Whilst aromatherapy oils are effective in resolving the symptoms of ailments, it is ALWAYS best to treat the cause.
Remember in each case, less is more.
Use one or two drops of oil, at the most three. Don’t forget too, there is a chart to help you with blending, as a pop up on this page.
Ailments
Abscess – Galbanum
Aching muscles – Lavender, chamomile, geranium
Acne – Use tea tree to reduce the bacterial infection and jasmine to reduce scarring.
Allergies – Melissa is antihistamine
Alopecia – Reputed to be lavender and rosemary massaged into the scalp. Also try argan oil but I have no experience to draw on here.
Aphrodisiac -Ylang ylang, sandalwood, rose
Appetite – To stimulate appetite – tarragon
Arthritis – Lavender for the pain, Juniper to disperse the uric acid build up
Athletes foot – Tea Tree, use neat and also wash socks with it to kill any lurking microbes
Black heads – Grapefruit
Bladder infections – Tea tree, bergamot, cypress, lemon
Blood pressure – ylang ylang balances. Also use geranium to soothe the underlying stress
Breasts, sore – geranium, use warm compresses
Broken skin – Myrrh
Bronchitis – Eucalyptus, Inula, myrrh, bergamot, tea tree
Bruising – geranium also use arnica and witch hazel (herbals not essential oils)
Burns – Neat lavender
Candida – Geranium, lemon
Cellulite – Grapefruit, fennel, juniper, cypress
Chicken Pox – again is a herpes virus, but this time herpes zoster,. The same applies for shingles. Use mandarin and tea tree in a lotion with lavender and chamomile to sooth the itching.
Circulation – geranium, black pepper
Cold sores – Tea tree neat
Colds – Tea tree, Kanuka, Inula, lemon, eucalyptus
Colic – Dill, use in lotion or compress
Colitis – coriander, cardamom, Chamomile
Concentration – frankincense, rosewood, melissa
Constipation – ginger, black pepper, cardamom, coriander, dill, Chamomile
Cough – myrtle, inula
Cystitis – tea tree, bergamot
Dermatitis – Calendula
Diarrhoea – Tea tree, dill, ginger, cypress
Dry skin – Rose, geranium, frankincense
Eczema – Geranium, Calendula
Emotions – download the chart
Fever – Camphor (Homeopathic dose only and not on children). For children use 1 drop peppermint on a cold flannel.
Fibromyalgia – Yarrow, spikenard, rosemary, chamomile matricaria.
Flatulence – dill, carrot seed.
Gingivitis – lemon
Gout – juniper
Haemorrhoids – geranium in a cold compress or Cream
Halitosis – dill, peppermint
Headaches – lavender. Rosemary for nerve pain
Herpes – The herpes simplex is responsible for a large number of conditions including chicken pox, shingles and cold sores. This is a virus we all carry around with us naturally. It throws up other illnesses when we catch an infection of some description, hence the name cold sores, (we get them when we have a cold.) Tea tree is a wonderfully anti-viral oil and I would suggest using neat onto the cold sore blister. Ensure you wash your hands before and after. Genital herpes is also thrown up by the same simplex and so still use tea tree, but I would also use bergamot since it has such a wonderful affinity with the genitourinary system. A wash of these oils is very useful here but it does need to be very weak, otherwise it will really sting. Dilute 5 drops of tea tree and bergamot in a table spoon of vodka then add to 250 ml of cool boiled water. Keep in a dark bottle and wash using it twice a day.
Hyperactivity – Lavender, Chamomile, geranium, frankincense, valerian, rosewood. A 2011 study of hyperactivity in attention Deficit Disorder in Egyptian Children showed the children all had significant deficits in Magnesium, Zinc and a protein that carries iron around the body called ferritin.
IBS – The best results I have seen have been to take Aloe Vera juice orally. Essential oils- Neroli, cardamom, coriander, Chamomile maroc, carrot seed and dill. This is an illness which is completely rooted in emotional disturbance
Impotence – Nutmeg oil. Also use aphrodisiac oils – best to understand why this may be happening and treat the underlying cause.
Infection –Tea tree, Manuka, Kanuka, Cinnamon leaf, thyme
Insomnia – Lavender and chamomile to soothe. Marjoram works on the central nervous system to help the body clock. Also treat the probable stress cause.
Neuralgia or nerve pain – Rosemary – not suitable for sufferers of epilepsy.
Oily Skin – Lavender which will balance sebum production.
Open pores – Myrtle
Psoriasis – Cajuput, Bergamot, lavender, chamomile
Relaxation – Lavender, Chamomile, Ylang ylang, geranium, sandalwood, bergamot, myrrh, valerian… there are too many to mention.
Rheumatism – Lavender for the pain, juniper for uric acid
Shingles – See blend by Jill Bruce of The Apothecary
Sinusitis – Myrrh, lemon, frankincense, eucalyptus, inula.
Sore throats – One drop each of tea tree and lavender in a pint of water. Gargle it to help the pain and to wash away bacteria.
Spots – Lavender oil or tea tree oil neat on the spot. If spots are a recurring problem add cypress, grapefruit and bergamot to your skin care creams
Stretch marks – Coconut oil. Rub gently into your belly.
Thrush – Tea tree and bergamot.
Toothache – clove oil. Use lavender, spikenard or yarrow for really acute pain.
Varicose veins – Geranium oil in a lotion. No massage, only gently stroke in the lotion.
Verruca – Take a cotton bud and put lemon oil and tea tree neat onto the verruca. Do not touch the surrounding skin as it will cause skin sensitization
Warts – see verruca
Wrinkles – Neroli and camellia carrier, as well as frankincense.
Worms – Thyme
Babies
Bed wetting – cypress
Bruises – Geranium, use with witch hazel from the chemist and arnica gel.
Coughs colds and sneezes – myrtle.
Nightmares/terrors – lavender, geranium, chamomile and valerian, but I would suggest getting Rock Rose Bach Flower essence
Oils to calm frustrated babies – Lavender, chamomile, geranium, myrtle.
Oral thrush – Tea tree massaged onto the cheeks
Problems sleeping – Lavender, chamomile, catnip, violet leaf, valerian
Teething – Roman chamomile, but homeopathic chamomilla granules from the chemist are probably more effective in my opinion.
Tummy upsets – Dill, spearmint, Chamomile, or mandarin in a lotion or compress.
Nappy Rash – Calendula with a drop of Chamomile maroc blended into a moisturiser, (or I blend into a tub of zinc and castor oil cream)
Sports injuries
Aching joints – lavender eases the pain and juniper flushes out the lactic acid build up. Perfect in the bath after the first exercise session after a long break.
Ballerina Toes – Use myrrh or galbanum to heal where pointe shoes rub.
Broken bones – more herbal than aromatherapy, but comfrey either used as leaves under a bandage, a maceration or contact a herbalist.
Bruises – Geranium, use with witch hazel from the chemist and also arnica gel
Muscle strain – lavender, juniper, black pepper, geranium
Sprained ankle – Lavender for discomfort, geranium and fennel to flush out the swelling, frankincense for the connective tissue.
Tendons – Frankincense brings back elasticity, lavender eases the pain.
