Peppermint oil applied topically beat placebo for tension headaches and works about as well as common painkillers like aspirin or acetaminophen. A 10% peppermint oil solution in ethanol is approved for headache treatment in adults and kids over 6, and major medical organizations recommend it as a standard first-line option.

This was a review of controlled studies testing peppermint oil's effectiveness against placebo and other treatments for tension-type headaches, examining how the ingredient actually works in the body.

Funding not disclosed in abstract