What Are The Benefits Of Essential Oils For Allergies
Between 40 and 60 million Americans suffer from allergic rhinitis or seasonal allergies with numbers steadily on the rise year after year. When mild allergies are left untreated, it can cause congestion, runny nose, headaches, chronic sneezing, and more. If severe allergies are left untreated, it may result in hospitalization or a life-threatening condition.
While the concept of avoiding potential allergen triggers sounds nice, it can be nearly impossible through the changing seasons, impaired immune systems, food-related inflammation, and environmental pollution. Cue: essential oils.
Essential oils can help you to effectively treat and manage your allergy symptoms and mitigate allergic response. Allergens most commonly affect the nasal cavity, the throat, the lungs, ear cavities, the skin, and the stomach. There are many benefits of regular essential oil use for allergies, which include:
Diffuser Blend #: Basil Lavender And Lemon
Lavender, as we discussed in diffuser blend #1, can calm inflammation in the airways and soothe a scratchy throat or painful cough. In this blend, we introduce basil and lemon essential oils, which are both effective essential oils for allergy sufferers.
A study published in Letters of Applied Microbiology revealed that basil essential oil reduces pain and inflammation, detoxifies the body, and can kill bacteria, yeast, and mold that can ultimately lead to damage of the respiratory tract.
Lemon is an antibacterial essential oil that can reduce the presence of allergen triggers in your home air and support lymphatic drainage. In addition, lemon essential oil can prevent the growth of bacteria and improve the immune system by stimulating the liver and flushing toxins from the body.
The Best Essential Oil Blends For Allergies
Introducing a diffuser for allergies can improve and treat your symptoms, among many other benefits. Each essential oil has unique therapeutic properties that, when paired with comparable essential oils in a diffuser, can dramatically improve your quality of life during allergy season and beyond.
The following diffuser blends draw from the most effective essential oils for allergies. Keep these essential oil combinations on hand during the spring and summer months, or any other time of year that triggers your allergy symptoms.
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Allergy Symptom #: Fatigue
Fatigue accompanies allergies for many reasons. For example, a stuffed up nose or other breathing trouble can interfere with deep, restful sleep. Swollen, heavy eyelids can make you feel like youve been up for ages and that its time to go to bed even if youve just gotten up.
And when you add in the added load of your immune system working overtime in response to a harmless substance , its easy to see why allergies make you feel exhausted, listless, and cranky.
Essential oils can be a big help here.
Of course, dealing with other allergy symptoms, such as a stuffed up nose, might also indirectly reduce fatigue.
However, many essential oils are also known for their direct, energizing properties. Heres a simple recipe based on a diffuser blend by Andrea Butjes Aromahead Blog that can pick you up if allergies have run you down:
Allergy blues dispeller
Honestly, each of these essential oils, inhaled straight from the bottle, should help you feel more awake and energetic. You can also use a blend of equal parts of these oils in your home diffuser, or simply put a drop of each oil on a cotton ball and inhale.
Apply Essential Oils Topically
Some essential oils for allergies can also be applied topically to the skin. However, Dr. Kim cautions that its important to ensure the essential oil you use is approved for topical use. If it is safe for topical use and not already diluted, you can add a few drops of the essential oil to a carrier oil such as coconut oil or jojoba oil and then apply to skin, she says.
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How To Use Essential Oils For Seasonal Allergies
Essential oils stimulate the olfactory nerve, which is directly related to allergies. Breathing in essential oils can provide instant relief during allergy season. Heres how to use essential oils for seasonal allergies:
- add to an Epsom salt bath
- make a roller blend and apply to the neck, temples, and forehead
- make a room spray
- add a few drops to your palms and take a deep breath
- breathe deeply directly from the bottle
- make a linen spray for pillows and sheets
- add to diffuser jewelry
Using Roman Chamomile Oil For Allergies
How it helps: Anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, antimicrobial, decongestant, sedative
Best for: Hay fever, sinusitis, blocked nose, skin allergies, hives, red bumps, eczema
When it comes to sorting out hay fever, Roman chamomile essential oil – another potent anti-inflammatory and antihistamine – can be used to soothe irritated sinuses and so help clear up all that excess mucus, a blocked nose and sneezing. A study suggests that a combination of chamomile, lemongrass and sandalwood oils can actually reduce the histamine response by almost half.
Chamomile has also been shown to provide quick relief for many skin allergies whether they be easing the itchiness from eczema, hives, or other allergic rashes. Its great for calming the nervous system too
How to Use Roman Chamomile Oil for Allergies
Diffuse: Diffuse a few drops each of Roman chamomile, eucalyptus, lemon or lavender essential oils for instant and effective relief from the sniffles and sneezing.
Hay fever: Add one drop of Roman chamomile oil to one teaspoon of jojoba oil and dot around the eyes , across the nose and cheeks.
Eczema & Skin Allergies: Blend a couple drops of Roman chamomile essential oil and one teaspoon of carrier oil, and apply direct to the skin with a cotton ball.
