Ayurvedic treatment for headaches may take many different forms. Treatment techniques are based on your need, the severity and the frequency of your headaches. Before self-treating chronic headaches with alternative forms of medicine or Ayurveda, consult with your doctor. Many traditional doctors combine conservative treatments with alternative medicine for the optimal health and wellness of their patients.
Ayurveda
Ayurvedic medicine is one of the oldest medical treatment approaches in the world, evolving thousands of years ago in India. Ayurvedic treatments focus on treatment through a blend of body, mind, and spirit to encourage wellness. Herbal treatments are a large part of Ayurveda. According to the Ayurvedic approach, three qualities perform all activities within the body. These qualities are called the pitta, vata and hapha doshas. Each dosha is created from basic elements, such as air, fire, space, earth, and water. Upsetting of these doshas can result in various health problems, including chronic headaches.
Cause
Your headaches may be caused by a variety of factors. Your Ayurvedic practitioner must first determine what type of headache you have. Emotional headaches are caused by vata emotions, while other headaches are most often caused by a physical ailment. Headaches are also caused by nervous or digestive tissue dysfunction. Ayurvedic practitioners believe that headaches are caused by imbalance between the pitta and vata doshas.
Massage
Two common Ayurvedic massage treatments that relieve headaches are Ayurvedic Shirodhara, during which treatment oil is trickled onto the forehead, followed by a gentle massage. The other is Shiro-Abhyanga-Nasya, a deep tissue head, neck and shoulder massage in combination with a facial lymphatic massage and aromatherapy steam inhalation treatment. Ayurvedic massage techniques include kneading, and tapping and squeezing. Massage sessions are catered to your specific needs and complaints based on your responses to the Ayurvedic practitioner.
Acupressure
Ayurvedic medicine offers a type of acupressure that focuses finger pressure on marma points found on the face, including two on the sides of your nose, one above and below the center of your mouth, one between your eyes and one on the outside of each eye. Finger pressure against any of these points is an effective technique to relieve tension headaches caused by stress. Exert gentle pressure against any two points for a minute. You can apply gentle pressure yourself, but discuss your headaches if such forms of self relief don't provide effective results, as you may have a medical condition that requires diagnostic tests for diagnosis.
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