Essential Oils for Headache Relief
Posted by Katie Zapotoczny on 20th Aug 2016
A headache can start at any time and may quickly impact your ability to work or function optimally. As someone who has dealt with frequent headaches off and on for many years, I can sympathize with fellow headache sufferers. If you have frequent or regular headaches, but don’t want to take over-the-counter medications every time one begins, there are excellent natural alternatives available. Essential oils in particular can offer relief from various kinds of headaches.
6 Essential Oils for Headache Relief
Peppermint or Spearmint Essential Oil
Peppermint oil is high in the compound menthol, which is known for its ability to ease muscular aches and pains and inhibit muscular contractions. It is useful for relieving pain caused by tension headaches as well. Peppermint essential oil also creates a long-lasting cooling sensation on the skin, which can help soothe painful headaches.
If peppermint essential oil is too strong for you, try spearmint. Although it has a lower menthol content, it can still help ease headache pain.
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender oil is probably best known for its calming properties and its ability to aid relaxation and relieve stress. When used topically or aromatically, the main constituents of lavender essential oil, linalool and linalyl acetate, are believed to slow the central nervous system, easing stress (source). Lavender oil is therefore useful for treating headaches brought on by anxiety and/or stress.
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Eucalyptus essential oil contains significant amounts of 1,8-Cineole, a compound that functions as an expectorant. Expectorants help rid the body of excess mucous; therefore, eucalyptus essential oil can help alleviate headaches caused by respiratory congestion (source).
Please note that young children are often sensitive to 1,8-Cineole, so use eucalyptus oil very cautiously with them (if at all).
Roman Chamomile Essential Oil
Roman Chamomile, like lavender, has calming, sedative properties. It is therefore a good choice if you’re treating a headache in the evening hours.
Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary has a calming effect and can help reduce stress (source). It can also help with the nausea that may accompany a bad headache.
Clary Sage Essential Oil
For some women, headaches may be brought on by hormonal changes. With its ability to help balance hormones- particularly estrogen- clary sage (source) can be useful for soothing headaches caused by these changes.
How to Use Essential Oils to Treat Headaches
Tension Headaches
Headaches are frequently caused by tension and stress, which can cause the muscles of the neck and scalp to contract. Peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils can help relax these muscles and therefore ease the headaches they cause. To relax tense muscles, mix six drops each of peppermint and eucalyptus essential oil with one ounce of Fractionated Coconut Oil or other carrier oil in a glass dropper bottle. Shake gently to mix. Put one to four drops on your fingers, and gently massage into your forehead, temples, and/or the back of your neck.
To address stress, mix six drops each of lavender and Roman chamomile essential oil with 1 ounce of Fractionated Coconut Oil or other carrier oil, and shake to mix. Again, massage into forehead, temples, and the back of the neck.
Some people find that diffusing or inhaling essential oils alleviates their headaches. Try diffusing one or a combination of the above oils. Simply add a few drops of your oils to your diffuser per the manufacturer’s directions. Or, put one to three drops of essential oil on a cotton ball or tissue, and inhale. If you have never used a certain essential oil, start with one drop to make sure you do not have a sensitivity to it.
Sinus Headaches
Sinus headaches are typically caused by upper respiratory congestion, inflamed sinuses, or a combination of the two. With its expectorant properties, eucalyptus essential oil is especially useful for relieving congestion and the associated pain. Peppermint and spearmint oils function in a similar way and can also help clear respiratory passages.
To break up congestion, mix 12 drops of eucalyptus or peppermint (or spearmint) essential oil (or six drops of each if you wish to use both) with one ounce of a carrier oil. Shake gently to mix, then rub into your chest, top of nose, and forehead or temples. These oils can also be used individually or in combination in a diffuser.
Verefina Breathe Easy contains a blend of essential oils that help relieve respiratory congestion, too. To use the full-strength formula, diffuse it in a diffuser. You can also dilute 10 to 12 drops in one ounce of a carrier oil, and apply to the temples, behind the ears, back of neck, chest, and soles of feet. Breathe Easy is also available in a roll-on and nasal inhaler. To use the roll-on, apply on the temples, behind the ears, back of neck, chest, and soles of feet. Holding the nasal inhaler under your nose and breathing in deeply can help break up congestion as well.
Migraine Headaches
Migraines can be triggered by a number of different factors, including stress, anxiety, sleep deprivation, and hormonal changes. If you experience migraines, you may need to experiment with different essential oils to learn which ones work best for you. The following oils have been reported to be useful for migraines: eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, rosemary, and clary sage (source, source).
As with other headaches, migraines may be eased by massaging diluted essential oils into the skin or diffusing them with a diffuser. For an excellent discussion on using essential oils to relieve various symptoms related to migraines, see this article on Migraine.com.
Headaches have a variety of causes, and different essential oils may address them. If you know which factors may be contributing to headaches, you can select the oils that will be most helpful. I find, for example, that a combination of peppermint and lavender massaged into my forehead usually relieves my headaches. However, you may need to try different oils (or different combinations of them) to find what work best for you.
Sources:
“Aromatherapy and Essential Oils for Headaches.” AromaWeb. Web. 29 July 2016.
http://www.aromaweb.com/articles/aromatherapy-essential-oils-for-headaches.asp
“Aromatherapy for Natural Headache Relief.” Nature’s Gift Aromatherapy. 12 June 2009. Web. 30 July 2016.
http://naturesgiftaromatherapy.blogspot.com/2009/06/aromatherapy-for-natural-head-ache.html
Axe, Josh. “Clary Sage Oil Helps Hormone Balance and Relieves Menstrual Pain.” Dr. Axe. Web. 29 July 2016.
Axe, Josh. “The Top 4 Essential Oils for Headaches.” Dr Axe. Web. 29 July 2016.
https://draxe.com/essential-oils-for-headaches/
Robert, Teri. “How I Use Aromatherapy for Migraines.” Migraine.com. 13 March 2013. Web. 30 July 2016.