The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Ylang Ylang Oil
Posted by Lauren (Queens ) on 02/04/2022
Hi Mama to Many:
what are your thoughts on ylang ylang oil for high blood pressure? One of my coworkers couldn't stop talking about how it controls her bp. I value your opinion hence the question. Thank you!!
Pain
Posted by Denise (US) on 01/03/2019 50 posts
★★★★★
I was given 3 essential oils for Christmas. They just sat there in my cabinet until lastnight. I am so in love with these oils, but I am first reading a book called The complete book of essential oils, so I know how to use them properly. I mixed a little of my oil (Lavender one) in with coconut oil as a carrier, and massaged my spleen lastnight while watching my Roku. It felt so good I did the sore area of my neck from spasmodic Torticolus, and my hands for arthritic pain. Also remembered to go ahead and do my feet! Oh to have someone living here that could just give me a massage with this stuff! I am sending my sister some to try for her osteo arthritis. I can only hope she will give it a try. I was so enthralled in reading how these natural remedies were used 1000s of years ago. It just makes good sense that folks then had to find ways to help with their issues as well. I am so excited to learn more about the oils, and continue using them. Thank you most to EC because I wouldn't have had a heads up if you hadn't had the info here, where I first started paying attention, Denise
Essential Oil Resources
Posted by Holly (Colorado) on 06/20/2018
Edden gardens is good for the price.
Essential Oil Resources
Posted by Mama To Many (Tn) on 03/31/2018
My favorite source of high quality oils that are not very expensive are Hopewell Oils. I have used them for many years. And they are not a multilevel marketing company.
That said, I do use Now oils for everyday things with good results.
But for specific needs when I want a really excellent oil I use Hopewell. Their sciatica blend is great. And their peppermint oil is amazing.
~Mama to Many~
Essential Oil Resources
Posted by Kristie (Ky) on 03/30/2018
i have been searching online for days on which essential oils to purchase on a budget. I'm going in circles and still don't know which oils are pure and doesn't cost a fortune. Please help.
Essential Oil Tips
Posted by Barbara (Aiken, South Carolina) on 03/04/2017 23 posts
What does LMT mean?
EC: LMT = Licensed Massage Therapist
Essential Oil Tips
Posted by Kokopelli (Parkville, Mo.) on 03/04/2017
I'm a LMT and use essentials oils in everything from massage lotions to making my own skin care and cleaning products. Essential oils are not meant to be used on the skin without being diluted. It can cause skin irritations, burns and cause you to develop an allergy to them. Please be cautious in using them, they work tremendously well for treating/curing many, many conditions but use common sense and caution. They can be diluted in carrier oils or water or even lotions. A lighter oil you can dilute them in is jojoba oil, it is in actuality more of a wax very close to they type of protective wax that is naturally in our skin and may work better for the toe nail fungus than a heavier oil like olive oil.
Thieves Oil
Posted by Gillo (Perth, Australia) on 04/19/2016
★★★★★
Have been using WhisperGently's 2009 recipe for homemade Thieves Oil concoction for three days only, and I've already felt a huge reduction in stiffness and discomfort in my arthritic knees. I've been rubbing the oil directly into both knees, morning and night.
The thieves oil has also allowed me to sleep far more comfortably and for longer periods over the last few nights - couldn't be happier with these results. Thanks for sharing.
Advice
Posted by Alice (Florida) on 02/03/2016
The reason so many are coming up with candida is the meat industry has been giving low doses of antibiotics to livestock to prevent them from getting sick. I learned that app 80 % of antibiotic sales is for agriculture!
Pet Remedies
Posted by Diamond (Ma., US) on 11/15/2014
I have found in the past of hearing about remedies for our pets and as always, I investigate these remedies via web searches, not just one but many searches. I cannot say any thing is 100% foolproof until or unless I try the items in question. I had heard about essential oils for dogs, I am in error because I was supposed to have used food grade oils, but in the same token I did use other non food grade on both cats and dogs. It has been over a year or more and no negative results, but I wouldn't suggest any one using this other than the food grade type essential oils just to be on the safer side.
Rosemary Oil
Posted by Ruth (New Hampshire, Usa) on 03/24/2014
★★★★★
Hi- I have been using Rosemary Essential Oil in my mascara and it has helped lengthen my eyelashes as well as keeping the mascara free of germs! I also have added it to shampoo and found that I am losing less hair than I had been-
Also, slightly unrelated-I fill a spray-bottle with mostly water and a few drops of Rosemary EO and use that to spray down my luggage when in hotels- just in case- because I read that it repels bed bugs!
