Herbal Headache Relief

In today’s modern world, with its incessant noise, barrage of electronic media, near-constant stimulation, emotional upheavals, and incredibly stressful demands on your time and energy, many people suffer from tension headaches, and who can blame them? In general, tension headaches are caused by excessive stress, resulting in tight muscles, throbbing nerves, and constricted circulation. They affect the temple region on either side of the head, the forehead, and the back of the head at the base of the skull. People who have experienced trauma to the neck region tend to experience headaches most frequently in this region.

Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and nervine herbs release tension, especially when combined with the aromatically relaxing effect of essential oils. So before you reach for an over-the-counter NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug), such as ibuprofen, to combat your pain, try a plant-based remedy first. Often a short nap, a little quiet time, a refreshing beverage, and a soothing herbal headache massage oil or balm are just what’s needed to obtain significant relief and well-being.

Pay attention to your stress level and your body’s reaction to it and learn how to manage your stress or you may find yourself suffering from frequent headaches. My favorite tried-and-true methods of dealing with tension headaches are long, slow walks along a woodland trail; 15 minutes of flowing yoga; a nap with a cold compress or gel pad on my forehead or a chilled lavender and buckwheat eye pillow laid across my eyes and cheeks; or simply weeding in my garden. The stress just melts away as my focus is on something else entirely and the environment is exquisitely quiet.

Constipation and Headaches 
I feel I must say this … make sure that your bowels move regularly, at least twice per day, as often the cause of chronic headaches, of whatever variety, is simply constipated bowels. Constipation causes the colon to swell and put pressure on your spine, various organs, and major blood vessels and nerves, which can result in aches and pain of all kinds, including headaches.

This is serious medicine here — Mother Nature at her finest. Once again, the aromatic lavender flower comes to the rescue, delivering powerful pain relief with a gentle, relaxing hand. Combine that with the analgesic, cooling refreshment of peppermint and the anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties of birch and you have an effective natural formula that is very concentrated yet extremely safe. Note: This is an aromatherapeutically concentrated formula, so use only by the drop as directed.

8 drops peppermint essential oil
8 drops birch essential oil
1 tablespoon lavender essential oil
1 tablespoon jojoba base oil

EQUIPMENT: Dark glass bottle with dropper top or screw cap
PREP TIME: 15 minutes, plus 24 hours to synergize
YIELD: 2 tablespoons
STORAGE: Store at room temperature, away from heat and light; use within 2 years
APPLICATION: 2 or 3 times per day Add the peppermint and birch essential oils drop by drop directly into a storage bottle. Add the lavender essential oil and jojoba base oil. Screw the top on the bottle and shake vigorously for 2 minutes to blend. Label the bottle and place in a dark location that’s between 60° and 80°F for 24 hours so that the oils can synergize.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: Shake well before each use. Massage 1 drop into each temple, 2 drops into the base of the neck, and 2 drops into the forehead region. Next, place 3 drops in one palm, rub your palms together to warm the oil, then close your eyes and inhale the vapors from your cupped hands. Breathe slowly and deeply for a few minutes. Your tension headache should begin to melt away. Bonus This potent antiseptic and antiinflammatory formula can be applied by the drop to cuts and scrapes, insect bites and stings, blisters, boils, ingrown hairs, ingrown toenails, hangnails, puncture wounds, and bedsores and skin ulcers.

HERBAL FOOT SOAK FOR HEADACHE RELIEF

Want a quick and utterly simple remedy for a tension headache? Take a load off and soak your feet in cold water for a spell. It draws blood from your head, easing the heat and muscular tightness that are causing your headache. With the addition of peppermint plus lavender or geranium essential oil to your foot soak, you’ll receive energetically balancing and cooling aromatherapeutic benefits throughout your body, all the while softening and deodorizing your rough, tired feet.

2 teaspoons vegetable glycerin
5 drops lavender or geranium essential oil
3 drops peppermint essential oil

EQUIPMENT: Small bowl, stirring utensil, plastic foot tub
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
YIELD: 1 treatment
STORAGE: Do not store; mix as needed
APPLICATION: As desired Combine the glycerin with the essential oils in a small bowl, such as a custard cup, and stir thoroughly to mix.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: Pour the oil blend into a foot tub with enough very cold water (and maybe a few ice cubes) to cover your feet and ankles. Swish with your feet to blend. Soak your feet for 10 to 15 minutes, with your eyes closed, and breathing deeply and regularly. Briskly dry your feet with a thick, rough towel and follow with an application of a peppermint foot lotion or your favorite moisturizer. Both Save- My-Skin-Salve and Buttery Coconut Balm work wonders to help keep feet soft and comfortable.

ST. JOHN’S WORT BLESSED RELIEF DROPS

For those of you who get throbbing headaches that concentrate in the neck region, this formula is your herbal blessing of relief. Fresh and aromatic St. John’s wort–infused oil combines with slightly camphorous spike lavender essential oil, with its antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and nervine properties, to deliver welcome comfort to tense muscles and spasmodic nerves. This recipe calls for only a small amount of St. John’s wort–infused oil. If you’ve made some at home, great. If not, then purchase a small bottle from your local health food store or herbal supplier. But I do recommend that you always have at least a cup of this multipurpose infused oil on hand — fresh and homemade is best, and much less expensive!

30 drops spike lavender essential oil
¼ cup St. John’s wort–infused oil

EQUIPMENT: Dropper, dark glass bottle with dropper top or screw cap
PREP TIME: 15 minutes, plus 24 hours to synergize
YIELD: Approximately ¼ cup
STORAGE: Store at room temperature, away from heat and light; use within 1 year
APPLICATION: 2 or 3 times per day Add the spike lavender essential oil drop by drop directly into a storage bottle. Add the St. John’s wort–infused oil. Screw the top on the bottle and shake vigorously for 2 minutes to blend. Label the bottle and place in a dark location that’s between 60° and 80°F for 24 hours so that the oils can synergize.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: Shake well before each use. When you feel a tension headache coming on, massage several drops of this oil blend into the nape of your neck, your shoulders, and top of your spine, or better yet, have someone else do it combined with 5 minutes of gentle massage. Lie down, close your eyes, and breathe deeply for 20 minutes, if possible. Bonus This blend can be applied to arthritic fingers and wrists, bedsores or skin ulcers, blisters, shingles, hemorrhoids, sciatica, spinal injuries, bruises, and inflamed muscles, joints, and tendons. It’s a truly multipurpose formula that should be in everyone’s medicine chest.