Since I always have been somewhat of a mess physically AND emotionally, I have a lot to say about how essential oils have changed my life for the better. Since childhood I’ve suffered from an array of maladies…anxiety, panic attacks, asthma, frequent bronchitis and pneumonia, knee pain, lower back pain, joint pain, migraines, cluster headaches, sinus issues, etc. As I got older, I added more things to the list, such as PCOS, insulin resistance, weight gain that’s nearly possible to reverse, depression, more anxiety and panic attacks, subclinical hypothyroidism, early onset type 2 diabetes…and the list goes on. At one point I had high blood pressure and was on medication from 35-37 years of age. That one I was able to reverse by losing some weight, but I’m sure it has plans to be back someday!
This week, I want to share my experience with a tension blend with the hope that it might help someone else. 🙂 This is one that I never would have thought of trying but a local friend recommended it to me when I mentioned my frequent headaches. At first I felt like it helped, at least a little, but it wasn’t the miracle I’d hoped it would be. I also am not crazy about the scent–it’s very strong and would sting my eyes if I used it on my forehead and temples. I didn’t try it on the back of my head or neck because I didn’t want it in my hair, which I now realize was silly.
One thing I’ve learned about EOs in the past few months is that if I try something and it doesn’t give me the result I’d hoped for, I just need to try again in a different way. I’ve been familiar with EOs for years (I would use them when I’d make bath products almost 20 years ago) and have used this brand of oils since the summer of 2012, but only in the past few months have I really begun to (1) remember to reach for oils before conventional treatments and (2) put some effort into using oils correctly and persistently.
I didn’t reach for the tension blend for several weeks, but during a particularly bad migraine that didn’t respond to my usual drug cocktail, I decided I needed to give it another try. There are two spots on the back of the head, at the base of the skull, directly above the hairline. These muscles often will be sore during tension headaches and migraines. Sometimes rubbing these muscles extremely vigorously (as in, asking my husband to rub those spots as hard as he can) will help with the headache–but then that leaves the muscles *really* sore. Occasionally I will wake up with these muscles very sore and bruised-feeling, headache or not. Definitely not pleasant!
I found that applying the tension blend directly to these two spots offers nearly instant relief for me! I also apply it to the back of my neck, and all along the hairline at the base of my skull. I also inhale some of the Past Tense after applying it. I top it off with taking a few Peppermint Beadlets and it really works well! EOs are a bit like homeopathics in my experience; sometimes it’s necessary to repeat the process a few times over a few hours. Adding a little gentle massage after applying the oils is also very helpful for the most persistent tension headaches.
I haven’t used Motrin, Tylenol or Excedrin for a headache in weeks at this point, and I used to take something nearly daily. And as far as getting the blend in my hair, it’s no big deal. It evaporates quickly and doesn’t leave a noticeable residue.