Essential Oils to Help Headaches

Of all the ways essential oils can help maintain and support our wellness, their ability to help with headaches of all kinds is at the top of the list. Here's what you need to know to get the benefit of essential oils when your head is pounding!

What are essential oils?

Essential oils are highly concentrated and wonderfully fragrant plant extractions. Like the plant it comes from, each essential oil is made up of a unique combination of molecules (called constituents or plant compounds) which interact with the body’s chemistry in a direct manner and in turn affect certain organs or body systems.

How can essential oils help headaches?

Certain combinations of molecular constituents within an essential oil will give it certain therapeutic actions. Some act as analgesics by increasing circulation and dilating arteries, some have soothing and calming effects on the central nervous system, some support the liver’s ability to move toxic substances out of our bodies. Each essential oil may have one or many actions that work together to alleviate the pain and discomfort causing the headache, whether that pain has a physical cause, or is a result of a mental or emotional origination.

What are the best essential oils to use for headaches?

I would suggest the following as a “headache relief toolkit”. I give the Latin names as well because there are different varieties of these essential oils that have slightly different therapeutic actions. Knowing the Latin name will direct you to the correct essential oil.

• Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) headache of any kind – use lavender in combination with any of the other essential oils listed here to augment its therapeutic effect.
• Peppermint (Mentha piperata) headaches from overeating or hangovers.
• Roman chamomile (Anthemis nobilis) headaches from overexertion or anxiety.
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) headaches from overworked mind.
• Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) headaches from hormonal imbalances, specifically PMS and perimenopause.
• Eucalyptus (radiata) headaches from sinusitis.

What's the best way to use the essential oils for a headache?

Massage blends

• Rub blend into temples (keep away from eyes), neck, shoulders, over sinuses (again, away from eyes), and onto abdomen (always in a clockwise direction).
• Buy a bottle of organic jojoba oil or sweet almond oil to use for the base of your essential oil blends. These base oils are called carrier oils. You can even use olive oil if that’s what you have handy.
• Into one tablespoon of carrier oil, add drops of essential oils as follows:
• Safety precautions: always test on small area of skin before applying to larger area. Look for signs of allergic reaction, like bumps, hives, rash, or itchiness.
• Note that massage blends work best when there is physical pain in the body. See corresponding note under diffusers.

Using a diffuser for headaches

Use any combination of 5-7 drops of the essential oils in the headache toolkit in your diffuser, keeping in mind that diffusers work primarily to alleviate mental and emotional stress. If your headache is from mental tension, worry, anxiety, or emotional upset, use a diffuser. This is due to the way essential oils impact our brains via the olfactory system.

Should these essential oils be used alone or together?

Each essential oil in the headache toolkit can be used on its own or in combination with one or two others on the list, and always with a carrier oil for massage blends.I recommend adding a drop or two of lavender to any headache formulation. Lavender has the unique ability to augment the effects of other essential oils, and it has a wonderful overall soothing effect on our nervous systems.

Essential oil dilutions for adults and children

• For the average healthy adult, use 8-12 drops total of essential oil in one tablespoon of carrier oil for use anywhere on the body except the face.
• When creating a blend for children over age of 2, use no more than 2-4 drops total of essential oil in one tablespoon of carrier oil.
• When creating a blend for infants to age 2, use no more than 1-2 drops of essential oil in one tablespoon of carrier oil. Keep blend away from their hands as those tend to end up in their mouths.
• When creating a blend that will be used on the face, such as a blend of eucalyptus radiata and lavender, use no more than 3-4 drops of essential oil in one tablespoon of carrier oil, and keep away from eyes.

Favorite essential oil recipes for headaches

5 drops peppermint and 5 drops lavender in one tablespoon of carrier oil for overall headache relief. Massage this into temples, neck, and shoulders. Rub onto abdomen in clockwise motion.4 drops each of geranium, lavender, and Roman chamomile in one tablespoon of carrier oil for hormonal imbalance headaches. Rub into lower abdomen, neck, and shoulders.2 drops each eucalyptus and lavender in one tablespoon of carrier oil for sinusitis blend for face.4 drops each rosemary, lavender and peppermint in one tablespoon of carrier oil for hangover headaches. Rub into temples and neck, and onto skin over stomach.4 drops each lavender, Roman chamomile and geranium in one tablespoon of carrier oil for headaches from anxiety, worry, or fear of any kind.

How quickly do essential oils help with a headache?

How quickly the essential oils will work depends on many factors, such as the cause of the headache, the overall health of the individual, and the quality of the essential oils being used. In my experience with clients and myself, I’ve seen a combination of peppermint and lavender essential oils get rid of a tension headache in 5 minutes or less. Headaches due to hormonal imbalances, digestive upset, or sinusitis can be tougher to alleviate, but with proper application of pure, high quality essential oils I’ve seen those types of headaches go away or be greatly reduced within 10-20 minutes.

Safety precautions for essential oils

I know there are many who encourage the use of undiluted essential oils on the skin or even taken internally via the mouth. I advise strongly against this practice, unless you are under the care of an experienced aromatherapist. Essential oils are very potent plant extracts that our bodies metabolize quickly. Our livers and kidneys are directly impacted by essential oils, and caution should be used with anything that could cause stress on these two organs. Also, because of the potency of essential oils, taking them directly into the mouth can cause damage to the lining of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach.Don’t use peppermint around newborns or infants under 6 months – it can impact their ability to breath properly.Pregnancy precautions: do not use peppermint or rosemary during pregnancy. For the first trimester do not use any essential oils, especially if there is a history of miscarriage. During 2nd and 3rd trimester a low dilution of lavender and Roman chamomile can be used (see recipes for massage blend for infants for proper dilution to use at this time).

What next?

If you're prone to headaches I suggest making yourself a headache relief toolkit for the types of headaches you get. We can also work together to create your very own headache relief blend based on your unique situation through a Private Aromatherapy session with me. I love working 1 on 1 with people to help them get back their lives and feel glorious. You can book a Private Aromatherapy session with me via the Contact page.