mint leaf on the part of your head that hurts the most, and keep it on until you feel relief.

3. Stick your tongue out about ½ inch, and bite down on it as hard as possible without hurting yourself. Hold the position for 10 minutes—no less and no more.

4. Soak a large white cloth in vinegar, wring it out, and tie it tightly around your head. Keep it in place until the pain is gone.

5. Slice a fresh lime in half, and rub a cut side on the site of the ache. The pain should vanish pronto.

6. Stand up straight with your arms hanging loosely at your sides, then swing your arms back and forth in unison. The motion will direct blood flow away from your head to your hands, thus easing the pain.

7. Quickly drink two glasses of Gatorade®, one after the other. You’ll put your electrolytes back in balance and stop the throbbing in its tracks.

8. Stuff two tennis balls into a sock. Then lie on your back and wedge the sock behind your neck with one ball on each side. They’ll relax your back muscles, thereby chasing the pain-causing tension.