"Get Well with Smell"

To relieve pain, it is best applied through massage oils, lotions or added to a salt/mineral bath or compresses.

Lavender is the best scent for relieving stress, and may be mixed with any of the others for extra relief.

Scroll through the specific oils for Lyme disease symptoms.

Numbing : Some oils - such as clove bud, frankincense chamomile, lavender, and lemongrass - dulls pain by numbing the nerve endings.

Anti-inflammatory :   Oils such as chamomile, geranium, juniper, lavender, marjoram, myrrh, rose, and tea tree diminish pain through anti-inflammatory actions .

Heat:  Some oils – e.g., as bay laurel, bay rum, black pepper, cinnamon, clove bud, ginger, juniper, peppermint, and thyme - relieve pain by producing heat and increasing circulation.

Brain: Some oils - such as frankincense, ginger, and lemongrass - interfere with the brain’s processing of pain signals.

Neurotransmitters:   Oils such as birch (containing aspirin-like compounds), cayenne, and ginger hinder the production of neurotransmitters that carry pain messages from nerve endings to the central nervous system.

Relaxation: Using chamomile, clary sage, lavender, lemon, lemon eucalyptus, lemon verbena, marjoram, melissa (lemon balm), myrtle, and petitgrain (a citrus-related plant) may help relieve pain through relaxation.

Insomnia: Sleep-promoting oils  - including bergamot, chamomile, clary sage, frankincense, geranium, lavender, melissa, mandarin, neroli (orange blossom), rose, sandalwood, and tangerine - can be inhaled, rubbed on the skin with massage oil or lotion, or used in bath water.

Headaches: When inhaled, a variety of oils - including lavender, melissa, peppermint, basil, chamomile, lemongrass and marjoram - can relieve headaches of different origins.

Stress: Some oils - including bergamot, chamomile, lavender, lemon melissa, marjoram, neroli, petitgrain, rose, sandalwood, and valerian – relieve stress (even slowing brain waves).

Depression: Antidepressant qualities are found in some oils such as angelica, bergamot, cardamom, chamomile cinnamon, clary sage, clove, cypress, lavender, lemon verbena, lemon, melissa, orange, neroli, petitgrain, rose, and ylang-ylang (a tropical Asian tree).

Stimulation: Many oils - including angelica, basil, benzoin (from a southeast Asian tree), black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, cypress, ginger, jasmine, peppermint, rosemary, and sage - will stimulate and keep you alert.

High Blood Pressure: Oils have been shown to lower blood pressure, including neroli, orange, melissa, tangerine, rose, ylang ylang, geranium, and clary sage.

Bacterial Infections: Oils isolated from bay laurel, cinnamon, clove bud, garlic, oregano, savory, and thyme are powerful antibacterial agents (albeit potential skin irritants). More gentle antibacterial oils include bay rum, benzoin, cardamom, eucalyptus, frankincense, geranium lavender, lemon, lemongrass, marjoram, myrrh, myrtle, pine rose, sage, and tea tree.

These oils can treat infections of the skin, bladder, bowel, ear, gum, sinus, skin, and throat. The nature of the infection will determine whether the oils are inhaled or rubbed on the skin.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be treated with baths, sitzbaths, and massages using certain essential oils. For example, a massage oil containing niaouli, cajeput (both a type of tea tree oil) or sandalwood can be rubbed into the abdomen and kidney region of the lower back.

Cuts and wounds can be treated with sprays or salves that contain essential oils isolated from eucalyptus, lavender, lemon, thyme, marjoram, rosemary, tea tree, or basil.

Viral Infections: Often ingredients in cough drops and cold and flu medications, many oils also have antiviral properties. These oils include bay, bergamot, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon bark, clove bud, eucalyptus, garlic, geranium, holy basil, juniper, lavender, melissa, lemongrass, lemon, marjoram, myrrh, oregano, rose, rosemary sage, tea tree, and thyme.

For more information on the science and history surrounding aromatherapy, click here.

There are a wide variety of essentail oils with value pricing at Herbs Pro, and for specialty mixes and diffusers try Mountain Rose Herbs.