Thieves Oil
Posted by Linda (Southern Maine) on 01/27/2014
★★★★★
I have had skin issues this winter as I have many winters past; itchy, rashy, welts...on shins, forearms, my back. For some reason I read about Thieves Oil and mixed up a batch. What relief!! I mixed a couple drops with a dab of coconut oil and applied it before I got dressed for work this morning - the relief lasted most of the day and the redness of the breakouts is a little less. I have steroid cream for when I need a "quick fix" but I might just be able to give it up as the Thieves Oil takes care of the itch much better, for me. I mixed the oils according to a recipe I found
somewhere....I can't - for the life of me - recall the website:
40 drops CLOVE e.o. - 35 drops LEMON e.o. - 20 drops CINNAMON BUD e.o. - 15 drops EUCALYPTUS e.o. - 10 drops ROSEMARY e.o.
I decided to fraction what I mixed and it turned out pretty well; I didn't use a carrier oil - just added a drop or two to a little coconut oil.
Also, I felt like I was coming down with a cold yesterday so decided to simmer a pan of water on the stove, to which I added several drops of "my Thieves Oil" - if it's mind over matter, I don't care! Maybe I was just overtired after having my grandson for an overnight....I feel better today and that can't be a bad thing. : -) I also have been taking 1/2 teaspoon of 500 ppm Colloidal Silver for a couple months (daily during the week, then my schedule gets thrown to the wind on the weekends) and have been able to avoid the viruses that are rampant this winter. I had nothin' to lose by trying this and I've gained so much!
Essential Oils for MRSA and TB
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee, Usa) on 10/07/2013
Hi!
I read something fascinating in a newsletter I received. There have been studies that have found a combination of tea tree and eucalyptus essential oils to have healed MRSA and also TB. I have read about some essential oils working on MRSA, but never on TB. Apparently, in one study, when the compound of the oils was sprayed on tuberculosis cultures, the TB was wiped out in 40 minutes. The Dr studying this was amazed, because no antibiotic can do that.
I suppose if I had TB, one of the first things I would do would be to use an essential oil nebulizer to diffuse tea tree and eycalyptus into the air (to get it to the lungs. ) I am sure there are other natural things that would help, and I know this website has lots of things people have used to cure MRSA. It is just great to have more things to try. Always when treating something serious, I would try and obtain the highest quality essential oils possible.
Just thought I would share what I learned and my 2 cents on it!
Have a great day!
~Mama to Many~
Burns
Posted by Essential Oil Mama (Va) on 08/26/2013
★★★★★
Oh, I wish I could post photographs here. Please allow me to share with you about my friend's experience when she burned her hand, and treated it by using essential oils. She was boiling quinoa on the stove. The boiling water poured over the top of her hand, and it developed a huge blister, and second degree burns.
Instead of accepting conventional, medical treatment, she started using an organic, unadulterated collection of essential oils. (PLEASE be sure the essential oils you choose are unadulterated.)
She topically applied lavender, sacred frankincense, sandalwood, helichrysum, myrrh, and an ointment blend that contains Mink oil, lecithin, beeswax, lanolin, sesame seed oil, rosewood, wheat germ oil, palmarosa, geranium, patchouli, balsam fir (Idaho), myrrh, carrot seed oil, Melaleuca alternifoila, and rose hip seed oil.
By day 4, the blister was gone, but she still had a red blotch on her hand. By day 8, you could see the oils' healing effects. By day 35, you couldn't even tell it had been burned. It looked as normal as it ever did.
With these kinds of burns, you would treat it with (unadulterated) essential oils as frequently as you need, in order to avoid pain and to begin the healing process. After the pain subsides, you may choose to use the oils as frequently or as infrequently as you wish. A reasonable recommendation would be to begin treatment 4-5 times per hour in the first few hours of the accident. If you have the oils on hand (ESPECIALLY lavender), and if you immediately apply the lavender on your burn, you should be able to avoid great pain and further consequences.
I keep a bottle of lavender in my collection of essential oils at all times. It is a great adaptogen to practically every first-aid need.
Again, I cannot stress it enough, PLEASE USE ONLY UNADULTERATED, ESSENTIAL OILS.
EC: Hi, we would love to post your photos in your thread.You can email them to staff (at) earthclinic (dot) com.
General Feedback
Posted by Prioris (Fort Pierce, Fl, Usa) on 06/26/2013
I think some of my post above was lost in a paste or something ...
Aromatherapy doesn't seem to address these as well as supplements and herbs due to the strength needed to overcome them.
