Aromatherapy has been used to relieve stress and pain for thousands of years and is usually safe, although there isn’t much scientific evidence to prove its efficacy. A lack of research studies on essential oils doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t work, says Yufang Lin, MD, an internal medicine doctor at the Center for Integrative Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. In many cases, these oils just haven’t been studied to find out if they’re effective because of lack of funding or other reasons, Dr. Lin says. “For example, peppermint oil has been classically used for migraine headaches, yet there’s not a lot of studies on it; as herbalists, we know that certain herbs can benefit you because of their mechanism.” Essential oils are considered a complementary therapy, which means they’re used in addition to standard medical care. Check with your doctor first if you’re interested in using aromatherapy to treat headaches or migraine. You can find out more about aromatherapy and locate a qualified aromatherapist on the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) website.
How Are Essential Oils Made?
Essential oils are extracted from plants. They’re made in one of two ways, distillation or expression. In distillation, hot steam is used to release the compounds from the plants and then passes through a cooling system where the steam is converted back into water. Once the mixture cools, the oil floats to the top. Citrus oils are often made through expression, a method where no heat is used. Instead, the oil is forced out using high mechanical pressure.
What Can Essential Oils Do for Migraine or Headache?
The relationship between scents and the brain is complicated, says Lin. “For some people with migraine, strong odors can actually trigger an attack, and so essential oils or scents should be used very carefully,” she says. If you’re in the middle of a migraine attack or a headache, any scent, even one you typically find calming, can be bothersome if it’s too strong, says Lin. “It could be too stimulating. You might need to dilute the oil more than you normally would for day-to-day use if you’re using it for migraine,” she says. “Classically, when we’re thinking about migraine, migraine attacks tend to be triggered by things like stress, not getting enough sleep, or when there’s some strong environmental stimulants like bright light or sounds,” says Lin. Part of migraine prevention is trying to minimize those things, she says. “Since stress and anxiety and tension are big triggers for headaches in general, things that reduce stress and anxiety can also potentially reduce headaches,” she says. Essential oils shouldn’t replace doctor-prescribed migraine therapy, but there are some small studies to show that some types of essential oils may reduce the frequency or severity of migraine, says Lin.
Lavender May Reduce the Severity of Migraine Pain
There is research to show that lavender has benefits for anxiety and stress as well as in reducing the severity and frequency of migraines, says Lin. A study published in European Neurology showed that people with diagnosed migraine who inhaled the scent of lavender essential oil for 15 minutes while they had a headache experienced a greater reduction in headache severity than people in a control group who did not inhale lavender.
Peppermint Is Used for Headaches and Other Types of Pain
This essential oil can be inhaled, applied to the skin after being diluted with a neutral oil, or taken by mouth in very small doses. Some pain studies show that peppermint oil used as aromatherapy for headache may allow people to use fewer pain medications. “Peppermint has menthol in it, and menthol has long been used as an analgesic; it numbs the pain by triggering the pain fibers,” says Lin. Triggering the pain fibers “supersedes the actual sensation of the headache pain,” she explains. Peppermint oil has been shown to improve tension headaches and is considered a standard treatment for acute headaches, according to a 2016 review published in the journal Der Schmerz (Pain). “Peppermint is also used to reduce anxiety; it calms the nervous system without sedating people,” says Lin.
Rosemary May Help With Migraine Pain and Anxiety
Essential oil of rosemary may be added to a base, or neutral, oil and rubbed into the skin. It can also be added to bathwater. Avoid contact with the eyes or any open cuts. In a very small study, rosemary was shown to reduce migraine, says Lin. A review of rosemary’s effect on the nervous system published in 2020 in the Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences found that rosemary was “a worthy source” for curing inflammation and as an analgesic, a memory-booster, and an anti-anxiety remedy.
Gingerroot Reduces Nausea
“Ginger is great for nausea, although my experience with ginger is mostly through teas or food. I’m not really sure as an essential oil it gives the same benefit, though I don’t think there’s any harm trying it,” says Lin. The research on using ginger oil for nausea is mixed. A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2017 found that people who inhaled the scent after abdominal surgery reported less nausea and vomiting than subjects in the placebo group. On the other hand, research published in 2016 in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine found no benefit for a blend of ginger, peppermint, spearmint, and cardamom oils when used on children experiencing postoperative nausea and vomiting. “Usually when we’re thinking of using ginger to help with nausea for stomach issues, we’re thinking ginger tea, sucking on a ginger lozenge, or taking a ginger supplement,” says Lin.
Bergamot and Frankincense May Help You Avoid Migraine Triggers
Bergamot and frankincense can be used to reduce anxiety, support the stress response, and maybe help people sleep better, and so from that perspective you can certainly use these scents. Bergamot oil is made from a type of orange tree. It has an intense, lemony aroma that’s been used for both pain and anxiety, so it could also be a helpful headache treatment. Bergamot oil aroma is inhaled — some researchers believe that scent receptors in the nose react to essential oils by sending messages to the brain that cause relaxation, similar to the way medications work. Frankincense essential oil is distilled from the resin of Boswellia carteri, a tree native to the Arabian Peninsula and northeastern Africa. In a study published in the Journal of Oleo Science in 2019, researchers found the effect of frankincense on sleep-deprived rats suggested that it “may be beneficial in the management of stress.” In addition, extracts of Boswellia serrata have been found to have anti-inflammatory properties, and some medical providers are starting to use Boswellia (usually from compounding pharmacies, which can dispense standardized formulations) for their headache patients who respond to NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). The benefit of using Boswellia in place of NSAIDs is to avoid NSAIDs’ adverse effects on the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys.
Eucalyptus May Help Relieve Pain
According to a review published in August 2015 in the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, eucalyptus oil has been used to regulate and activate the nervous system for nerve pain, headache, and “debility.” Full-strength essential oil of eucalyptus should not be taken by mouth or rubbed on the skin; it should be diluted first. A case report published in January 2020 in Cephalalgia Reports suggested that daily use might be too much: A teenage boy with migraine initially found relief by applying a mixture of camphor and eucalyptus to his forehead. As his headaches went from occasional to daily, however, he began to apply the essential oil mixture every day. Only when he stopped using the essential oils did his headache subside.
Artificial Scents May Be More Likely to Trigger a Headache Than to Calm One
If you have headaches or migraine, beware of candles that are scented to smell like an essential oil, says Lin. “You may want to avoid those, because they often have artificial scents rather than true essential oils — they can often be stronger and more irritating,” she says. Plug-in scents that are artificial are also a big no-no, she adds.
What to Look for When Buying Essential Oils
There are things to look for to make sure you’re buying high-quality oil, says Nancy J. Rodgers, a certified massage therapist and aromatherapist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, including the following:
Organic oils are typically better than nonorganic; make sure the product has a USDA certified organic label.Read the label. It should include the country of origin, where the plant came from, the Latin name, as well as how the oil was extracted. Safety data should be included as well.The oil should be sold in a dark blue or amber bottle, because the darkness protects the aromatic and therapeutic properties of the oil.
