Headaches happen. Various things contribute to the ailment of having a headache. Besides the commonly use of over-the-counter medications such as aspirin and acetaminophen or ibuprofen we can make use of essential oils. Yes, essential oils can help with headaches. In this post I’ll share with you several essential oils for headaches as well as five recipes to help you relieve your headache.
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This information is intended to educate and inform. Please do not replace this information with the advice and guidance from a doctor. This information is not intended to treat, cure, diagnose or cure any disease. Please consult your health care professional if you have any questions.
What Causes Headaches?
Below is a list of basic everyday actions that can cause headaches. It’s important to know that if you are plagued by consistent headaches, you should see your health care professional to rule out something more serious. Below you will find several things that can cause you a headache.
- Anxiety and/or stress
- Glare from the computer screen or sun.
- Noise. It can be loud noises or repetitive noises.
- Eating and sleeping patterns. Not enough sleep or too much sleep can cause a headache.
- Medication. Some medication can cause headaches or forgetting to take a medication.
- Physical activity. Going overboard on the physical exertion.
- Lack of physical activity. Everyone needs some sort of physical activity to maintain their health.
- Posture. Standing and sitting correctly can help ease headaches, while sitting incorrectly can cause a headache.
- Hormones. Especially if you are a woman, that time of the month can cause a headache flareup.
- Food Sensitivities. Alcohol, sugar, carbs, and other types of food can cause headaches.
- Muscular tension.
- Dental work or jaw problems.
- Eye problems. Be sure to schedule regular eye exams.
- Extreme hot or cold temperatures can cause headaches.
- Dehydration. Be sure to drink enough water, usually a recommended of 8 glasses of water per day.
What Can Be Done About Headaches?
Like I mentioned before, you can take over-the-counter medications to help eliminate headaches, but I encourage you to try out using essential oils for headaches. Below you will find several essential oils that are useful for eliminating or at least reducing your headache.
The Essential Oils for Headaches
It’s important to start with high quality pure essential oils. Before purchasing essential oils be sure the company you use is transparent with the quality and purity of their oils. This means do they list the botanical names, safety information, and share with you a third party testing report known as the GC/MS? For more information on choosing quality essential oils please read the Ultimate Guide To Choosing Quality Essential Oils
I’ve compiled a list of essential oils the are known to combat headaches. There are many other essential oils that also have anti-inflammatory and analgesic (topical use will help relieve pain) properties that will work well for headaches. The ones below work well and all have these similar properties.
Basil (Linalool) Essential Oil
Basil (linalool) essential oils has analgesic properties which means that if used topically it will help relieve pain. This making it great to apply topically to relieve tension or stress headaches. Basil will help relax muscles and help with mental alertness.
Chamomile, German or Roman Essential Oils
Chamomile, German or Roman, is great for tension headaches and migraines. This essential oil is useful for falling asleep. Often used for anxiety and insomnia, it can help you fall asleep while suffering from a headache. Chamomile essential oils is a calming, relaxes the body and helps sooth away stress and anxiety. Use this oil when you have a headache in the evening before you go to bed.
Frankincense Essential Oil
Frankincense essential oil has been around for ages. It can help with headaches due to its anti-inflammatory properties, especially with cluster headaches. It too helps with stress and can improves sleep as well. Frankincense is a relaxing essential oil and can help reduce discomfort.
Lavender (Bulgarian) Essential Oil
Lavender (Bulgarian) essential oils is also great for migraines due to stress and anxiety. Also useful for falling asleep. This oil is an anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties which are helpful for relieving tension headache, hormonal headache, and the common hangover headache. Again, use this essential oil before going to sleep.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint essential oil has a minty aroma and is very soothing topically due to its menthol components. It is also great for stress or tension headaches, migraines, hormonal headaches, and hangover headaches. Peppermint helps lesson the intensity of migraines. It stimulates blood flow and helps to eliminate inflammation. Use this essential oil in a headaches massage essential oil blend.
Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary essential oil has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties making it great to relieve pain from a headache. It also helps with joint pain and will help relax and calm tense muscles around the neck which may contribute to tension headaches.
sandalwood Essential Oil
Sandalwood essential oil is calming and will help relax nerves. It helps reduce tension headaches and migraines. Sandalwood may help ease mental stress that can cause headaches.
How do you use essential oils for headaches?
There are two ways to use essential oils for headaches. One is aromatically, meaning to inhale the scent of the essential oils. In my recipes you will either use a personal inhaler or an ultrasonic diffuser for diffusing essential oils into the air by a fine mist. The second way to use essential oils is topically. For this you will dilute your essential oils into a carrier oil of your choice and apply to the temples or back of neck.
Recipes for Headaches
My favorite way to use essential oils for headache is with a personal inhaler like these from Amazon. Try to get aluminum inhalers, as essential oils can eat away at the plastic ones.
Personal inhalers help deliver essential oil molecules to your olfactory nerve which in turn deliver the molecule to your brain and impact the amygdala. The amygdala is the part of your brain which controls your emotions. Thus, the stress and anxiety that might be a trigger to your headache can be affected by the essential oils, making them a great option for eliminating your headache.
Below you will find three personal inhaler recipes effective at eliminating your headache.
Personal Inhaler Recipe #1
- 7 drops Peppermint
- 5 drops Frankincense
- 3 drops Lavender (Bulgarian)
Add the 15 drops to the cotton wick of the personal inhaler. Insert the wick into the glass tube (if you are using an aluminum inhaler it will be glass, if not, it will be plastic). Reassemble the inhaler.
To use, inhale 1-3 times through your nostril from the nasal opening of the inhaler. You may repeat this hourly, as needed until your headache is gone.
Personal Inhaler Recipe #2
- 5 drops Frankincense
- 5 drops Lavender
- 3 drops Sweet orange
- 2 drops Roman chamomile
Add the 15 drops to the cotton wick of the personal inhaler. Insert the wick into the glass tube (if you are using an aluminum inhaler it will be glass, if not, it will be plastic). Reassemble the inhaler.
To use, inhale 1-3 times through your nostril from the nasal opening of the inhaler. You may repeat this hourly, as needed until your headache is gone.
Personal Inhaler Recipe #3
- 7 drops Basil (linalool)
- 5 drops Lavender
- 3 drops Sandalwood (Australian)
Add the 15 drops to the cotton wick of the personal inhaler. Insert the wick into the glass tube (if you are using an aluminum inhaler it will be glass, if not, it will be plastic). Reassemble the inhaler.
To use, inhale 1-3 times through your nostril from the nasal opening of the inhaler. You may repeat this hourly, as needed until your headache is gone.
The next recipe is great if you prefer to apply an oil directly to your temples or back of neck to relieve the symptoms of headaches. Peppermint essential oil is very effective at eliminating headache topically. Please note that Peppermint essential oil is not for use for children 6 years and under.
Headache Massage Blend 5% Dilution
- 1 ounce carrier oil such as jojoba, almond, or trauma oil
- 12 drops Peppermint
- 10 drops Lavender
- 8 drops Frankincense
To create your headache massage blend, add the 30 drops of essential oils to a 1 ounce dark amber dropper bottle. Add to the shoulders of the bottle, approximately one ounce of carrier oil of choice. Replace cap and swirl to mix.
To use, add a few drops of massage blend to the palm of your hands. Massage into temples or back of neck. Reapply as often as needed.
Next up is a diffuser blend. You will need an ultrasonic diffuser such as this one from Amazon. I recommend a diffuser with a shorter run time such as 20 to 30 minutes, but I’ve not had any luck in finding one. If you happen to come across one please let me know!
Diffuser Blend Recipe
- 5 drops Basil (linalool)
- 3 drops Lavender
To use, fill your ultrasonic diffuser to the fill line with water. Add the drops of essential oil to the water. Turn on your diffuser. Diffuse for 20 minutes on and 10 minutes off. That’s it.
Now that we’ve gone over what essential oils are great for headache and I’ve given you a few recipes what essential oils do you use for a headache?
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