Essential oils for sore throat

Did you know that essential oils can help prevent a sore throat or get rid of it faster? A sore throat can occur at any time of the year for a variety of reasons. A sore throat is a tickling or tingling sensation in the throat that is worse when swallowing. Your throat, or pharynx, is, as the name implies, the tube where food enters your esophagus and air enters your trachea and throat. A common sore throat is caused by a viral infection, while strep throat is a bacterial infection that can come from several different bacteria. Unfortunately, both are fairly contagious and can be passed on through close contact between people.

The most common cause of a sore throat is a cold or the flu. You may first realize a cold or flu is developing when you feel a little itchy or sore in your throat. A sore throat can also be caused by allergies, strep throat, mononucleosis, tonsillitis, smoking, or acid reflux. In addition to the usual recommendations of rest, proper nutrition, drinking plenty of water, hot tea, and gargling, sore throat remedies include harnessing the natural power of essential oils to soothe your sore throat!

The uses for essential oils are truly endless, and if you’ve read my other articles on essential oils, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that they can also be used to relieve sore throats.

The essential oils listed below for sore throats will kill bacteria, reduce inflammation, and speed up the healing process for this annoying and painful ailment:

1. Peppermint

Peppermint essential oil is commonly used to treat the common cold, coughs, sinus infections, respiratory infections, and inflammation of the mouth and throat, including sore throats. It is also used for digestive issues, including heartburn, nausea, vomiting, morning sickness, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), upper gastrointestinal (GI) and bile duct spasms, upset stomach, diarrhea, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and flatulence.

Peppermint essential oil contains menthol, which brings a cooling sensation and calming effect to the body. Studies have shown that the antioxidant, antibacterial, and decongestant properties of peppermint essential oil can help relieve your sore throat. Menthol can also help soothe a sore throat and relieve coughs.

2. Lemon

Lemon essential oil is known for its ability to remove toxins from any part of the body and is widely used to stimulate lymphatic drainage, rejuvenate and purify the skin. Lemon essential oil is extracted from lemon peel and is a good antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, high antioxidant, can promote saliva secretion and keep the throat moist.

3. Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus essential oil comes from the eucalyptus tree (also known as the eucalyptus tree), and today it appears in many over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to relieve nasal congestion. The health benefits of eucalyptus essential oil are due to its ability to stimulate the immune system, provide antioxidant protection, and improve respiratory circulation.

Originally known as "cineole" by the scientific community, eucalyptus' health benefits mainly come from a chemical called eucalyptol oxide (1,8-Cineole), which is an organic compound with amazing medicinal effects - from reducing inflammation and pain to killing leukemia cells! It is undoubtedly the essential oil that can suppress colds and relieve sore throats.

4. Oregano

This famous herbal oil is a smart choice for preventing sore throats. There is evidence that oregano essential oil has antifungal and antiviral properties. One study even showed that oregano essential oil may be useful for treating parasitic infections.

You may have doubts about the ability of oregano essential oil to prevent and treat sore throats, but it has been shown to kill the superbug MRSA in both liquid and vapor form—and its antimicrobial activity is not reduced by heating in boiling water. (Oregano essential oil is very irritating to the skin, so be careful when using it, use small amounts each time, and dilute it heavily)

5. Clove

Clove essential oil helps boost the immune system, so it is also great for suppressing and relieving sore throats. The benefits of clove essential oil for relieving sore throats are attributed to its antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and irritant properties. Chewing clove buds can help relieve sore throats (and toothaches).

A study published in Phytotherapy Research found that clove essential oil has antibacterial activity against a large number of multi-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (multi-resistant means resistant to multiple antibiotics at the same time, that is, antibiotics do not work on this bacteria). Its antiviral properties and ability to purify the blood enhance resistance to a variety of diseases, including sore throat.

6. Thyme

Thyme essential oil is one of the strongest antioxidants and antimicrobial agents known and has been used as a medicinal plant since ancient times. Thyme supports the immune, respiratory, digestive, nervous and other body systems. A 2011 study tested the response of thyme essential oil to 120 isolates from oral, respiratory and urogenital tract infections. The experimental results showed that thyme essential oil has extremely strong antibacterial activity against all clinical strains. Thyme essential oil even shows good efficacy against antibiotic-resistant strains.

7. Juniper berry

Juniper berry essential oil has a sweet, woody scent and is a popular ingredient in many household cleaning products, aromatherapy blends, and fragrance sprays. Today, juniper berry essential oil is also commonly used as one of the best natural remedies for sore throats and respiratory infections, as well as fatigue, muscle pain, and arthritis. Juniper berry can be used for sore throats because research has shown that juniper berry essential oil actually contains more than 87 different active ingredient compounds, including strong antioxidants, antibacterial agents, and antifungal agents.

Ways to use essential oils for sore throats:

Inhalation

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils extracted from plants for therapeutic purposes to promote physical and mental health. One of the main ways to use essential oils is to inhale the scent of the essential oil. When the scent of the essential oil is inhaled, the essential oil molecules enter the nasal cavity and stimulate psychological responses in the brain's limbic system, including regulating stress or calming thoughts, such as heart rate, breathing rhythm, hormone secretion, and blood pressure. Essential oils can be inhaled directly or added to a bathtub, humidifier, fan, air conditioner vent, perfume, cologne or diffuser to diffuse the aroma.

Topical application

Because pure essential oils are so strong and effective, it is important to dilute them before using them. You can dilute them by mixing them with a carrier oil (such as olive oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil or coconut oil). Add 5 to 10 drops of essential oil to two tablespoons (1 tablespoon ≈ 15 ml) of carrier oil or lotion and apply to areas that are good for the throat, such as the back of the neck, throat, chest, behind the ears or the soles of the feet.