While pure peppermint essential oil has a wide variety of medicinal and aromatherapy uses, it excels as a natural remedy for all kinds of headaches. As an aromatherapy oil its fragrance is invigorating and it can enhance focus as well as enhance mood. While this effect alone won’t treat the symptoms of various types of headaches, it can reduce levels of stress which are thought to be one of the contributive causes of tension headaches.

Relief For All Kinds Of Headaches

Peppermint oil for headache treatment is effective for both occasional and frequent headaches. Before we discuss the methods for peppermint headache remedies, let’s look at some of the various types of headaches and their symptoms. The most common headache is known as a tension headache. For people who infrequently experience headaches brought on by stress, exertion, or exhaustion these are all examples of occasional tension headaches.

Some people suffer from more chronic stress-related headaches. These may be daily or in some serious cases multiple times a day. Natural relief can come quickly from ‘neat’—or undiluted—peppermint essential oil applied directly to the temples and massaged into the skin. This is the fastest and most powerful method of headache relief that peppermint essential oil provides and it will potently relieve the symptoms of both chronic and occasional headaches, though it does come with a brief warning.

Used neat, essential oils are highly concentrated. They can cause irritation for many people when applied directly to skin and this is a concern when applied as a headache remedy. To dilute your powerful pure peppermint oil but still get the benefits of quick, effective, and natural relief mix 3 drops of pure peppermint essential oil with a tablespoon of your favorite carrier oil. The mixture can be dabbed onto the forehead or temples as needed and is safely diluted. If after thirty minutes you still don’t experience symptom relief, reapply the mixture.

Headaches And Circulation

Tension headaches are often not as debilitating or as painful as the dreaded migraine headache. Migraines are often brought on by poor blood flow andour diluted peppermint essential oil can still be effective in treating the pain associated with migraine headaches. Peppermint oil has vasodilating characteristics when applied topically—it relaxes blood vessels. The effective compounds in pure peppermint oil penetrate the skin and relax blood vessels below. Relaxed blood vessels encourage normal and healthy blood flow and this in turn leads to vanishing pain.

In fact, many kinds of headaches are brought on by poor blood flow, so this remedy should be close at hand if you frequently suffer from severe headaches. Due to peppermint’s vasodilating characteristics, it can also be applied to sore or overexerted muscles post workout or in the evening. The increase in circulation will provide relief from soreness and bring fresh blood into the affected area.