So if youve already tried your share of remedies to help relieve your seasonal and skin allergies, and are looking for a natural alternative, maybe its time to add essential oils to your first-aid kit
IMPORTANT NOTES:
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What The Research Says About Essential Oils For Allergies
Essential oils are concentrated liquids that contain chemical compounds from plants. Some people use home remedies like essential oils to manage their allergy symptoms.
But as with any treatment, its important to consider the scientific research before trying something new.
The research, so far, is limited but that doesnt necessarily mean essential oils cant be a helpful addition to other treatments.
For example, one study published in 2016 found inhaling essential oils for five minutes twice a day for a week improved allergy symptoms and overall quality of life.
Essential oils arent the ideal solution for everyone more research needs to be done to determine their effectiveness and safety for treating allergies.
Also, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesnt regulate dietary supplements like essential oils, so theres no way to be sure a product is high-quality and pure.
If you want to try essential oils for your allergies, consult with your healthcare provider or a K doctor to make sure its a safe option for you.
Your provider can also help you determine additional evidence-based ways to treat your allergies.
How To Use Essential Oils
Whether its for getting allergy relief or to soothe stress, its important to use essential oils properly. Not all oils are created equal, so its important to purchase a brand you trust.
There are several ways you can integrate essential oils into your routine. You can spray or diffuse oils in the air for aromatherapy. Alternatively, you can use them in topical treatments like lotions.
Make sure to use a carrier oil to dilute essential oils if youre going to put them on your body. Neutral oils often used in skincare productslike coconut oil, jojoba oil, and almond oilwork well. Make sure to patch test these mixtures before applying them to large portions of your skin.
Focus on identifying virgin oils, a term that describes oils that are extracted without added chemicals or additives. Other essential oils, like those extracted using steam or other techniques, often contain additives that can irritate your skin .
Never consume essential oils. Ingesting them enhances absorption, which can increase the risk of an adverse reaction with any medications youre taking. This is especially dangerous for children, who are more vulnerable to bad reactions from skin exposure to essential oils .
If youre pregnant, talk to a healthcare provider about whether using essential oils is safe and how they should be used.
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Symptoms Of Seasonal Allergies
Seasonal allergies aka allergic rhinitis or hay fever can cause several uncomfortable symptoms.
Your body releases chemicals when youre allergic to something in the environment.
These chemicals trigger the allergic response which is your immune systems attempt at protecting you from the allergen.
Seasonal allergy symptoms can differ from person to person, but common allergy symptoms include:
What time of year you experience allergy symptoms depends on what youre allergic to.
Seasonal allergies commonly affect people in the spring, summer, and fall, when grass, trees, and other plants pollinate.
Some people experience winter allergies or even year-round symptoms.
The Best Essential Oils For Allergies
For those dealing with allergies, a quick fix is often desired with many of my patients wanting to know what gets rid of allergies fast. The one thing to note with essential oils – just like everything in functional medicine – there is no one-size-fits-all magic solution to symptoms.
While these essential oils can help alleviate symptoms, they arent meant to treat the underlying cause and the level of relief youll experience can vary for each individual. But these are the essential oils that Ive seen to be the most effective anecdotally for my patients and in clinical studies.
1. Eucalyptus
You can find this plant used often as an ingredient in many remedies for cold and flu symptoms. Thats because eucalyptus can help soothe inflammation, relieve congestion, and ease a sore throat that can also coincide with seasonal allergies. You can diffuse eucalyptus or apply it to your chest topically for easier breathing while you sleep.
2. Lavender
A powerful anti-inflammatory, research has shown its ability to soothe allergy-induced inflammation of your mucous cells. This is a great one to diffuse.
3. Frankincense
Since inflammation is a major contributing factor to allergy symptoms such as coughing, runny nose, and sneezing, frankincense is one of the best essential oils to use as studies have shown its ability to reduce inflammatory activity in the body.
4. Chamomile
5. Peppermint
6. Lemon
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Best Essential Oils For Allergies
These essential oils used for allergies contain anti-inflammatory, expectorant, antimicrobial, and immune-boosting properties. Consequently, the essential oils have been praised for their ability to unclog sinuses, fight inflammation, eliminate toxins, and boost the immune system. Read on to learn what essential oils for allergies can help.
Pet Allergies: The Problem
Having an allergy to your pet is an unfortunate situation, especially for those who enjoy spending time with their animals and having pets around the home.
Either the pet is removed from the house, or the allergic person suffers the uncomfortable immune response produced by their own body.
Using essential oils for pet allergies is a natural way to treat the condition, and can help allergic people to live with their pet in comfort and health as far as its well concerned.
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Essential Oils That Can Help Soothe Your Pesky Allergies
Theres nothing better than watching the flowers bloom and the sun shine after a long dreary winter until the allergies hit.
Seasonal allergies can put a damper on the nice, refreshing weather of the season. Many allergy sufferers complain about common allergy medications side effects, and essential oils can make a great alternative. We wanted to talk more about this topic, as well as some of the best essential oils you can use to soothe allergies lets get started!
