7 Best Essential Oils for Headaches in 2022
If you suffer from headaches, you know that finding relief is important. Many people though, go for temporary solutions instead of fixing the root cause.
Using essential oils for headaches can be an effective way to treat the symptoms and pain, while targeting the root causes of headaches.
In this post, we’ll discuss the best essential oils for headaches, why you should give essential oils a try, and how to use them to get fast relief! Plus, I’ll give you a recipe to try!
What Are Headaches?
If you suffer from headaches, you are not alone. According to a study conducted by the National Library of Medicine, 1 out of every 6 Americans and 1 in 5 women, over a 3-month period, self-reported experiencing severe headaches.
There are several different kinds of headaches. Here are a few of them.
Cluster Headache
A cluster headache is a rare type of headache that occurs in groups or cycles. These headaches are very painful and can cause extreme sensitivity to light and sound. They are often accompanied by a red, swollen face. The pain is so bad that migraines are often considered less painful than cluster headaches.
Unfortunately, there is currently no cure for the disorder. However, there are therapies that can provide relief from the symptoms of these attacks. A popular method for relieving headache pain is aromatherapy with essential oils.
Tension Headache
A tension headache is a type of headache that is caused by muscle tension in the head and neck. The pain may be dull or throbbing, and it may be felt on both sides of the head. Tension headaches are the most common type of headache.
Sinus Headache
A sinus headache is a type of headache that is caused by inflammation and congestion in the sinuses. Symptoms may include pain in the forehead, cheeks, or temples; nasal congestion or discharge; and a feeling of pressure or fullness in the head. Sinus headaches can be caused by a variety of factors, including allergies, colds, infection, and structural problems with the nose. Treatment typically includes medications to relieve pain and inflammation, decongestants, and steam inhalation.
What Causes a Headache?
Headaches are often characterized as a pain of pressure in the head.
Headaches can be caused by a variety of different things, including but not limited to stress, tiredness and lack of sleep, hunger or thirst, allergies or sinus issues, environmental factors such as noise or air quality, certain medications and underlying medical conditions.
Top 7 Essential Oils for Headache Relief
FREE printable “Essential Oils for Headaches Recipes”
Here are the best essential oils for headaches available!
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint essential oil is one of the most effective essential oils for headaches. It has a refreshing scent that will help clear your mind and ease any tension you may be holding in your head or neck muscles. The main property in peppermint essential oil that helps with headaches is menthol, which is found in many over the counter medications.
Peppermint’s cooling sensation has the amazing ability to relieve pain by inhibiting the pounding muscle contractions in the head and stimulating blood circulation.
Studies show that by simply massaging this essential oil into the temples of the forehead can significantly decrease the pain felt from tension headaches.
Lavender Essential Oil
People with headaches may find relief in lavender essential oil! The oil comes from the plant lavandula angustifolia and has been used for centuries to help people sleep, heal wounds, and relieve anxiety. Nowadays it is also used as a natural remedy for many different types of headaches, including migraines.
A 2013 study showed that just by inhaling lavender essential oil for 15 minutes has a positive effect on the reduction of migraines.
The properties in Lavender oil that help with headaches are camphor, eucalyptol, and cineole.
Lavender has an analgesic effect that makes you feel less tense and more relaxed when you are experiencing pain from your headache. It relieves headache pain by relaxing blood vessels in the forehead. This helps relieve anxiety by promoting a calming sensation. Fear, anxiety, tension, stress are all relieved- all of which contribute to poor blood circulation, which can contribute to headaches!
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Eucalyptus oil is a natural remedy that has been used for centuries to treat various health conditions. One of its most common uses is as a treatment for headaches, especially sinus headaches! You can thank the compound cineole for that. Cineole helps break down that mucus.
Eucalyptus oil contains analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties that can help to relieve pain and inflammation in the head and neck area. It also helps to improve blood circulation, which can help to reduce the severity of headaches.
Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary oil is one of the most popular essential oils for headaches. It has a strong, woodsy scent that is said to be energizing. The oil is extracted from the leaves of the rosemary plant by steam distillation.
Rosemary oil contains camphor, which is a natural analgesic and anti-inflammatory. It also has a high content of volatile oils, including menthol, pinene, and cineole, which are thought to help relieve headaches.
Rosemary is best used on the temple area, massaged in, to relive those tension headaches.
For headaches relating to stress, mix rosemary and lavender together to help decrease stress levels.
Chamomile Essential Oil
Chamomile oil is a natural remedy that has been used for centuries to treat various health conditions. You may be familiar with the concept of drinking a hot cup of chamomile tea before bed to unwind and relax. But did you know that chamomile essential oil contains anti-inflammatory properties that can help relieve tension from headaches?
Chamomile essential oil has soothing effects when inhaled, it has an antispasmodic effect on the muscles, and when applied to the skin in a carrier oil or lotion can ease muscle tensions that may be associated with headaches.
Chamomile essential oil it can also be useful for alleviating rheumatic pain, abdominal colic, and flatulence.
Tea Tree Oil Essential Oil
Tea tree oil is an essential oil that is extracted from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia, a shrub that is native to Australia. Tea tree oil has been used for centuries by the Aboriginal people of Australia to treat a variety of medical conditions, including headaches. Tea tree oil has a strong, medicinal smell, and is a yellow-green color.
Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, and is effective in treating skin infections, acne, and head lice. Tea tree oil can also be used to relieve sinus headaches, since it’s a natural decongestant! Simply add a few drops of tea tree oil to a carrier oil such as jojoba oil or sweet almond oil, and massage into the temples and forehead.
Frankincense Essential Oil
Frankincense essential oil is an aromatic resin obtained from the frankincense tree, which was originally cultivated in Oman. It has been used for thousands of years as a treatment for headaches and other health issues.
Frankincense contains many chemical constituents including boswellic acid, alpha-pinene, beta-myrcene, delta 3 carene, limonene, linalool and ocimene. This blend of chemicals may be what makes it so effective at relieving headaches.
It is most beneficial at the onset of a headache, particularly a cluster headache!
3 Ways to Use Essential Oils for Headaches
Apply Directly to Skin
First, you can apply them directly to your skin. When applying essential oils to the skin, you need to dilute them with a carrier oil first. Essential oils are extremely potent and can cause skin irritation and should always be diluted with a carrier oil. Carrier oils help absorption of the essential oil better and prevent irritation.
A good rule of thumb is for each ounce of carrier oil you use, add 12 to 15 drops of essential oils. This is the perfect dilution ratio.
I use 10mL roll on bottles like these here. These bottles average to the ounce of carrier oil and essential oils.
This method is the best for those tension headaches!
Use a Diffuser
The best way to inhale the essential oils is by using a diffuser! For every 100 mL of water add 3 to 15 drops of essential oils! Click here to look at the diffuser I have found very effective!
Steam Inhalation
For sinus headaches, this one will be most effective. Bring a cup of water to a boil. Add 15 drops of Eucalyptus or Tea Tree essential oil and just breathe it in! It works the same way as Vick’s Vapor rub would.
Essential Oil Recipe
Recipe : Headache 10 mL roller bottle
- 8 Drops Rosemary
- 4 Drops Peppermint
- 3 Drops Frankincense
Add the Essential Oils to the Roller Bottle, then fill the rest with Fractionated Coconut Oil. Shake to mix. Apply when needed!!
You can actually pick and choose how much and which oils you want to use based on preference!
FREE printable “Essential Oils for Headaches Recipes”
