Ginger: An Effective Treatment for Headaches

For 5,000 years, ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been used for medicinal purposes. In Ayurvedic medicine, ginger is used often. In Sanskrit, Ayurvedic means "science of life." Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient healing system that is becoming more and more popular today as people are realizing the important connection between the body and the mind.

Thirty years ago, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi introduced Ayurvedic medicine to the Western world. If his names sounds familiar, it is because Maharishi Mahesh Yogi taught transcendental meditation to the Beatles. Ayurveda has gained popularity in recent times through the works of Deepak Chopra.

Ginger is used to treat upset stomach. However, it is becoming known as an effective remedy for headaches. So effective is ginger in treating headaches that it is positively endorsed by many doctors and neurologists.

How Ginger Works on Headaches

Exactly how ginger works in treating headaches is not yet entirely known. What is certain, though, is that ginger seems to decrease the occurrence of headaches as well as their intensity. These positive effects are attributed to the anti-inflammatory properties of ginger. Ginger, it looks like, prevents the blood vessels from being inflamed. When the blood vessels are not inflamed, it means they are not enlarged and not pressing on the nerves. It is when the blood vessels are enlarged and pinching on the nerves that a headache occurs.

For more than two decades, ginger has been known to prevent nausea and motion sickness. Nausea is one of the symptoms of migraine and headaches. Ginger was proven to be more effective than Dramamine, a popular medication for motion sickness. In 1982, The Lancet, a British medical magazine for doctors, published a study showing results that ginger was twice as effective as Dramamine in preventing nausea and motion sickness. Ginger is believed to act either on the digestive or central nervous system in reducing nausea and vomiting. When ginger is taken as soon as a migraine symptom is felt, it can provide relief.

In Denmark, tests were run to determine the effect of ginger on arthritic people. It was found that 75% of the people who were tested exhibited lesser pain and swelling after ginger was added to their diet. Inflammation is considered a condition associated with a migraine. Amazingly, the people who participated in the study reported a positive side effect of taking ginger -- they didn't have any colds during the study.

Ginger is not for Everyone

Ginger may seem like it is the best cure for headaches and migraines. However, you should never take ginger to treat your headaches and migraines if:


- you have gallstones since ginger can exacerbate the release of bile.

- you are pregnant as ginger has not been proven to be safe to take during pregnancy even though it is advertised to relieve morning sickness.

- you are taking Warfarin, Heparin or Aspirin, which are blood-thinners, as ginger is found to prevent the clumping of blood cells.

- you have heart problems or you are taking any heart medications.

- you have diabetes or you are taking medication meant to control your blood sugar as ginger supplements contain high sugar content.

- you are on supplements like garlic, which causes thinning of the blood.

Taking Ginger

Before you take ginger supplements, it is best to consult with your doctor to make sure that it is safe. You can take ginger in any form. You can take ginger tablets or capsules. You can take ginger in tea or tincture form. You can also take ginger in paste form. It is your choice.

However, once you start taking ginger in one form, avoid taking it in another form simultaneously. For instance, if you are taking ginger in capsule form but you want to switch to taking ginger in tea form, stop taking the ginger capsules first before starting to take it in tea form. This way you can monitor how much ginger you are taking and avoid overdosing. You may have overdosed on ginger if you feel sleepy, confused or dizzy and your heartbeat is erratic.

A Word of Caution

The FDA has not done any testing on ginger as a medication for headaches. In addition, the manufacture of ginger products are not governed by any regulated standards so it pays to exercise caution before using these products. There have been incidences where ginger supplements sold were contaminated. To lessen the risk, make sure that you buy ginger supplements only from reliable and reputable sources.

For more help on the prevention, treatment and remedies for migraines please see the Complete Guide To Migraine Headaches.