By these I meant
1) bacteria, viruses and other microbes
2) depletion of some substance that the body needs
Many conditions of bad health are caused by the above whether through lack of nutrients or/and aging in the body. When you can counter the above, you can make strides.
General Feedback
Posted by Prioris (Fort Pierce, Fl, Usa) on 06/25/2013
Aromatherapy doesn't seem to address these as well as supplements and herbs due to the strength needed to overcome them. I would think aromatherapy would be useful for brain related issues due to it's ability to overcome the blood brain barrier but I haven't seen anything real useful. Everytime I delve into the topic I don't come away with much.
This is not saying aromatherapy can address something but it just seems to address more minor problems. I've only gotten a few oil of essences in my life like oil of oregano.
What you need to do is indicate which health problems aromatherapy has good success and advantage over taking supplements and herbs.
General Feedback
Posted by Mama To Many (Middle, Tennessee, Usa) on 06/25/2013
Dear Edentoo, There are many posts regarding essential oils (I know I have made several! :) ) but there might not be as common as many other things that people have tried, or used for many ailments on this site. I know often times people are looking for remedies easily available and that may exclude essential oils sometimes. I hope you will share with us some of your favorite cures with essential oils. As an aromatherapist, you must have lots of things that would help out earth clinic readers. As for me, peppermint and eucalyptus are two of my favorite essential oils. Geranium is gaining popularity with me, but it isn't my favorite scent, so I am not too quick to reach for it.
Thanks~
~Mama to Many~
General Feedback
Posted by Edentoo (Meridian, Id, Usa) on 06/25/2013
Hi, I am a registered aromatherapist and so was curious to see if your site had much on the use of essential oils. I'm surprised! I haven't looked at everything yet since I just found your website today, but haven't seen anything so far.
Are people not talking about? Do you not consider it a natural remedy? Do you feel it's covered well enough on other websites? Do you only stick to things commonly found in many people's homes? If so, then what about the supplements? Sorry for all the questions, just my nature to ask them. I'm simply very curious to know why I don't see anything about them since (good) essential oils are 100% natural and so effective for many of the ailments listed.
What are your thoughts? Thanks for your time.
Advice
Posted by Jolole (Beaconsfield, Tasmania, Australia) on 06/24/2013
Update re ingesting Tasmanian Kunzea essential oil. Thanks to all who responded to my request for advice when my mother accidently ingested 25 drops of this essential oil. I am happy to report that she recovered in about 3-4weeks and does not seem to have any detrimental effect of this, in spite of the fact that she had not once but 3x taken this dosis of 25drops, as we found out at a later stage. The essential oil she took was pure, locally produced and sourced from shrubs belonging to the Manuka family. Prior to taking this oil she was diagnosed with GERD and had already made dietary changes to alkalise. In all her life she might have swallowed prescribed medicine on maybe 5 occassions and only short term. She uses suger minimally and often we found that she had ran out of sugar without ever realising this. She grows organically most of her own fruit and vegies; an interest I have inherited. Even in winter we have plenty of 'greens' in the garden that are stir-fried and eaten with rice (white unfortenately) on a daily basis.
She has never taken a liking to soft drinks. In the last 15 years she gradually gained almost 20kg mostly around belly. In spite of minimal use of prescribed drugs and minimal sugar intake, tests show that she has candida and we wonder how that can be. Also her blood pressure is far too high ranging from 149/78 to 178/82, needless to say that her GP wants her on medication which she is not in favour of. She just wants to know what is causing her hbp and recently agreed to blood test to begin finding out. We also would like her to get hair analysis done to identify mineral deficiencies and she has agreed. Not until we have this information can we determine how best to help her. Blessings of health and wellbeing to all of you and thanks for sharing your experiences, ideas, suggestions and feedback.
Advice
Posted by Lee (Honolulu, Hi ) on 12/05/2012
Hi Jolole; It's been a few months since your post, and I hope your mother has healed already, and is doing fine now. I just wanted to say (for your info and the benefit of others) that I experienced this situation also (from snorting a mixture containing too much tea tree oil, in attempts to rid of a nasty sinus infection). After much throat discomfort, and ever worsening mucus, throat burning, and reflux symptoms, it was diagnosed as a "burned esophagus" due to the stringencency/potency of the oil. (Doctors put a camera down my nose/throat at the cost of over a $1000; and did a acid reflux study by ultrasound for another $1000). It seems that my body began over-producing stomach acid in attempts to wash away/ digest the oil reside & the burned tissue left in my throat. I was prescribed the standard acid reflux meds "Omeprizole" and ______ to keep my digestive juices to a minimim (temporarily), and to keep the acid/juices from burping-up (and further burning my throat); they also prescribed the standard GERD med/drink "Carafate" to keep my throat coated/protected until the burns healed. I took the meds for 4 weeks or so then was fine; no follow up needed. I'm sure I could have taken sodium bicarb for the acid reflux, and kept my throat coated with TUMS, and/or Pink Bismuth (Pepto Bismol), or Slippery Elm, Aloe gel lozenges just as well, and much cheaper, for the same effect.
