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’ve spent significant time trying to identify the cause, it remains a mystery. Painkillers don’t do much for her. Up until recently, her preferred method of treatment has been a long shower and a nap.
My wife isn’t 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. They can be accompanied by nausea and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. My grandmother used to get migraines that knocked her out for days.
Migraines are especially debilitating.
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’t miraculously disappear, but it did significantly improve.
Lavender and Migraines
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. 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.
Seventy-four percent of participants who used the lavender oil experienced reduced migraine symptoms. The symptom reduction was much more pronounced in the lavender group than in the placebo group. The researchers concluded that “Inhalation of lavender essential oil may be an effective and safe treatment modality in acute management of migraine headaches.”
How does lavender compare to other migraine treatments? Let’s take a look.
*A high dose of Tylenol is 52% effective (it helps 52% of people who take it).
*Ibuprofen is 57% effective.
*Sumatriptan (the most commonly prescribed headache medicine) is 59% effective.
*Sumatriptan injections (used in emergency rooms) are 70% effective.
Compared to these meds, lavender’s 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.
Note: For references, see the article posted at www.LifeandHealth.org.
(Submitted by Betty Dean. Written by Jon Ewald, MD. Used by permission from www.LifeandHealth.org. Courtesy of LifeSpring – Resources for Hope and Healing Stuart, VA)
