Uggh. Headaches; almost everyone gets them at some time or another.
Essential oils can really help to dissipate a headache. Here are a two to have on-hand if you find yourself with a headache.
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| Peppermint in the Garden |
My favorite for headaches is Peppermint essential oil. It is cooling and bright and also helps with nausea which can accompany a bad headache. Peppermint is a natural vasodilator so it increases blood flow which can help relieve some headaches. A study in the UK showed that
“Rubbing peppermint extract across your forehead can cure a headache faster than conventional painkillers.
In a study, 95 per cent of users who applied the extract said they felt an effect within two minutes.
And the same percentage of volunteers found that their pain had gone within 30 minutes.
Nine out of ten also said it was much more convenient than taking pills.”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-383116/Peppermint
You can smell the oil directly from the bottle, put a few drops on a tissue or diffuse it through a room. But I find the best way to stop a headache with Peppermint is to massage some oil onto the temples, on the forehead and the back of the neck. The menthol in Peppermint can be very helpful in getting rid of headaches and relieving pain BUT it can also burn the skin. Some people are much more sensitive than others.
I would recommend putting a couple drops in a teaspoon of olive or almond oil and then rubbing it under the nose, on the temples (away from the eyes) and the back of the head and the neck. (Or purchasing a roll-on with jojoba oil and Peppermint from me :)) Some people can tolerate the Peppermint oil straight from the bottle and like the tingly feeling, but other people just feel burning. (This was demonstrated last week when a friend tried a few drops of newly bought peppermint oil on her temples outside Whole Foods and ended up with some of the oil in her eye and with burning temples. Ouch. FYI the best thing to do for essential-oils-in-the eye or skin irritated by essential oils is flush the area with whole milk . The fat in the milk attracts the essential oils and carries them away. We flushed her eyes and temples with some gorgeous organic creamer in the sink in the crowded restroom at Whole Foods. Lesson learned. Dilute.) (And the Peppermint did help with her headache!)
Another great choice for relieving headaches is Lavender Essential Oil. (make sure to get the Lavandula angustifolia)
Lavender essential oil has many uses; helping with headaches is one of them.
In a study from 2012 “Forty-seven patients with definite diagnosis of migraine headache were divided into two groups. One group inhaled lavender essential oil for 15 min while the control group used liquid paraffin for the same time period. Patients were asked to record their headache severity and associated symptoms in 30-min intervals for a total of 2 hours. ” http://www./pubmed/22517298 The lavender group reported a 71% improvement in the severity of their symptoms
Lavender is relaxing and helps to calm nerves. It is also helpful in relieving muscle tension. That may be how it works to get rid of headaches. You can relax with a lavender eye pillow, take a lavender bath or inhale the oil from a tissue with a few drops of oil on it or directly from the bottle (as was done in the study). Lavender is one of the few oils that doesn’t have to be diluted before it is put on the skin. (But, because I’m nervous after the Whole Foods bathroom experience, try a bit in a carrier oil like olive or almond in case you have sensitive skin.) So again, like the peppermint, you could rub a bit on the temples, under the nose, and massage a bit at the base of the head, the neck and the shoulders. (I tend not to use lavender for headaches. I usually love the smell but if I have a headache or am nauseous it’s too much for me, which is why I use the Peppermint, but some people get great relief from the lavender, too.)
I sell the Lavender and Peppermint as roll-ons with the oils diluted in jojoba oil, which is nice because it doesn’t smell or stain. Let me know if you’d like one. You can purchase a bottle of the undiluted oils either from me or the great sources listed below.
I hope those simple suggestions help chase away some headaches. I know there are simple and complicated reasons that people get headaches and there are a variety of different types of headaches. Diet, sleep and hormones can play a role in why someone is having headaches, as can chronic stress. Drinking more water, getting good sleep, doing yoga or stretching are great beginning solutions for dealing with chronic headache pain. My husband used to have terrible headaches when he woke up in the morning and finally we figured out it was sleep apnea. Treating that has helped him tremendously with his morning headaches. Talk to your doctor and do some detective work about where and when you get headaches. These links have some other suggestions that look helpful.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health
headaches.http://everydayroots.com/headache-remedies