Advice
Posted by Rhymskii (Salt Lake City, Ut) on 07/31/2012
PS- I know I mentioned different oils than what you have posted but keep in mind many oils have a lot of the same properties and abilities.
Advice
Posted by Rhymskii (Salt Lake City, Utah) on 07/31/2012
Given the symptoms you've described the oils are doing their job way too well for the dosage. Not necessarily a bad sign. Some oils such as lime will cause the cough up of mucus and such. In reality the oils are detoxifying her body. So it will seem as if she is sick but it's really the body getting rid of junk. The constant cackling sounds she's hearing is the candida dying off. (A Yeast infection that can cause all sorts of problems) This is a good thing as well. The burning depends on what oil- Eucalyptus really shouldn't be taken internally. Oregano oil is best taken in capsule. It does burn like no tomorrow. She may find some comfort just swallowing a tblespoon of coconut oil before a meal. Frankenscence is good too. In doing anything with oils it's usully going to be very minimal drops. They are extremely potent. Make sur she lays low on the Processed sugars and breads- That will keep the candida at bay. Plenty of vitamin d, c and whatever it takes to keep her immune up. Good luck.
Advice
Posted by Jolole (Beaconsfield, Tasmania, Australia) on 07/20/2012
Hi team, We are worried about our mother (68) who misread information about using essential oils. She insists that her body is riddled with inflammation (not wanting to take medicine/drugs for this) and a friend suggested she infuse 2-5 drops of Tasmanian Kunzea essential oil. The friend wrote it down on a piece of paper and our mother, not using her glasses! , read it as 25 drops. On top of that she did not understand the term infuse and swallowed the 25 drops with a glass of water. This happened 9 days ago and we only heard about what had taken place when we queried why it took so long to overcome her cold and how come she was coughing up all this phlegm.
Overall she is a fairly healthy woman using home remedies all her life. Lately she was diagnosed with high blood pressure and under investigation about cause(s) for this. She has seen her GP the day after she took these drops and her blood pressure had shot up by 10 points. She refuses to discuss this occurence with her GP, not only feeling stupid but also not wanting to give reason for essential oils to be prohibited. She was OK with me contacting you people and see if something could be done to minimise short/long term damage. She complains of burning feel in esophagus, earache with some crackling noises, persistent 'bronchial type' of cough bringing up lots of phlegm. Any suggestion welcome.
Essential Oil Candles With Bamboo Wicks
Posted by Deirdre (Atlanta, Ga) on 11/23/2011
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
I wanted to warn everyone about the perils of soy based, essential oil candles made with bamboo wicks. It the bamboo wicks that are the issue. I know a family here in Atlanta that had bought two expensive candles, burned them for 2 hours in the master bedroom and are still, 6 weeks later, dealing with nightmarish damage from the candles:$20,000 in damages thus far, and they still aren't finished repairing the house. The candles in just 2 hours coated all the ceilings, clothing, carpets and walls, not just in the master bedroom, but also every hallway, bedroom, closet, and bathroom upstairs. Clothes and carpet - all destroyed. Every wall and ceiling had to be restored and repainted. The shelving in every closet also had to be replaced. PLEASE DO NOT BUY CANDLES WITH BAMBOO WICKS!!!
Essential Oil Patch
Posted by Lisa (Thousand Oaks, Ca, Usa) on 04/13/2011
Hi Lori, Well, to be honest, I seem to have success for temporary amounts of time for my hip pain. It is a chronic condition I have to say. From years of being a ballet dancer and after 6 years of trying to find an answer, I have learned to live w/it. I continue to search for answers though.
Most recently I had a Limbic System Analysis done on myself in which a computer reads through your systems and then gives you the feedback. Well, it came up that my body really wants MSM and cod liver oil and also is lacking in magnesium. Interestingly enough those would be all the things that could help joints! That was a week and a half ago so I have been taking quite a bit of MSM, fermented cod liver oil daily and putting lots of magnesium oil on throughout the day. I have to say that the pain in my hips has become much more bearable and my husband has commented that I seem to be moving easier. Still, it is not gone! I use a wonderful product by Omica that is MSM w/ turmeric and I think that may be the difference from other msm products. I may even add more turmeric in addition. The more I learn about turmeric the more I feel I should keep it in my system!
