Aerva lanata, commonly known as "mountain knotgrass," is used in traditional medicine systems, particularly in Ayurveda and folk medicine across South Asia. There are references to its application for a range of ailments, including headaches. In traditional practices, headache—especially tension-type or nonspecific headache—has sometimes been managed with herbal infusions or decoctions of Aerva lanata leaves or flowers, often attributed to its supposed anti-inflammatory, analgesic, or calming properties. However, these references are relatively sparse and not as prominent as its more common uses for urinary tract issues and kidney stones.

Regarding scientific validation, there is little to no direct research assessing the efficacy of Aerva lanata for headache relief, including for tension headaches. Some laboratory studies have demonstrated general anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in animal models, but these are not specific to headache conditions. No clinical trials, mechanistic studies, or systematic reviews have directly examined its effectiveness in treating headache in humans. Therefore, its use for headache relies primarily on limited traditional knowledge, with minimal supporting evidence from modern science.