Wouldn’t it be great if, after getting a headache, you could close your eyes and it would melt away? Unfortunately, life doesn’t work that way. Instead, you become stubborn, irritated, and dwell on the discomfort when you experience a headache. The pain is manageable, but frustrating, unless of course you have a migraine.
Some people immediately resort to over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers to help curb the pain of the headache. The most common OTC pain relievers are aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and acetaminophen. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns consumers of OTC pain meds to take them with caution. Improper usage of them can cause liver damage, serious illness, and increase the risk of drug misuse and abuse.
Should you want to try and naturally get rid of your headaches, there are several methods that may provide relief. One such method is by gently massaging this homemade peppermint pine headache salve to your temples, shoulder, and neck. We’ll explain how it may help by detailing three key ingredients below.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint essential oil is great for opening up the airways when you’re sick, but it may help you relieve headache pain. In fact, it is one of the most commonly used essential oils to treat headaches and migraine attacks. Researchers attribute this ability to the menthol in peppermint essential oil, as menthol helps relax muscles and eases pain. Applying a diluted peppermint essential oil topically may alleviate headache pain and reduce the severity of migraine attacks.
Mint
How does mint differ from the aforementioned peppermint essential oil? Believe it or not, the topical application of mint helps numb the area slightly. Topical application of mint has been effective at alleviating acute pain from tension headaches and migraine attacks. It is, however, important to apply it in the early stages before the headache or migraine attack takes a turn for the worse. Researchers believe that mint may stimulate inflamed nerve cells to activate a protein that counteracts the inflammatory connection to headaches. Additionally, drinking mint tea can calm an uneasy or upset stomach that can accompany headaches.
Pine Needles
Pine needles are fresh, fragrant, and typically associated with the holidays and winter season. That said, pine needles are beneficial to your health year-round. According to research, pine needles are naturally rich in vitamins A and C, two nutrients that are essential for many bodily functions. Traditionally, though, pine needles were used to soothe arthritic joint pain. Certain countries even filled mattresses with pine needles, so that people could soothe their joints during sleep. Research notes that pine needles have pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. They may be able to reduce joint and muscle pain, which excites scientists!
Peppermint Pine Headache Salve
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons dried mint leaves, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons dried pine needles, chopped
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tamanu oil
- 1/2 ounce beeswax
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint essential oil
Instructions:
- The first step is to infuse the mint leaves and pine needles into the olive oil. To do so, you can add the mint, pine needles, and oil to a jar, cover it, and store it in your windowsill for about three weeks.
- That will take a while, but it is very easy. You then strain the oil through a fine mesh sieve to discard the mint and pine needles.
- The other option is to place the mint, pine needles, and oil in a heat-safe glass measuring cup and add that to a saucepan with a couple inches of water over low heat. The infusion process should take about an hour or so, after which you strain the oil.
- When ready to make the salve, combine a half-cup of the infused oil with the tamanu and beeswax in the top of a double boiler over medium-low heat. Warm until all the ingredients are fully melted.
- Remove from heat and then stir in the peppermint essential oil. Carefully pour the mixture into tins or jars and allow the mixture to solidify at room temperature.
- Use when you first notice signs of a headache, massaging a small amount into your temples, shoulders, or neck. The shelf life of this salve is about six to nine months in a cool, dry place.
