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Did you know 10 million people in the UK suffer from migraines? Despite their prevalence, migraines are often misdiagnosed as "really bad headaches" and nothing more. Migraines can last for days and cause other nasty symptoms like nausea, sensitivity to light, noise, movement, and smell.  

If you or someone you love suffers from this condition, you've likely searched for solutions to migraines due to their severity. Feel like you've tried it all but aren't getting anywhere? If you haven't considered using essential oils for migraines, maybe it's time to give them a try. 

Want to know how and why essential oils may help relieve migraine symptoms? Keep reading! We have compiled a list of which essential oils are best for migraines and why. 

Types of Migraines

Before we get into the use of essential oils to help relieve migraine symptoms, let's discuss a few of the migraine types. Each type can have similar symptoms and vary in severity. 

Without Aura

A migraine without aura is usually referred to as a "common migraine." Like the descriptor alludes to, it's the most common type. Symptoms of this type of migraine include a moderate to severe pulsing headache on one side of the head aggravated by activity. Nausea, sensitivity to light and sound are also typical.  

With Aura

A migraine with aura usually comes with various symptoms before the headache. You may experience visual disturbances, like flashing lights, or you may lose vision for a short period. Some people lose the ability to speak for short periods as well. Feelings of tingling, numbness and weakness are also common in migraine with aura. 

This type of migraine is less common than migraine without aura. If you experience migraine with aura and feel it is an emergency, it's always a good idea to get checked out by a healthcare professional. 

Chronic

Migraines are considered chronic when you have them for fifteen days a month or more over three months or more. If you only get the occasional migraine, they can eventually develop into chronic migraines over time. Changes in hormones, increased or lingering stress can cause these headaches to last for more extended periods. 

How to Use Essential Oils for Migraines and Headaches

You can use essential oils in a variety of ways. If you are hoping to use essential oils to help migraine headaches, applying an essential oil mixture on the temples or diffusing a calming scent can potentially alleviate your migraine symptoms. 

If you have any concerns, consult your doctor or healthcare professional before trying essential oils as a migraine reliever. They may give you some direction regarding your essential oil options.  

Topically

Adding essential oils to a bath is a way to reap their benefits. You can also add certain essential oils to rollers and apply as needed. Try not to apply pure essential oils directly to the body though, mix them with one of our Skintox products to avoid direct contact and potential irritation from the pure oils.

Aromatically 

This is the most common way people use essential oils. You can evaporate the concentrated oil over a candle or add it to an aroma diffuser. Breathing in the scent of specific essential oils can help boost your mood, relax you, and yes, even help with headaches. 

Internally

While some people ingest essential oils, we do not suggest this without speaking to a health professional first. A health care professional will be better able to guide you through whether or not this process is right for you. 

Try These Essential Oils for Migraines

If you are interested in trying essential oils for migraines, some might work better than others. Purchase high-quality oils when you can. A company, like ours, that is 100% transparent about where they source their essential oils can give you peace of mind. 

Below we compiled a list of some essential oils you can use to help relieve migraines. 

Lavender

Studies have shown that lavender can be used as a mood stabilizer and may effectively treat headaches when inhaled through aromatherapy. In this study, when participants inhaled lavender for fifteen minutes, ninety-two out of one hundred and twenty-nine participants responded in some way to the lavender essential oil. 

This scent is great for soothing migraine triggers like stress, as it's known to be quite relaxing. Many people use lavender as a sleep aid as well. 

Peppermint

Peppermint contains menthol, which is known for its pain-relieving properties. Multiple studies have tested the use of methol for migraine relief. In one such study, participants were to apply methol gel at the base of their skull to see if it would help with their headache severity. 

Applying peppermint topically to areas of pain can help provide some relief. Peppermint can cause skin irritation, so best add it to a carrier oil, or better yet, one of our Skintox products, before applying directly to the skin. 

Ginger

According to a review done in 2018, Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and can be used as an effective migraine treatment. It also has many other benefits, like treating throat infections and nausea. Pop a few drops of ginger essential oil into your diffuser and see if it works for you!

Mixing Essential Oils

At Smellacloud, we create some of our own blends to help our customers with specific issues. We have an essential oil recipe for relaxation, and meditation, among other things. 

Put these mixtures in one of our diffusers, and you can start enjoying their gorgeous scents today!

What Smellacloud Essential Oils Will You Try?

Now you know how to use essential oils for migraines! There are plenty of options and different scents you can use to feel relief when your head is pounding. Essential oils are an excellent natural remedy for migraines, headaches, stress and more. 

As mentioned, if you have any questions or concerns about using essential oils for your migraines, it's a good idea to reach out to a healthcare provider. Avoid ingesting essential oils and apply topically when added to carrier oil. 

At Smellacloud, we believe relaxation is a superpower, and we want to share that feeling with our customers. You can learn all about us and the essential oils we have to offer on our website. How much better would your world be if you were more relaxed?