Aromatherapy to Help With Hayfever
As spring starts to push slowly forward, we are beginning to see notifications from the Met Office that the pollen count is on the rise. Hayfever can turn late Spring and the whole of Summer into a total misery for those who suffer. Over the counter medications seem to help, but it can be a truly miserable time if you are prone to be sensitive to pollen. Some people are lucky and only suffer for a few weeks as the particular pollen they are allergic to cycles through and on, but for others, months of suffering can follow. For young people, it always seems to coincide with essential examinations and GCSE’s are often taking to a chorus of sneezing. Supporting your body in as many ways possible, including using aromatherapy has to be worth a shot to get some relief from the awful symptoms.
How to Use the Oils
To combat hay fever trials are now showing that the nose is the critical factor. Obviously this is how the pollen enters into the body as we breathe in, so it makes sense to target this area for treatment. With that in mind salves and creams are being used at the base of the nose in an attempt to trap the pollen before it reaches the body. To make your balm, you will need carrier products like cocoa butter, a small amount of beeswax and your favourite carrier oil and you would blend these using a bowl inside a pan of boiling water - known as a double boiler. Once removed from the heat and allowed to cool this will set into a consistency suitable for applying to the face. Remember you only need two or three drops of each oil, and we will list some suitable ones at the end of the article.
Diffusing into the room remains a popular method, especially if it is a room you are spending a lot of time in, bedrooms as sleeping when you are suffering can be quite tricky. Choose an electric diffuser that will shut off once the water has been used as this is safer than a candle based diffuser if you are going to be sleeping. This is also much safer if you are using it in your child’s room.
On a tissue is possibly the easiest way for the exam hall. Add a few drops of up to three oils and take the tissue in with you. Breathing in the aroma from here can also help the benefits of the chosen oils get into the body.
Which Oils?
Tea Tree: Always a popular choice as it has anti-allergen properties and is excellent at aiding the immunity of the body.
Lavender: Provided you like the smell this is a great oil that works in the same was as antihistamine tablets. It helps the body recover from the constant irritation of the pollen and calm the respiratory system down.
Eucalyptus: Another good oil for blocked and congested noses.