Headaches are one of the most common reasons that people buy over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin or ibuprofen, and also one of the most common reasons they visit a doctor. The doctor usually prescribes a drug, but that's often the last thing a patient needs. The most effective treatment is to find the underlying cause, which is often surprisingly simple. Natural remedies for headaches tend to have fewer side effects and few if any drug withdrawal symptoms such as rebound headaches.