Pill-Free Headache Relief

Hey there, friends! I hope the first few weeks of 2019 have been kind to you. Have you been working on your vision board? How are your “resolutions” or goals going? Have you missed days or started to slide? I have missed a few days in my Bible plan, but I caught up the next day. That is what’s important: don’t give up. Mistakes are inevitable – we are human – but we don’t have to give up when we slip.

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One of my ongoing goals is to remove chemicals, processed foods and as many medicines as possible and replace them with healthy, natural alternatives. I, of course, can’t stop taking my thyroid medicine, but finding alternatives to pain and anxiety medicines are on my radar.

Wading through all of the information is a headache… and that is what I’m going to discuss today: headache prevention/relief.

I’ve had strong headaches and migraines since my early teens. Most of the women on my mother’s side have them as well. Despite preventative medicine, I experience migraines, which I take another prescription to deal with that – and that doesn’t always remedy the migraine. Lots of meds on top of meds, not to mention the non-migraine headaches that I treat with over the counter medication.
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After a 2 week long migraine, I decided something else had to be done. I did not think the amount of medicine I was taking, just to get through the day, was healthy for my body. I had seen a specific ear piercing that was supposed to help migraines. It is the daith, or Tragus piercing. I had kept this in the back of mind “in case of emergency” and it was time to give it a try. What could it hurt?

What is the daith piercing? It is the piercing of the innermost cartilage of your ear. Some say it is effective due to being an acupuncture site, but some acupuncturists dispute this or say the site has nothing to do with headache relief.

Let’s be clear, the medical community does not support this piercing. No research has been performed, nor does western medicine believe there to be any reason for this piercing to provide relief. Any improvement is generally chalked up to the placebo effect (your own expectations cause the results you expect – real or imagined, or self-fulfilling prophecy).

Don’t forget that this is a piercing, with all of the usual associated risks: infection, allergic reaction to jewelry, nerve damage, and pain (duh!)

Despite the medical community poo-poo’ing the piercing I had heard good things and took the chance. I figured, even if it was placebo, I would still have relief – where is the harm? If it didn’t work, I could take it out, it’s not permanent.

I went to a highly recommended tattoo/piercing shop for my piercing. The piercing is pretty reasonably priced and can vary depending on the jewelry you choose. I am metal sensitive and requested gold jewelry, which increased the price I was put to ease at the cleanliness of the shop, the sterilization techniques used and how the piercer explained everything to me (sterilization, the piercing, aftercare, etc.).

Go Time! I laid down and prepared myself. She marked and cleaned my ear, then pushed the needle through. Honestly, it wasn’t that bad. It felt like heavy pressure to me. Then came the jewelry. That was the painful part. Be sure to breathe and focus on something else haha! Then it was over. I just had to wait until the bleeding stopped (about 5-10 min since I’m a bleeder) and then we went to dinner. No muss, no fuss.

From that day forward (mid-November) I haven’t had a true migraine, while I was in the middle of a two week streak when I got the piercing. I’ve had headaches, even strong ones, but almost never on the side of my head with the piercing, which I find interesting. Generally I forget about the piercing (until I go to scratch my ear and I experience a burning pain after I catch the hoop) so I find it difficult to accept the idea of “placebo effect” but I am not expert in the field.
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I do know this: it is worth the money, no matter the real or imagined effects. I haven’t missed a day of work in the two months I’ve had the piercing and I’m using less pain pills which makes me happy. I plan to have my other ear pierced once my first completely heals (approximately 9 months).

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If you are considering the daith piercing, know it may not work for you. Some online reviewers have said it doesn’t work for them, but medicines don’t work for everyone either. My body has rejected piercings also, because of the jewelry chosen or by not following my aftercare instructions properly. Find a reputable shop to administer your piercing – ask your friends and call around. This is not a time to be cheap! Do your homework first! Follow your aftercare instructions because the daith piercing is prone to growing keloids and other un-fun things.
Essential oils are another natural remedy I’ve turned to. Several oils are good for tension and pain, but one in particular is touted for migraines and headaches: M-Grain. It is a blend basil, marjoram, lavender, peppermint, Roman chamomile and helichrysum.
1.      Basil essential oil is calming and helps relieve stress. It is a natural analgesic and provides natural relief from discomfort.
2.      Marjoram essential oil is another pain reliever, and a vasodilator (expands your blood vessels which increases blood flow) which in turn helps headaches.
3.      Lavender essential oil is calming and soothing. In addition, lavender essential oil is analgesic (pain reducing), anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety, which aids with migraines and headaches.
4.      Peppermint essential oil is an analgesic and anti-inflammatory.
5.      Roman Chamomile essential oil is also known to be a pain reliever, and it also has a calming effect on your mood.
6.      Helichrysum has positive effects on your blood pressure and vessels. It is also known to reduce swelling and inflammation by improving circulation

I’m sure you’ve noticed a theme: all of the ingredients have pain-relieving qualities! I mix a drop or two of the M-Grain oil blend with 2-3 drops of Almond Oil and rub it on the back of my neck and temples. At the very least, the headache is taken down several notches to be more than tolerable. The other positive is that I haven’t poisoned my body with over-the-counter medicine. I do still take Naproxen Sodium if I need a little extra boost, but my intake has definitely decreased, and I try to completely avoid acetaminophen if at all possible.​

I hope this helps anyone who is on the fence about the daith/tragus piercing, and gives those trying to live a cleaner life without chemicals more ideas to live pain free.

Shop M-Grain here.

Let me know in the comments or through my “Contact Me” page if you have any questions about the piercing or the oil. I’m more than happy to give you more information about either.

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