Headache Ayurveda: Types, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

What is a Headache?

Headache is a common symptom with many causes: primary headaches (migraine, tension-type), secondary headaches (cervicogenic, sinus, medication-overuse), and those related to neurological or systemic disease. Ayurveda classifies headaches by doshic imbalance — Vata, Pitta or Kapha predominance — and treats them accordingly.

Ayurvedic Approach to Headache

We blend symptom relief with root-cause correction: calming the nervous system, improving circulation, clearing sinuses, correcting digestion (to remove Ama) and addressing musculoskeletal contributors (neck/shoulder tension).

• Shamana measures — calming herbs, pranayama, dietary adjustments.
• Localized therapies — Shirodhara, Nasyam, Greeva Vasti for cervicogenic headaches.
• Preparatory & nurturing therapies — Abhyanga, Kashaya Dhara and Lepam for local soothing.
• Prevention — stress management, sleep hygiene, trigger elimination and herbal tonics for long-term resilience.

Clinic Therapies Useful for Headache (with reference photos)

These are the in-clinic therapies we commonly use for different headache types. Photos are included for your reference.

Shirodhara Headache

What it is: Continuous, slow pouring of warm medicated oil (or herbal decoction) on the forehead (third eye area).

• Calms the autonomic nervous system and reduces stress/anxiety — potent for migraine and tension headaches.
• Improves sleep, reduces headache frequency and intensity over repeated sessions.
• Helpful in trigeminal/autonomic-related headaches when combined with internal medicines.
• Course: often 3–7 sessions depending on severity; adjunct to oral herbs and lifestyle changes.

Nasyam (Nasal Administration)

What it is: Administration of herbal oil/medicated drops or powders into the nostrils.

• Clears sinus congestion and reduces Pitta/Rakta-related headaches arising from sinusitis.
• Delivers medicines directly to head region — effective for migraine aura, frontal headaches, and chronic sinus-related head pain.
• Often used as an immediate relief measure and as part of a longer treatment plan (in-office procedure).

Greeva Vasti (Cervical Oil Retention)

What it is: Retaining warm medicated oil over the cervical (neck) region inside a dough boundary.

• Powerful for cervicogenic headaches originating from neck stiffness, cervical spondylosis or muscle spasm.
• Relieves nerve compression, improves cervical mobility and reduces referred head pain.
• Best combined with gentle neck physiotherapy and posture correction for lasting benefit.

Abhyanga (Warm Oil Massage)

What it is: Full-body or targeted warm herbal oil massage.

• Reduces muscular tension in neck/shoulder that contributes to tension-type headaches.
• Improves circulation, calms the nervous system and enhances sleep quality.
• Often used before Shirodhara or Nasyam to maximize therapeutic absorption.

Kashaya Dhara (Herbal Decoction Pouring)

What it is: Continuous pouring of warm herbal decoction on the head/neck/affected area.

• Used for inflammatory or stubborn headaches to reduce local inflammation and soothe tissues.
• Particularly useful in subacute stages or when scalp/neck tenderness is present.
• Choice of decoction is individualized (cooling for Pitta-related headaches, warming for Vata-related tension that is cold).

Lepam (Topical Herbal Paste)

What it is: Topical herbal pastes applied to forehead, scalp or neck.

• Provides direct symptomatic relief and cooling in acute Pitta headaches (e.g., certain migraines).
• Can be combined with mild oil massage for tension-type headaches.
• Safe, quick adjunct — often used for immediate comfort between sessions.

Herbs, Diet & Lifestyle for Headache

Herbal medicines and dosages are individualized. If you are on prescription migraine preventives or anticoagulants, inform the Ayurvedic physician before starting herbs.

Sample Treatment Plans

Example plans — every patient receives a customized program after assessment.

Quick Reference — Headache Therapies

Safety & When to Seek Urgent Care

• Red flags: sudden severe "thunderclap" headache, loss of consciousness, weakness, vision loss, stiff neck, fever — seek emergency care immediately.
• Share all medications with your Ayurvedic physician (esp. anticoagulants, triptans, anti-epileptics).
• Panchakarma or in-clinic procedures require evaluation — Nasyam and Shirodhara are done under physician guidance and may be contraindicated in some conditions.