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Using (and Growing) Plants to Help with Headaches

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Jonathon Engels, a long-time vegetarian turned vegan, is currently on a trip from Guatemala to... Read More

First and foremost, many, many headaches are the result of dehydration, and the best remedy is to simply get some water into your body. That’s always a good start to trying to alleviate a persistent or painful headache.

Secondly, we can start to consider what natural, herbal remedies might be available. It turns out that there are dozens upon dozens of plants that people used to treat headaches before a bottle of pills was the go-to.

Well, a lot of us are trying our hardest to steer clear of medication these days, be it prescription or over-the-counter. Plants are one of the best places to turn, and with that in mind, the herb and spice cabinet (or, better yet, garden) is the ideal.

It turns out that there are a lot of plants to grow at home to help with headaches.

Mint – Mentha piperita

Source: Horizons Health/Youtube

Mint, and particularly peppermint, is one of the most relied upon herbs for headache relief. The oils in it, like menthol, help to provide relief. It can be consumed as a tea, the leaves steeped in water, and it can be applied as a cold compress on the head or rubbed at the temples.

Growing mint is easy. It’s compatible with most US states (best in USDA Zones 5-9). It’s perennial, and it loves water. Generally, the biggest issue with growing any type of mint is preventing it from spreading out of control.

Ginger – Zingiber officinale

Source: NutritionFacts.org/Youtube

Ginger is another plant commonly used for headache relief (and, like mint, digestive relief), and especially migraines. It is consumed as a tea made with either powdered ginger or fresh root. The efficacy remains controversial among the medical community, but the herbal community seems all in.

Growing ginger isn’t difficult; however, it is a tropical plant and doesn’t do well in cold weather. That said, it’ll happily thrive in a pot, doesn’t need much sunlight, and like humidity. In other words, this is a great bathroom plant.

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Catnip – Nepeta cataria

Source: Learn Organic Gardening at GrowingYourGreens/Youtube

A member of the rather illustrious mint family, also including basil and sage, catnip is always included on lists for herbal remedies for headaches. Aside from being a craze for cats, it is highly aromatic and, equally so, very medicinal for humans. Catnip tea can be used to help with migraines.

Like other mints, catnip is prone to spreading a little too readily in the garden, so it is often grown in pots. It is perennial and survives well in most US climates (best in USDA Zones 3-7). This one needs plenty of sunlight.

Horseradish – Cochlearia Armoracia

Source: The Botanical Mind/Youtube

For those prone to sinus headaches, horseradish can be (and has for centuries been) a great solution. The root, of course, is famed for cleaning nasal passages, so it can relieve some of the pressure causing brain pain. Aside from eating it, it can be steeped in hot water and the steam inhaled (caution: close your eyes).

Horseradish, if you can find fresh roots, is easy to grow. Burying a chunk of root will usually do it. That said, it is important to realize that this ease comes with a price: Once horseradish is growing somewhere, it is very difficult to remove.

Lavender – (Lavandula angustifolia)

Source: NutritionFacts.org/Youtube

Stress is a major cause of headaches, and lavender is renowned for helping us relax. Most of the time, lavender is used in aromatherapy for this; however, it can be included in tea mixes to have both soothing and sedative effects.

There are several varieties of lavender, but the best to grow in most of the US is English lavender (L. Angustifolia), which is frost-hardy and can survive in most states. This is a perennial shrub that gets woody and leggy if not pruned back each year.

**Rosemary – (Salvia rosmarinus)**

Source: A Good Life/Youtube

In natural medicine circles, rosemary is beloved as being a boon to brains. It is said to improve cognitive functions and help with memory. It is also a remedy for migraine headaches. Rosemary tea is as easy as steeping it in boiling water for about ten minutes. Let it cool and drink it as cold tea.

Rosemary is a Mediterranean herb that can tolerate some cold, but it doesn’t love deep freezes. However, it will grow very well in a pot, moving indoors in the winter. It’s an evergreen that’ll supply some color and aroma during the winter.

**Passionflower – (Passiflora incarnata)**

Source: Dr. Eric Berg DC/Youtube

Like lavender, passionflower (a native plant known as maypop to the Southern United States) has been historically used for its calming and sedative effects. This is ideal for stress headaches. The leaves, flowers, and stems can be used to make tea, tinctures, and other infusions.

A perennial vine (USDA Zone 7-11) that dies back to the ground each year and reemerges in late spring, passionflower is weed-like where it can be grown. It’ll climb a trellis and even provide edible fruits (passionfruit).

Other plants that can be useful when battling headaches include easy-growing lemon balm and sage (more from the mint family), as well as valerian root (commonly used as a stress-reliever and sedative) and feverfew. Lots of these herbs can be combined to make delicious tea blends that’ll be a pleasure to drink and hopefully get the job done.

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