Top 5 Essential Oils for Treating Headaches

Treating Headaches with Essential Oils

No one likes getting headaches! They are painful, annoying, and can really put a damper on your day. Headaches can come on for many different reasons. Whether it’s a minor headache or a migraine, headaches are not easy to deal with -- especially if you are trying to avoid using pain-killers or anti-inflammatory medications.

For people who are looking to live a more pure lifestyle focusing on healing the body naturally, you are probably looking for a headache solution that isn’t Tylenol, Advil, or Aspirin. While these medications are effective, they come along with the risk of liver damage if used too frequently. Using medications like these too frequently can build up your body’s tolerance to them, then starting the cycle of needing a higher dosage to be as effective. It is best to avoid pain-killers and medications like this if there are more natural options available.

This is where using essential oils can be very beneficial for treating headaches. Many essential oils have natural anti-inflammatory properties that have been proven to help relieve headaches when used correctly.

Creating a safe dilution

Whenever using essential oils with the intent to apply them to your skin, you should always be creating a dilution of the oil first. The reason for this is because essential oils are extremely potent due to their extraction processes. Their potency is what makes them effective treatments for certain medical concerns, however, it can be damaging to the skin if applied topically without diluting the essential oil first.

Skin irritations like redness, burning, itching, and rashes can occur if an essential oil is applied to the skin without diluting it beforehand. The best way to achieve a safe dilution is to combine the essential oil with a carrier oil. Some of the best carrier oils are, fractionated coconut oil, organic jojoba oil, rosehip seed oil, and argan oil.

The ratio for a safely diluted essential oil follows a 1 drop to 1 tsp formula. For every 1 drop of essential oil, you should be adding in 1tsp of a carrier oil.

A Note on Quality

Many essential oils on the market unfortunately, are not good quality. Essential oils are not regulated like other products are so their purity and quality can be really poor, yet marketed as a great product. To ensure you are purchasing a great essential oil, make sure to research the brand you are interested in. Great essential oils brands will provide evidence of testing the products to ensure that they are pure and high-quality. You can feel confident in brands that test their essential oils with GC/MS testing.

GC/MS testing can identify when there are impurities, additives, or synthetic fragrances in the product. Here at Healing Solutions, our products are protected by our Purity Guarantee which promises that all of our essential oils have gone through GC/MS testing and analysis to ensure that every bottle is the purest product possible.

Which essential oils are best?

Peppermint

mentha x peperita

Peppermint essential oil contains the ingredient menthol, which is known for having a cooling sensation when applied to the skin. This cooling sensation is especially helpful when relieving tension headaches and migraines. Peppermint is a common ingredient in most headache relief essential oil’s blends found on the market due to its significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects and effectiveness in treating headaches.

Eucalyptus

eucalyptus citriodora

Eucalyptus essential oil can provide relief for headaches caused by sinus pressure. Eucalyptus is a common ingredient in many vapor rubs that helps to clear sinus congestion and pressure. Studies show significant reduction of inflammation and pain by using eucalyptus oil in aromatherapy. By applying a diluted mixture of eucalyptus essential oil with your favorite carrier oil, it can help clear your nasal passages that could be causing tension and pressure headaches.

Eucalyptus

eucalyptus citriodora

Lavender

Lavandula angustifolia

Lavender oil is one of the most popular essential oils. It is most commonly known for its relaxation and calming properties. Lavender essential oil is also used to reduce stress and anxiety. A study had been done to test the effectiveness of lavender essential oil for headaches, and the results showed that within 15 minutes of exposure to lavender oil, participants had a reduction in the pain associated with their headache.

Chamomile

Chamaemelum nobile

Chamomile essential oil is another one that is popular for its ability to relax and calm the mind and body. For people who are experiencing headaches due to stress or anxiety, chamomile is a great option for you. Consider putting chamomile and lavender essential oil into your diffuser to relieve your headache.

Chamomile

Chamaemelum nobile

Rosemary

Rosmarinus officinalis

Rosemary has been used for hundreds of years in folk medicine as a powerful pain reliever. Rosemary essential oil is also an effective anti-inflammatory which is an important quality for relieving headaches and stress.

How to Use

Essential oils can be used in many different ways. When needing to relieve a headache, there are a couple of options for using essential oils. For more detailed information on using diffusers and aromatherapy we recommend checking out an informational blog like our friends at AromEssential. The first and most common way, is to drop the essential oils into a diffuser. The diffuser will disperse the essential oil infused water vapor into the air, allowing you to inhale the benefits of them throughout the day. This method comes along with the smallest amount of risk, and is also very effective.

The second way is to apply the essential oils topically. This method is where it is important to dilute the oil beforehand. Specifically for headaches, you will want to place the oils on your temples and the back of your neck. The final method is to directly inhale them. This method is for people who need a quick fix on the go. Place a couple of drops onto a tissue and gently inhale them for 5 deep breaths.