Headaches are the worst, and they can be triggered by a number of things. The list is extensive, but to name a few: allergies, weather pressure change, stress, hormones, poor posture, and low blood sugar. Odds are you’ve had a headache at some point in your life. (Some more unfortunate souls more than others!)
Believe me there are no shortage of remedies when you do a quick google search of headache relief. If you landed here, awesome! Hello! Let’s dive into a natural remedy to your headaches. Specifically I’m going to talk about essential oils bringing you relief for tension headaches and cluster headaches. Each can be caused by a few of the above triggers.
Be sure to check with your doctor before using oils if you take a prescribed medication of any sort. There’s always a chance they could counteract each other.
Types of Headaches
Yeah! Unfortunately there are multiple different types of headaches, and they all hurt in different places. It’s important to know the differences so you can treat them more effectively. The remedy is not always the same!
Tension headaches often manifest in the form of tightness or pressure around the forehead, temples, or in the back of the head and neck. Many times people say this feels like their head is in a vice. This is the most common, and most people have experienced these at some point in their life. They are caused by stress and other similar tension related situations. If you sleep funny or have a muscle tensed up in your back, you could end up with this headache.
Because of the location, methods 1-4 as listed below are going to work best for tension headaches. Any form of massaging will also help release any built up tension in the body. Peppermint oil is great for this due to it’s enhancement of blood flow.
Cluster headaches are often cyclical, and will cause discomfort is a specific location, commonly behind the eye. They are always on one side of the head, and can even make your eyes or nose water. If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night with this, chances are you had a cluster headache. Methods 1, 2, 6, and 7 are best for cluster headaches. You can always give number 8 a try if you have a particularly bad one.
Migraines are diagnosed by pulsing pains, usually on one side of the head. They bring terrible side effects like nausea, vomiting, and extreme light sensitivity. Most migraines last hours but can last days! Some people are lucky enough to never experience these, but many suffer on a regular basis. If you this sounds like you and you struggle to find relief from migraines, frankincense and the roof of the mouth method is going to be your best friend.
Where to Apply for Relief
The best way to apply essential oils topically is with a rollerball (which I’ll discuss a little later on down the post) and to apply at pressure points. There are seven pressure points that can help with headaches. I’ll list them below, but certain places are better for certain types of headaches.
- One of these is going to be in between your eyebrows at the bridge of your nose. This is an easy one to find. If you feel around when you have a headache, putting pressure here will feel really good, and you’ll know you found the spot.
- The second is at your temples. This is another spot I’m sure you’ve probably tried squeezing for relief during a headache.
- The third is directly behind your neck, just under your hairline. I like to dab the oils here and massage up the sides of my neck. It should feel heavenly.
- The neck is actually two in one because directly in the center of your neck on the back is one, and on the sides is another.
- You can then drag that further down to your upper shoulder area. Don’t be afraid to dig in a little and hold to relieve tension.
- If you don’t have makeup on (I say this because it’s directly on your face and oils will cause your makeup to breakup) you can apply it on your cheek area right beside your nostrils.
- This is an odd one, but I encourage you to give it a try! If you squeeze between your thumb and index finger – that fleshy part of skin – you’ll find a pressure point! Try rubbing your essential oil rollerball blend here.
- Lastly, and this is for frankincense only, take a drop and press it into the roof of your mouth.
The Basics – 5 Oils to Treat Headaches
There are a few basic ways to treat headaches. Reduce your stress levels, get enough sleep, and try relaxation exercises for tension relief.
There are a few oils that specialize in headache relief. They are Peppermint oil, Rosemary oil, Lavender oil, Frankincense oil, and a my personal favorite, a proprietary blend by doTERRA, Past Tense. All of these – except Past Tense – should be diluted with a carrier oil. I’ll be writing a whole post on what carrier oils are and how + when to use them so be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss out!
Essential oils are an ideal for headaches because they safely and effectively treat the problem without negative side effects. They actually provide added benefits – an example of this is they will boost your immune system while treating your headache. Multitasking for the win!
Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil acts as an agent to help control blood flow, and opens up of the sinuses to help improve oxygen flow. To further its effects, you can put a couple drops in a bath and inhale the steam, or pair it with a massage at the pressure points listed blow. Even adding it to the diffuser in whatever room you’re in and breathing it in will give you relief.
Rosemary Oil
Rosemary oil is suspected to be an anti-inflammatory and has pain-relief properties. Another possible benefit is helping with insomnia. Guess what? Lack of sleep could definitely be the cause of your headaches. Using rosemary oil can help treat and eliminate the problem altogether.
Lavender Oil
Lavender oil is well known when it comes to stress and anxiety, both of which can be a trigger for headaches. This is another great way to eliminate the cause of the headache rather than the treating it after the fact. Check out my previous post on essential oils for stress and anxiety if you’re looking for further relief in this area.
Frankincense Oil
Frankincense oil is a super oil. I could write a whole post on the healing powers of frankincense, but if you want the science perspective behind it all, check out this article. As for headaches and migraines, frankincense is known for it’s anti-inflammatory properties – much like our over the counter medicines – which reduce the swelling of blood vessels that initiate the reaction to pain. The best way to apply frankincense for your headache is to place a drop on your thumb and press it into the roof of your mouth. It doesn’t taste the best, but it will give you almost instant relief!
PAST TENSE
If you’re a doTERRA lover, you’ve probably heard of past tense. It’s their proprietary blend of all the best oils for headaches, all wrapped up in a roller ball and ready to go. It smells amazing and I highly recommend it for ease of use. It’s also great for an afternoon pick me up when you’re feeling stressed or your energy levels are low.
Roll On Recipes
All essential oil roll on recipes should be topped with fractionated coconut oil for dilution and ease of application. If you’ve ever owned a jar of coconut oil, you know that it solidifies easily. You can buy fractionated coconut oil to avoid this. Give these recipes a try for some great smelling headache relief!
Headache Miracle: 10 drops Peppermint, 6 drops Lavender, 5 drops Frankincense
Headache Knockout: 10 drops Lavender, 10 drops Peppermint, 5 drops Frankincense, 3 drops Copaiba (similar if not better than CBD oil, because it’s not a drug!)
Headache Soother: 10 drops Peppermint, 10 Drops Lemon, 5 drops Frankincense
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