IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD

Lucky are those who have never experienced a headache in their life. Nowadays, it is questionable whether there are any at all. If you are one of these people, this is not the text for you. Keep doing what you do, it seems to work! Unfortunately, chances are slim you’re that person. KAIAA, thankfully, has tips on how to make your life easier when the pain starts crawling into your head. When it gets difficult to focus on anything but the pain itself. Suddenly everything is a nuisance, any form of enthusiasm falls into the background. We want the pain to go away, to set us free. To stop interfering our everyday life.

ONE HEAD, VARIETY OF ACHES

The head can ache in various ways and in all different places. People have headaches due to stress or insomnia. Or due to too much screen time. That excruciating neck and shoulder tension due to improper posture. Some will recognize themselves as meteoropaths and say that their headaches indicate a change in the weather. Or that extra glass of wine is the perpetrator of a lousy morning. Observe your habits, try to assess why the pain is there. As you do this, KAIAA has some helpful tips.

PEPERMINT IS ALWAYS THE RIGHT CHOICE

Peppermint essential oil is the first choice to help with headaches. You won't ever go wrong with peppermint. When it comes to headaches, peppermint essential oil can give you headache relief on its own. You can also combine it with other essential oils for additional effects. Here are some possible applications of peppermint essential oil when the head is sore.

Inhalation in the old-fashioned way - straight from the bottle

Open the bottle and hold it under one nostril. Press with your finger and close the other nostril. Inhale and exhale several times, then switch sides. As you do this, try to keep your inhale and exhale equally long. Test whether inhaling and exhaling through your nose suits you better, or inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. You can also close your eyes. Pay attention to the scent of peppermint, to its freshness. Try to think as little as possible about the pain - focus on the scent and breathing. Repeat the process several times and check if the intensity of pain has changed. Be careful not to touch the nose with the bottle, the pure essential oil should never come into direct contact with the skin.

Inhalation in a modern way – in a diffuser or aroma lamp

Add 5 to 10 drops of peppermint essential oil to the diffuser or aroma lamp. Sit comfortably near the diffuser - you can sit, lie down, take any position that does not increase your pain. When the diffuser starts to disperse a cloud of tiny drops of oil around the space, focus on your own breathing. Close your eyes, try to put your focus away from the pain. Let the inhale and exhale last for the same amount of time. Breathe through your nose or mouth - whichever suits you best.

Caution! 

• Avoid this method of using the essential oil if you have chronic respiratory disorders such as asthma (if you do suffer from asthma, we recommend you read on, we might have a relief for you).

Massage blend

The analgesic effect of peppermint is easy to blend into a massage oil blend. Try this simple recipe:

• 10 ml of base oil, (i.e. 100 percent pure almond or coconut oil (approximately two teaspoons)
• 3 to 6 drops of peppermint essential oil

After mixing well the essential oil with base oil, gently massage the mixture into your temples. Make sure the mixture does not come into direct contact with the eyes. After massaging the temple area, move on to the forehead area. If you feel tension in both your neck and shoulders, massage them as well. Massage the most painful points as well. Detailed instructions on how to massage the face can be found here. You can also do all this with your eyes closed, breathing deeply and evenly.

PEPPERMINT IS NOT THE ONLY ONE

Depending on what you attribute your headache to, you can add other oils to the diffuser or massage mixture. Here are some examples:

• true lavender essential oil will have a calming effect and reduce tension
• the essential oil of rosemary or lemon will stimulate circulation
• Himalayan cedar essential oil will reduce puffiness

Be careful when diluting essential oils in the base oil when doing massage mixtures - 6 drops of essential oil per 10 ml of base is more than enough.

Caution! 

• Avoid adding pepperimt essential oil into your difusser blend if you have chronic respiratory disorders such as asthma.

HEADACHE AS A WARNING

We cannot talk about a headache as a cause, but as a symptom or alarm. The pain is a warning sign, as if some alarm is being set off. Trust yourself and listen to your body. Try to recognize in which situations you have headaches, and what sets them off. If you experience the pain several times a week, they are long-lasting and very painful - seek for medical help. If they are stubborn, stress related headaches, KAIAA can relieve you naturally, safely, and easily. Give nature a chance, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.