Allergies are said to be on the increase and the reason some people suffer is not entirely understood. Sometimes the solution is not as easy as just removing the offending agent, therefore millions of people suffering with allergies turn to remedies to help them find some kind of relief.
There are a number of allergies that people can suffer from including Hay fever • Rhinitis • Asthma • Eczema • Urticarial rashes • Anaphylaxis Caused by • Washing power • Food allergies • Insect bites • Medication • Environment and Pollen.
The NHS Approach
The NHS will use two different methods to help confirm or rule out allergies: a skin prick test or an allergy blood test. This type of testing will help determine whether the allergy is to milk, egg, soy or wheat etc. Treatments for allergies can include steroids that modify the immune system and antihistamines or decongestants.
Can aromatherapy help?
Treatment with alternative medicine such as aromatherapy, tends to move the pathology out of the body, for example in the treatment of the asthma it may lead to reappearance of the eczema, however if the eczema is then treated correctly and disappears, this can truly be called cure. The internal levels are balanced and the symptoms have resolved, in other words, sometimes the client will get worse first!
However, while some aromatherapy oils are very effective, some essential oils, carriers and hydrolats may cause sensitivities so you need to speak to a qualified aromatherapist before going down this route.
How Can Aromatherapy Oils Help?
How to treat Hay fever – Use the oils below undiluted (only 2 drops) on a tissue, crook of arm, under the nose or chin. Or use 2 – 4 drops in a diffuser.
Hyssop and caraway essential oils are particularly useful or Niaouli • Lavender • Peppermint or German Chamomile.
How to treat Asthma – Inhalations of oils with sesquiterpenes will help control the inflammation, use 2-4 drops of the oils mentioned below. Use oils such as hyssop undiluted (2 drops) in the crook of the arms • Traditionally aromatherapists use Eucalyptus but sometimes 1.8 cineole can be too much and with children a gentler approach should be taken. Oils useful for Asthma include Bergamot and German Chamomile along with hyssop.
How to treat Eczema – firstly a consultation with an experienced aromatherapist like myself would be needed to determine the following wet or dry? • Inflamed? • Red? • Itchy? • Scaly? What to use • German Chamomile • Lavender • Calendula oil or Sunflower oil or a natural base cream • Apply little and often.
Always do a patch test before using essential oils or speak to a qualified aromatherapist such as myself.