Peppermint oil

I've mentioned this in the past but it really is VERY helpful for me and perhaps for you. I use Imitrex for a bad migraine but also put peppermint oil all over my head and it helps a lot. Also for those mild headache days when you know it's there but not quite enough to take Imitrex but Aleve doesn't help, peppermint oil helps for some reason. Do give it a try.

kem, an alternative practitioner told me about pepp. oil 35 years ago, and i've been using it ever since.  it does help, probably because of its action as a counter-irritant.  (you focus on the pleasant burning instead of your head pain).  just be very careful, whoever tries this, to not slop too much on your forehead, thus having it migrate into your eyes.

it burns like crazy in your eyes, but does not damage them.  after a minute or so, you will be able to open your eye(s) again.  DON'T DO IT WHILE DRIVING, which i have done multiple times and have even had to pull off the road because i couldn't open my eyes.  wait for the burn to diminish, and you're ok again.

i put it on my forehead, temples, and under my nose, too.  i buy a 4-oz. bottle of NOW brand (huge, for this kind of thing) and fill smaller dropper bottles with it.  one big bottle will last me several years.  i put about 30 drops in a hot bathtub on bad-head days, too.  hope this helps others.  dianne

Oh yes Dianne, I should have mentioned about being careful not to get it in your eyes. Glad you brought it up. Even getting it near can make the eyes water and burn a bit from the fumes. Do try it all over your head though not just on the forehead and temples. I almost soak my whole head with it and it helps so very much.

I sometimes use peppermint oil for aroma therapy, rather than spread on my skin. Decades ago, my sister put a little bit of peppermint oil into a tiny glass vial with a cork stopper. In another vial she did the same with a little bit of pennyroyal oil. Then she wrapped both vials in pulled apart cotton balls {puffs}, and put both wrapped vials into a small plastic pill vial with a screw on lid.

To use, I open the outer plastic pill vial, hold it under my nose, and inhale the vapors from the oils. It does help to reduce head pain, at least sometimes. My mother has a half ounce bottle of rosemary oil, that I use the same way, it also sometimes helps, (she bought it for her memory).

I do however, sometimes, spread Tei-Fu essential oils (available in a 5 ml bottle from Nature's Sunshine) on my forehead and temples (again keeping it well away from my eyes). Often under the wet, cold, bandanna that I tightly tie around my forehead. The contents are listed as: Safflower oil, menthol, wintergreen oil, camphor, and other essential oils.

I also have a 0.34 oz. bottle of a similar product called White Flower Analgesic Balm (I don't use it as often as the Tei-Fu oil). Active Ingredients: Wintergreen 40%; Menthol 15%: Camphor 6%. Other Ingredients: Lavender, Eucalyptus, Peppermint.

I have a third similar product (the packaging is written all in Asian characters) that I hardly ever use.

Sometimes I use all three on my forehead and temples, plus some Tea Tree oil for good measure, before tying on my wet bandanna.

My dr told me about this a long time ago. He said to apply peppermint oil first then apply ginger oil. It has never stopped a migraine for me but it seems to help with sinus headaches.