Cold and flu: which remedies work well for headaches

The most important things in brief

• Whether "just" a cold or a "real" flu: the virus often puts us out of action for a few days.
• This is usually accompanied by physical complaints such as coughing, runny nose, hoarseness - and not infrequently fever and headaches.
• The headache in particular is often unbearable.
• But what remedies really help when it comes to relieving the pounding pain in your head?

The best cure for the flu and cold is to take a few days off. Only in bed or on the sofa do we recover from the unpleasant symptoms that everyone knows. These symptoms are usually accompanied by fatigue and weakness. Quite a few of our contemporaries suffer from raging headaches when they are ill - and these often give us the rest. But which remedies really work well against headaches?

Quietness first

He who rests recovers best, that is indisputable. Chamomile tea with honey, lots of liquid, preferably fruit and the preferred soul food also help us to feel at least reasonably well when we are sick. Add your favorite film or the latest series as a stream, and we are well prepared for a few days in the horizontal.

But what if the symptoms are accompanied by a pounding or pounding headache? Then we lose interest in watching TV. We can't focus on the plot, and even if we can, severe headaches are often intensified when staring at a screen. Either way, the headache should go away as quickly as possible. Otherwise every illness quickly becomes a real agony.

What helps against headaches?

In a hurry - and when you're sick and don't have the energy to prepare grandma's household remedies - headache pills and the like are the remedies of choice. These primarily have a blood-thinning effect, which improves blood circulation. As a rule, the worst pain can be relieved relatively quickly. The question is how long the effect will last.

Often other headache remedies are also helpful, such as an eye mask or a roll-on for this plague. These sticks contain essential oils that can have a good effect on the so-called acupressure points, such as the neck, temples, forehead or eyebrows. Healing oils, which you simply apply drop by drop to the appropriate areas, have a very similar effect. Peppermint oil, for example, works particularly well.

Old home remedies for a headache when you have the flu

A steam bath is always a good idea to get rid of the pressure in your head. If you add fresh chamomile or sea salt to the water, this pressure is at least partially relieved and the headache subsides. Cold compresses on the neck or forehead also help, they constrict the blood vessels and reduce the pressure. Fresh ginger tea often works wonders. And if the pain is throbbing, a gentle massage of the temples with one or two fingers is always worth a try.

Okay: Fresh air is not really a home remedy, but it definitely helps. Just air it out every now and then to ensure the oxygen supply is guaranteed.