Nov 16, 2015 3 min read

For most of my teenage years and all of my adult life, I have suffered from chronic headaches and migraines. Lots of things trigger them, including allergies, weather changes and stress. I have seen specialists, had multiple MRI’s, and a couple of whichever of those tests it is where the doctor puts tons of heavily glued electrodes into your hair while they flash lights in your face. That test can trigger a migraine!

I have been ­­­­treated with daily prescription medicines, some of which made me jittery and testy. I have tried dark rooms, cool rags, relaxation, meditation and keeping the house as quiet as possible with three children and a plethora of animals running around.

For many years, I found great success in the use of plain-old, generic ibuprofen. At the onset of a headache, I’d take three or four of the 200mg tablets and POOF! Migraine averted.

It was wonderful.

But then, during some routine blood work last spring, I discovered that my liver function was a bit low. Due to concerns that my consistent ibuprofen use could be contributing, my doctor suggested I pull back a little bit from it. It was also recommended that I go back to the neurologist.

In a desperate bid to avoid more medication (and a $100 copay), I first sought a natural solution. After asking around for a while, I decided to try essential oils that I had heard were beneficial for treating migraine headaches. I bought some, and was pleasantly surprised at their success rate. I would estimate that over the course of the next 10 headaches I had, the oil alone was sufficient in getting rid of them seven times. I had to take ibuprofen the other three; but that is still quite a significant reduction.

I have since invested in and used several other oils for many purposes and have been as pleased or more in their effectiveness. (Now I need an oil that can fix my oil addiction!)

Since summer, when I began using the oils, I have heard of another treatment for headaches, which I am considering, though with some additional reservations. Called a “daith piercing,” it is an ear piercing in the ear’s innermost cartilage fold. Based on the principles of acupuncture, anecdotal reports suggest that it can have lasting effects in the prevention of migraines.

Prevention.

That is the word that makes me most inclined to consider the piercing. All of the other things I have mentioned are treatments after the fact. After the dull ache turns into sharp pain. After the black spots start floating in front of my eyes. After the nausea and dizziness have set in. Prevention,though? That is something I could get on board with.

I haven’t done any research to see if there is any science to back up the anecdotes. I haven’t read up to see if there are side effects to the piercing, or if it is painful in and of itself. My luck, the piercing would get infected and would be quite sore.

Though there’s probably an oil for that, too.

Laura Zoeller can be reached at zoeller5@verizon.net.