My wife often gets throbbing headaches in the afternoon or evening. They seem to appear out of nowhere, leaving her huddled on the couch in intense pain. Although we\u2019ve spent significant time trying to identify the cause, it remains a mystery. Painkillers don\u2019t do much for her. Up until recently, her preferred method of treatment has been a long shower and a nap.<\/p>\n
My wife isn\u2019t alone. Many Americans suffer from headaches and migraines without understanding the cause of their pain. To make matters worse, painkillers are often ineffective. Migraines are especially debilitating. For some reason, these painful headaches are 3 times more common in women than in men.[1]<\/a><\/sup> They can be accompanied with nausea and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. My grandmother used to get migraines that knocked her out for days.<\/p>\n On a recent vacation, my wife and I were introduced to the idea of using lavender as a treatment. She decided to give it a try. The next time she had a bad headache, she rubbed some lavender oil on her temples. Within a few minutes she felt much better. The headache didn\u2019t miraculously disappear, but it did significantly improve.<\/p>\n Lavender and Migraines <\/strong><\/p>\n In 2012, the first study of the effects of lavender oil on migraines was published. Researchers asked participants to use lavender oil during the onset of a headache and record their pain levels at 30-minute intervals for 2 hours.[2]<\/a><\/sup> They were not allowed to use any painkillers during this time. To use the lavender oil, participants put 2 to 3 drops on their upper lips and inhaled the vapors for 15 minutes.[3]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n Seventy-four percent of participants who used the lavender experienced reduced migraine symptoms. The symptom reduction was much more pronounced in the lavender group than in the placebo group. The researchers concluded that \u201cInhalation of lavender essential oil may be an effective and safe treatment modality in acute management of migraine headaches.\u201d[4]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n How does lavender compare to other migraine treatments? Let\u2019s take a look.[5]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n Compared to these meds, lavender\u2019s 74% effectiveness is very impressive. Besides being at least as effective as other (more conventional) treatments, lavender is safe, natural, and easy to use. It probably smells a lot better too. So next time you or someone you love has a headache, give lavender oil a try.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n References:<\/p>\n [1]<\/a> \u201cMigraine.\u201d Text. Accessed January 15, 2015. http:\/\/www.nlm.nih.gov\/medlineplus\/migraine.html<\/a>.<\/p>\n [2]<\/a> Sasannejad, Payam, Morteza Saeedi, Ali Shoeibi, Ali Gorji, Maryam Abbasi, and Mohsen Foroughipour. \u201cLavender Essential Oil in the Treatment of Migraine Headache: A Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.\u201d European Neurology<\/em> 67, no. 5 (2012): 288\u201391. doi:10.1159\/000335249.<\/p>\n [3]<\/a> \u201cMigraine Relief with Lavender Essential Oil.\u201d Natural Health Research Institute<\/em>. Accessed January 13, 2015. http:\/\/www.naturalhealthresearch.org\/32475\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n [4]<\/a> Sasannejad, Payam, Morteza Saeedi, Ali Shoeibi, Ali Gorji, Maryam Abbasi, and Mohsen Foroughipour. \u201cLavender Essential Oil in the Treatment of Migraine Headache: A Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.\u201d European Neurology<\/em> 67, no. 5 (2012): 288\u201391. doi:10.1159\/000335249.<\/p>\n [5]<\/a> \u201cLavender for Migraine Headaches | NutritionFacts.org.\u201d Accessed January 13, 2015. http:\/\/nutritionfacts.org\/video\/lavender-for-migraine-headaches\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n