Peppermint Oil For Headaches & Migraines - A To Z Guide

Do you struggle with constant headaches or migraines? Are you sick of popping painkiller pills that don’t even seem to work?

If so, then you might want to try a more natural approach. Learn how to use peppermint oil for headaches and migraines, and stay away from those artificial over-the-counter painkillers.

Because whether you struggle with the occasional throbbing headache or are prone to frequent chronic migraines, it is important to have a natural pain relief remedy that works for you. 

While headaches may be a common ailment, they can be quite debilitating and disruptive if they increase in severity or occurrence. Make sure to monitor the severity and frequency of your headaches and migraines, and check in with your doctor if there has been a change. And while using essential oils like peppermint oil for headaches might help with pain relief, it is also important to note down headache and migraine triggers. To reduce triggers, try recording your symptoms and categorizing your headaches so you can accurately identify them and find the best method of pain relief for each type. 

Also Read - The Essentials Of Peppermint Oil

Types Of Headaches

Tension Headaches

Commonly caused or triggered by stress, tension headaches can vary in pain severity. However, the common tension headache is usually felt all over the body, with added sensitivity, aching, or soreness to the neck, forehead, or shoulder region.

Sinus Headaches

Sinus headaches are usually triggered by an inflammation in the sinus cavity during times of allergy flare-ups, illness, or dry weather. The mucus buildup in the sinus cavity can cause sinus pressure, which in turn converts to a sinus headache. 

Also Read - Top 15 Essential Oil For Inflammation

Sinus headaches are usually felt most in the cheekbones, forehead, or nose regions. Pain can also be felt in the region between the eyebrows. The pain is often described as deep and persistent pressure and can increase in severity with sudden head jerks or movements.

The key to relieving sinus headaches is to relieve the pressure from the mucus building in the sinus cavity.

Exertion Headaches

Exertion headaches usually occur after intense and tiring physical activity. They can feel like a high-pressurized throbbing on both sides of your head.

They can often be relieved with sleep, rest, and relaxation. Relaxing your muscles can relieve this headache and put you in a calm and tension-free state.

Migraines

Unlike your typical headaches, migraines are often more severe and debilitating for those who suffer from a chronic migraine condition. They can often be triggered by external environmental changes, stress, sleep deprivation, as well as other things. Migraines can cause throbbing pain on both sides of the head. The pain can also lead to dizziness, vomiting, nausea, and fatigue. 

Migraines can also cause the person to become more sensitive to light, sounds, or smell. Although the cause can be more varied for people with more complex conditions, migraines are often caused by changes in the brain or blood vessel constriction. 

Also Read - 11 Best Essential Oils For Sleep And Anxiety

Hormone Headaches

Mostly experienced by women, hormone headaches can occur when the person experiences hormone fluctuations. These types of headaches are usually linked to a woman’s hormone cycle which can be impacted by things like menstruation, pregnancy, menopause, and hormonal birth control, among other things. These disturbing factors can impact hormone levels and can in turn cause headaches. 

Some women also experience regular menstrual migraines, which are strong headaches that routinely come either before or during your period. 

Cluster Headaches

Although more rare than their other headache counterparts, cluster headaches can cause severe burning pain to those who suffer from it. Usually more apparent in males, people with cluster headaches can experience pain around or behind their eyes. Cluster headaches are often accompanied by facial inflammation, sweating, nasal congestion, drooping eyelids, and eye tearing. 

Hypertension Headaches

Hypertension headaches occur when the person’s blood pressure becomes incredibly high, usually over 180/110. These headaches are serious and should be attended to immediately by trying to lower your blood pressure. Symptoms like vision changes, chest pain, dizziness, low focus, nosebleeds, or hyperventilation can accompany hypertension headaches. These headaches usually feel like a pulsating pressured pain on both sides of the head. 

Also Read - Best Essential Oils For Headaches

Peppermint Oil For Headaches

Peppermint essential oil can alleviate fatigue, tension, or stress. The essential oil is also great at soothing muscle pain and easing body aches. Because of its menthol content, peppermint essential oil is especially good at relieving pain caused by headaches and migraines. The menthol in peppermint oil can have a cooling effect on the skin and muscles. 

As a result, peppermint oil can help relax and release tension in the muscles in the head, face, neck, temples, and shoulders. This release of this tension can help soothe tension headache pain as well as other types of headaches. The essential oil’s capacity to increase blood flow and promote circulation is also great at reducing pent-up pressure in the head region which can often cause headaches. 

Peppermint oil also has a refreshing, invigorating, minty scent. This scent can help stimulate the brain, reduce stress, and improve mood, which consequently can help reduce headache pain. Peppermint essential oil’s scent and properties can also help relieve congestion and promote easier breathing. This can help break down mucus buildup and alleviate sinus pressure, which in turn helps ease sinus headaches. 

Peppermint essential oil can also help relieve some of the other symptoms that can trigger headaches. This essential oil has been reported to support digestive health, reduce menstrual cramp pain, and ease stomach aches. 

Peppermint Oil For Migraines

Since migraines are stronger and more severe versions of headaches, peppermint oil can also be quite useful in providing pain relief or at least help easing some of the symptoms. 

Peppermint oil can help reduce and ease migraine side effects and accompanying symptoms like dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and more. The fresh scent of peppermint oil can be quite energy-boosting and can help reduce some of the fatigue people with migraines might feel. 

The essential oil’s scent can also help quell feelings of nausea or dizziness. Peppermint oil can also help calm your digestive system down, and help you avoid symptoms like vomiting.

By easing stomach aches, promoting better blood circulation, and easing tension and stress in the body and mind, peppermint oil can be quite the natural yet effective weapon against migraines.

How To Use Peppermint Oil For Headaches

Inhalation 

A great way to get the maximum effects of peppermint oil is to directly inhale the oil from the bottle. This way the scent and oil will be at its strongest - undiluted by any carrier oil - yet still used safely. 

You can also inhale the peppermint oil with steam. Simply add 5 drops of peppermint essential oil to a bowl of hot water. Place a towel over your head and lean in close to breathe in and inhale the peppermint oil steam.

Topical Application 

Dilute and topically apply peppermint oil to your temples, neck, shoulders, or head region to help relieve pressure, improve circulation, and relax muscles. Topically applying can also help reduce stress, improve digestive function, stabilize hormones, and ease menstrual cramp pain, which can in turn help reduce headaches. 

You can even use peppermint essential oil in roll-on form for easier, more on-the-go application. 

Diffusion

Diffuse a couple drops of peppermint oil to help improve mood, reduce stress, and ease fatigue. 

How To Use Peppermint Oil For Migraine

Inhaling, diffusing, and topically applying peppermint oil can help ease migraine pain and symptoms. 

You can also try mixing a couple drops of peppermint oil with a carrier oil to create your own massage oil. You can topically apply this massage oil to your head or temple region to relieve pressure and help ease headache pain. You can also topically apply this mixture to your abdomen or stomach region to ease nausea and vomiting, as well as help calm your stomach.