What are the best essential oils for allergies?

Every year in Poland, millions of people struggle with the inconveniences associated with managing allergies. A runny nose, itching, or a persistent cough spare no one and can be very bothersome on a daily basis. Essential oils offer help in combating these particularly unpleasant symptoms, allowing you to get through the season more comfortably. They strengthen the weakened body, ease breathing and provide relief. Which essential oils are best for allergies?

What are seasonal allergies?

An allergy is caused by the body’s excessive immune response to certain substances, which are usually harmless. The immune system’s response is the release of histamine, an organic substance which, in large quantities, causes inflammation and irritation of the respiratory tract, eyes or skin. Seasonal allergies, such as hay fever, which is extremely common in Poland, are usually caused by pollen, mown grass in the spring, weeds and the growth of mould.

Typical symptoms of an allergic reaction include:

• Itching
• Watery eyes
• Sneezing
• Rash
• Fatigue
• Runny nose
• Hives

Although their appearance does not pose a serious problem for the body, they can be relatively unpleasant, all the more so, when they appeartimes throughout the day.

The best essential oils for combating allergies – which ones are we talking about?

Which essential oils are best for combating persistent, chronic allergic conditions? We have compiled a list of 7 interesting, oils with practical applications, made from 100% natural ingredients, which can certainly help combat allergies.

Tea tree

Tea tree essential oil can help alleviate skin allergies, by effectively reducing histamine-induced inflammation. What’s more,, also prevents infections, caused by the body’s reduced immunity during the seasonal period. The oil’s antibacterial properties can also be helpful in deodorising a room as part of home aromatherapy.

Tea tree oil can be mixed with a small amount of carrier oil, to reduce allergic skin reactions. This could be, for example, jojoba oil, coconut oil or olive oil. Simply add 3 to 5 drops of essential oil to 10 ml of carrier oil to achieve an immediate effect. The oil can also be used for home aromatherapy with a diffuser to relieve bronchial congestion, coughing and excess mucus build-up in the airways.

Lavender

Lavender oil is known worldwide as one of the most effective remedies for alleviating allergies. Lavender is also known as a natural remedy for headaches, although it can also be used to treat allergic skin reactions, or to prevent asthma and alleviate respiratory allergies.

The medicinal compounds in lavender oil help to inhibit histamine production and thus suppress inflammatory reactions in the respiratory tract. For this reason, lavender essential oil is helpful, if you suffer from a cough, sneezing or wheezing whilst sleeping. Simply apply a few drops of oil to your pillow or inhale the oil before going to bed. However, if an allergy strikes whilst outdoors, simply soak a handkerchief with 5 drops of the oil and hold it to your nose, inhaling deeply.

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus oil has a scientifically proven expectorant effect, thereby helping to treat many conditions affecting the respiratory system. Eucalyptus essential oil helps relieve nasal congestion, clears the airways and makes breathing easier. It also soothes sinus pain, coughs and asthma symptoms. Diluted oil can be applied topically to reduce nasal congestion.

The most beneficial effects of eucalyptus essential oil are achieved through home inhalation, or aromatherapy. Simply add 3 to 5 drops of the oil to a diffuser or atomiser with water, thereby dispersing the oil’s active ingredients throughout the room, deodorising it and providing relief from allergies at the same time.

Lemon

One of the many uses of lemon oil, apart from stimulating and boosting motivation, is the treatment of breathing problems, associated with the body’s allergic reactions to pollen fromxc1949 or cut grass or animal fur. Lemon has natural antioxidant properties, that help cleanse the body of toxins and reduce the body’s reaction to allergens.

Lemon essential oil can be used in combination with water as a natural antiseptic spray to disinfect rooms and kill pathogens that cause allergies. In addition, when used in aromatherapy in quantities of 3 to 5 drops mixed with water, it helps reduce nasal congestion and aids in the treatment of inflammation of the throat and mouth, thereby preventing allergy symptoms.

Peppermint

Peppermint essential oil, thanks to the menthol naturally present in peppermint, is a helpful remedy for treating chronic inflammatory conditions, such as allergic rhinitisxc1949 or bronchial asthma. Peppermint oil has an expectorant effect xc1949, perfectly clearing the airways and soothing inflammation. Inhaling peppermint essential oil helps reduce phlegm and makes breathing easier.

How can peppermint oil be used in practice? You can add 5 to 10 drops of the oil to your diffuser, to benefit from its anti-allergic properties and naturally relieve headaches associated with seasonal allergies. What’s more,, peppermint essential oil can be successfully mixed with a carrier oil and rubbed into the chest, to alleviate the symptoms of bronchial asthma.

Orange

Orange essential oil is characterised by a wealth of anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties, which are closely linked to the active components of oranges, namely limonene and monoterpenes, which help combat allergies. The natural antimicrobial activity of oranges aids in deodorising rooms by killing allergenic types of bacteria and fungi.

Also worth noting are the antioxidant properties of the oil, which effectively soothe nasal irritation associated with seasonal allergies, headaches and itching by detoxifying the body. The antioxidant properties of orange essential oil also boost the immune system, thereby preventing upper respiratory tract infections.

To benefit from the preventative effects of orange essential oil, simply soak a tissue or cotton wool pad with 3, or 5 drops, and then inhale for 2 to 3 minutes up to three times a day. The oil will soothe nasal irritation caused by seasonal allergies. Diffusion is also a beneficial method. Just 5 drops of oil in a diffuser will deodorise the room, and also directly help combat allergy-induced inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.

Rosewood

Rosewood essential oil offers many beneficial properties in combating seasonal allergies. It has anti-inflammatory properties, which effectively help to reduce allergic skin inflammation, as well as irritation caused by inflammation of the nasal mucous membranes. Rosewood essential oil is most effective when used in aromatherapy. It prevents allergens from contributing to the development of infections and a weakened immune system, and also has antibacterial properties, eliminating airborne allergenic pathogens.

Rosewood oil can be used for home massage, or in aromatherapy with a diffuser. For the former, simply mix 5 to 10 drops of the oil with a small amount of carrier oil, and then apply to the skin, to promote skin regeneration in areas affected by allergic dermatitis. In aromatherapy, on the other hand, simply add 3 to 5 drops of essential oil to a diffuser to disperse a pleasant scent which will deodorise the room and also alleviate the symptoms of bronchial asthma and inflammation of the respiratory tractcaused by allergens.

How to prevent allergies? – essential oils can help!

The best way to combat allergies, is to take preventive measures early on. Allergy prevention takes time and a certain amount of perseverance. For it to be as effective as possible, an important step is to adhere to the general principles of allergy prevention. These include:

• Adjusting your diet
• Avoiding pollutants and direct contact with potential allergens
• Strengthening the immune system
• Support with essential oils

Essential oils are capable of stabilising the immune system, not least thanks to the health-promoting effects of bioactive substances, such as sesquiterpenes, which have a positive impact on allergy prevention. The essential oils listed above are rich sources of substances that support the body’s functions. This allows us to select the appropriate essential oil for specific allergy symptoms, and also to use them in various combinations, that offer a multitude of positive health benefits, helpful in seasonal allergies.