Essential oils useful for headaches

Essential oils possess analgesic, antispasmodic, relaxing, anti-inflammatory, and mucolytic properties that can be useful in cases of headache: whether it's tension-type headache (the most common), migraine, or secondary headache (linked to sinusitis, fever, flu).

Here are the main essential oils to combat headaches:

• Peppermint
• Lavender
• Lemon Balm
• Damask Rose
• Basil (linalool chemotype)
• Roman Chamomile
• German Chamomile
• Bergamot
• Mandarin
• Eucalyptus (cineole chemotype)
• Rosemary
• Cajeput

If you want to use essential oils to alleviate headaches, you can use them in several ways:

• Inhalation: a few drops of essential oils dropped onto a handkerchief
• Local cutaneous application to the neck, scalp, forehead, temples (away from the eyes) of essential oil blends in a carrier oil or cream
• Head and neck massage and self-massage (indicated only for tension-type headaches)
• Diffusion in the environment

In the next paragraphs, we will discover which essential oil to use depending on the type of headache.

Essential oils for headache

Headache (cephalalgia) is one of the most common reasons people seek medical attention.

Pain can involve any part of the head, scalp, face, upper neck, and inside of the head. The pain is due to the activation of pain-sensitive structures within or near the brain, skull, face, or teeth.

Headaches can be divided into two types:

• Primary headaches: not caused by another disorder
• Secondary headaches: caused by another disorder

The two most common causes of headache are tension-type and migraine.

Essential oils for neck pain, or tension-type headache

Tension-type headache is usually called "cervical pain": this term refers to all situations where the neck bones (cervical vertebrae) show arthritic changes or the muscles connected to them are contracted. Muscle tension is mostly linked to poor posture and psychological stress.

The pain of so-called "cervical pain" extends throughout the head, giving the sensation of having a tight band around the head and a certain feeling of heaviness in the eye area. It can last from 30 minutes to several days and be more intense at the end of the day. It is not aggravated by physical activity, light, noise, or odors.

Peppermint essential oil for neck pain

Peppermint essential oil is analgesic and anesthetic, antispasmodic. One of its main components, menthol, stimulates particular nerve receptors on the skin and produces a cooling effect similar to that perceived when applying cold water or ice, followed by an increase in blood circulation in the underlying tissues. It thus causes an analgesic effect particularly useful in cases of tension-type headache.

From the results of a scientific study (see bibliography), repeated local application twice, a quarter of an hour apart, to the scalp behind the temples and on the forehead, of a 10% solution of peppermint essential oil in ethanol (90-degree alcohol) is effective in alleviating tension-type headache. As an alternative to alcohol as a solvent for the essential oil, it is possible to use a nourishing hand cream or almond oil or other massage oil.

Essential oils for migraine

Migraine can be either moderate or severe. The pain is throbbing or pounding and generally occurs on only one side of the head, although it can affect both. It is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to loud noises, bright light, and odors. It can be triggered by lack of sleep, hunger, or certain wines and foods. Sometimes it is preceded by transient dysfunctions, such as seeing flashing lights or the presence of blind spots (these symptoms are called aura). It can last several hours or days and worsen with physical activity. It subsides with sleep.

The essential oils recommended for this type of headache are: Lavender, Lemon Balm, Damask Rose, Roman Chamomile, Bergamot, Mandarin.

Headaches from stress or work

For headaches related to stress in professional or personal life, inhalation of Lavender and Bergamot is particularly indicated. A very simple practice, also ideal when sitting at a desk, is to drop 2 drops of Lavender and 2 drops of Bergamot (alternatively Mandarin) onto a handkerchief. The advice is to frequently inhale the scent and keep the handkerchief at your workstation.

Essential oils for sinusitis

Sinusitis is perhaps the most widespread secondary headache. In this case, Eucalyptus, Rosemary (cineole chemotype) or Cajeput essential oil can be used for inhalation (apply a couple of pure drops to a paper handkerchief and inhale the scent several times a day, holding the handkerchief a few centimeters from the nose, without direct skin contact), steam inhalations (a few drops in a basin of boiling water, carefully inhale the vapors, as respiratory mucous membranes can become irritated by close contact with aromatic vapors) or 1% local applications, gently massaging the sides of the nostrils, under the cheekbones and on the forehead above the eyebrows (areas corresponding to the paranasal cavities).

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender essential oil is suitable for all forms of headache: it is one of the most versatile and beneficial oils overall. Analgesic, antispasmodic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive, it is particularly indicated for tension-type headaches and migraines, and in general for headaches triggered by stress and nervous tension. Bibliography:

Göbel H, Heinze A, Heinze-Kuhn K, Göbel A, Göbel C. Oleum menthae piperitae (Pfefferminzöl) in der Akuttherapie des Kopfschmerzes vom Spannungstyp [Peppermint oil in the acute treatment of tension-type headache]. Schmerz. 2016 Jun;30(3):295-310. German. doi: 10.1007/s00482-016-0109-6. PMID: 27106030.