Essential oils and cluster headache: insights from two cases

Thomas Mathew; Saji Kaithavalappil John; Mahendra Vishwanath Javali

doi:10.1136/bcr-2021-243812

Essential oils and cluster headache: insights from two cases

BMJ Case Rep. 2021 Aug 9;14(8):e243812. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2021-243812.

Authors

Thomas Mathew¹, Saji Kaithavalappil John², Mahendra Vishwanath Javali³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, St John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India chakkuthom@hotmail.com.
² Department of Neurology, St John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
³ Department of Neurology, M S Ramaiah Academy of Health and Applied Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

Abstract

Essential oils with proconvulsive properties are known to cause seizures and may worsen migraine. Here, we report two cases of cluster headache temporally related to the use of toothpastes containing essential oils of camphor and eucalyptus.

Keywords: headache (including migraines); pain (neurology).

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Camphor
Cluster Headache* / chemically induced
Cluster Headache* / diagnosis
Cluster Headache* / drug therapy
Humans
Migraine Disorders*
Oils, Volatile* / adverse effects

Substances

Oils, Volatile
Camphor