As for the use of essential oils, I switch it up- sea buckthorn oil, a mix of essential oils w/ homeopathics added, but also coconut oil, grapeseed oil, sesame oil, olive oil. Also, remember that our skin takes things in transdermally so you want to use really good, pure products. Anyway, I hope this info helps you.
Essential Oil Patch
Posted by Lori (Houston, Tx) on 04/13/2011
This is a question for Lisa from Thousand Oaks, Ca, USA. Could you suggest anything essential oils that I could use for my pains. I would appreciate it. Thank you. I like to thank the people who are supporting this site. I have been using ACV, MSM, and Virgin Coconut Oil for the last 6 months. I have been very happy, with lots of energy and pain free but last week I did some exercises that hurt my hip. It started with heel spur pain on my left foot then it progress to knee pain and then to hip pain. At night I was unable to sleep because of the pain, a 8 on a scale of 10. One night the pain got me up at 1am and the only thing I could think of was of taking a hot water bath with epson salts. I also tried using Castor Oil on cosmetic pads soaked in caster oil on my heels, knee, and hip and then applying heat. This helped and I am feeling better but still feel very limited. Going up the stairs is very painful and I am not able to walk for exercise and have not been able to go to my joga class. Also, you mention using and essential oil to help with overall dryness could you be more specific, what kind of oil and the area were it should be applied. Again thank you to all of you, this is my favorite site.
Tooth Abcess
Posted by Kelly (Portland, Or) on 01/19/2011
★★★★★
I had a dental abscess above one of my teeth last night and it was getting bigger. I tried clove oil at first, and that did help a little. However, it still didn't seem to go away, and it hurt, it was also turning purple so I was worried. I then tried a mixture of essentials oils: clove, lemon, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary oils together. I just wet the tip of my finger with the oil and rubbed it right on the abscess. Be careful with this stuff, it's very strong and it burns if you get it on your lips or face. It stung a little, but nothing too bad at all. I rubbed it on a few times within an hour and then looked at the abscess again. I was really amazed at how fast it worked. Within a half hour, the purple was gone, it was back to pink, and the abscess started to ooze yellow stuff. It shrunk very quickly and it is healing fast, almost back to normal. I highly recommend trying this.
Lavender
Posted by June (Kc, Ks) on 01/18/2011
★☆☆☆☆WARNING!
Hi, I love lavender oil, but have stopped using it because of advice from my nutritionist. Lavender oil, he said, can especially have a detrimental effect on your thyroid, which might be why you have hair issues in the first place. If you feel you want to continue with the lavender oil, you might consider mixing it with some coconut oil to help oppose the estrogens and unsaturated fats in the lavender oil. Coconut oil alone is said to do a lot to help repair hair and there is feedback on this site regarding it as a remedy. Coconut oil also has so many wonderful attributes and helps the whole body.
Essential oils are polyphenols, which are estrogens, and many of us are estrogen-dominant anyway. Likely as a result of my over use of essential oils in the past I have had the experience of remedies that work great for other people actually working backwards on me! It has made my case a real challenge for my nutritionist. And the only people he's worked with who react the same way I do are people who have used a lot of essential oils. There is a reason why nature puts only a tiny amount of essential oil in one plant or flower, because essential oils are very powerful substances and we really no so little about them.
Essential oils are also unsaturated fats. Saturated fats are the best for you, things like coconut oil, butter, palm oil and olive oil.
And one of the side effects of a poorly functioning thyroid, as well as estrogen dominance, is thinning of the hair.
Best of luck as you research your health.
Cold Sores
Posted by Kelly (Vancouver, Canada) on 01/11/2011
★★★★★
Cold sore treatment: Essential oils! I used eucalyptus oil, another time tea tree oil, and now am using lavender essential oil. No pain, and it seemed to kill it instantly. It was going away before it ever really started! Just a dab, straight on it, not diluted.
Lavender
Posted by Jasmine (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) on 01/04/2011
★★★★★
I have noticed that my hair recently starting thinning on the top for about 6 months, nothing was helping it, until I tried Lavender oil. I put a few drops in my shampoo everyday and about three times a week massage my scalp at night with it. I find it also helps to mix in a few drops of rosemary oil. My hair is thicker on the top and is also growing a lot faster and healthier.