Helpful Essential Oils And Their Allergy Fighting Properties
Combing the powers of lemon essential oil, peppermint essential oil, and lavender essential oil for allergies is the best way to tackle most allergic reactions. Combined, they work as one of the most powerful antihistamines to bring down inflammation and other discomforts caused by your body’s allergic response.
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Ways To Use Eos For Allergic Relief
Here are three different blends to help you incorporate EOs for allergies.
The blends come with three different methods of use.
Try one or try them all your choice.
Allergen Busting Diffuser Blend
Youll need a diffuser for this one.
A diffuser evaporates the EOs aromatic compounds into millions of microparticles that enter the air around you.
You then inhale the particles and their healing compounds travel to your bloodstream via the lungs.
This blend cleanses the air and gets rid of common household allergens like dust and mold.
Nasal Allergies And/or Asthma Symptoms
Essential oils are primarily made with plant-based ingredients and, just like other plant-based environment allergens, can cause nasal allergy or asthma symptoms. Nasal and asthma-related symptoms are more common when the oils are diffused and inhaled, causing:
- Asthma flare-ups
- Congestion and/or a runny nose
Even if you dont normally have allergies, you may develop nasal symptoms after using essential oils, especially those with a strong odor.
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Effect Of Aromatherapy Oil On Rqlq
After the intervention, the overall RQLQ score in the experiment group decreased significantly more than the placebo group . Like TNSS, the two groups reduced in the overall RQLQ score: the aromatherapy group from 1.870 ± 0.561 to 0.714 ± 0.436 and the almond oil group from 1.903 ± 0.614 to 1.315 ± 0.770. Out of the seven domains in RQLQ assessment, five domains including practical problem, sleep, nose, activeness, and emotion domains showed significant differences between the two groups. The eye and non-nose/eye physical domains did not show significant difference though the experimental group had strong tendencies of higher improvement than the control group .
Using Lemon Oil For Allergies
How it helps: Antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, decongestant, antibacterial
Best for: Hay fever, asthma, sinusitis, post nasal drip, cough, home disinfectant, mold, dust mites, pet dander
Another natural antihistamine and anti-inflammatory, this bright fresh oil has been shown to offer relief for not only seasonal allergies like hay fever, but also asthma attacks and post nasal drip. It eases the inflammation and reduces mucus build-up which can cause coughing and sinus infections.
But lemon essential oil is probably best known as a powerful anti-bacterial and disinfectant to use around the home – especially useful if you are allergic to dust mites and pet dander. Lemon oil can kill off bacteria and eliminate any allergy triggers on surfaces and in the air. Perk up – relief is in sight
How to use lemon essential oil for allergies
Disinfectant: Eliminate any allergy triggers like dust, pollen, mold, mites and dog or cat dander. Add 40 drops of lemon oil and 20 drops of tea tree oil to a 16-ounce bottle filled with distilled water and a little white vinegar. Spray everywhere where allergens may lurk – the air, any soft surfaces like furniture, beds or drapes, and hard surfaces like counter tops and tables.
Diffuse: Combine 3 drops each of peppermint, lavender and lemon essential oils to disperse the fresh, cleansing scent throughout your home.
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Ways To Use Allergy Relief Essential Oils:
- Place 1 to 2 drops of lemon essential oil, peppermint essential oil, and lavender essential oil in a shot glass with water and gargle for a few minutes before swallowing. Make sure your oils are of a high quality and can be used internally .
- Add all 3 oils in a tablespoon of raw honey and swallow for instant relief.
- Add a few drops of each oil in equal ratio to a carrier oil such as jojoba, coconut, or sweet almond to soothe skin rashes or itchy skin caused by allergic reactions.
- Use as a rub: mix a few drops of each oil in equal ratio and rub onto feet, chest, cheeks, or forehead. Dilute in a carrier oil when you have a sensitive skin.
- Diffuse the Allergy Relief Diffuser Blend with a cold air atomizing diffuser throughout the day or night to ease allergic discomforts.
Essential Oils For Seasonal Allergies
Integrative Registered Nurse
When I was growing up in Chicago, I can vividly remember how I looked forward to the change of seasons — ALL FOUR OF THEM! The mid-west was an open, clean, fresh place to live. I spent most of my free time outdoors. We almost never played inside. We had many wonderful forest preserves, lakes and hiking paths. I loved being in nature.
At the time, I was unaware of how pollen and grasses affected people. I never had a problem with any seasonal allergies. However, I knew several people that did. I would privately make fun of them, in my mind. I just could not believe that people could be suffering so miserably with allergies, hay fever, sinusitis etc. It seemed almost too dramatic for me. However, I tried to understand how maybe it affected them and make an effort to be sympathetic. They were always going for Sinus X-rays, CT Scans and using a plethora of antihistamines, decongestants and steroidal sprays and inhalers.
Then, about 27 years ago, I moved to the East Coast. Initially the seasons were pretty much the same, but not for long. Everything started to change. Perhaps the unhealthy climate changes, our polluted environment and dramatic fluctuations in the barometric pressure contributed to my newly developing allergy symptoms: sinus pressure, headaches, congestion, sneezing, phlegm and an annoying cough. OH BROTHER, NOT ME, I thought!
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