Top 10 Best Essential Oils for Treating Nausea

 

Nausea is a pesky (and absolutely terrible) symptom caused by a wide variety of conditions - from the stomach bug to pregnancy and in many cases can even be caused by medications. No one has time for the stomach-flipping queasiness, inflammation, and pain that comes along with nausea.

Also, many people don’t want to take excess medications because it can be more nauseating - can you even keep them down at all anyways? Reaching for your essential oil bottles might be just the help you need. Many of the plants and essential oils listed have been used as a method for thousands of years to help cure an upset stomach, it’s a very tried and true method in so many parts of the world.

Face it, if you are here, your nausea is getting the best of you and you are looking for a way to ease the sour stomach and sick salivating feeling. A lot of these herbs are easy to find in grocery stores or all-natural stores...you can also even find pure essential oils in drug stores and grocery stores as well helping to alleviate emesis!

What Causes Nausea?

Nausea is like that annoying buzz that you can't seem to shake off. It's a common sensation that can be described as the urge to vomit or a queasy feeling in the stomach. It's not a sickness itself but more like a symptom or a signal from your body that something is off. Understanding what triggers this unpleasant experience is the first step to finding relief.

How Essential Oils Can Help With Nausea

When it comes to waving goodbye to nausea, essential oils might just be your new best friend. These aren't just any scents; they're made from concentrated plant extracts that have been used for many decades to treat a wide range of illnesses, including that annoying urge to vomit. Essential oils like ginger, peppermint, and lavender have properties that can interact with your sense of smell and your nervous system to provide a calming effect. When the molecules are inhaled, they reach the limbic system of the brain. This part of the brain controls feelings and has an effect on the nervous system.  This can help regulate the feelings of nausea, providing a natural and aromatic way to ease the discomfort. So, the next time your stomach starts to feel a bit wobbly, reaching for a bottle of essential oil might just be the trick to settle it down.

Best Essential Oils For Nausea

Let’s take a look at the plethora of great smelling and feeling essential oils that can help combat nausea and make you feel great again.

1. Coriander Seed

For decades, coriander seed has been a medicine shelf staple to cure nausea, stomach issues, head colds, vomiting, and much more. It acts as a natural antibacterial and can even fight the bacteria that cause food poisoning. Coriander also aids in the relief of associated symptoms such as upset stomach, stomach pain, flatulence, and indigestion. The antifungal properties of coriander seed make it a great competitor to over-the-counter nausea drugs making it one of the best essential oils for nausea.

• How to Use: Add one drop of Coriander Seed oil to a teaspoon of carrier oil, like coconut oil, and rub the mixture into your stomach in a circular manner.
• Precautions: Always dilute Coriander Seed oil before use to prevent skin sensitivity.

2. Bergamot

Bergamot is a very popular essential oil used to treat numerous different conditions. This flowery and citrus-fruity oil is actually one of the main components of a very famous tea - Earl Grey! So, next time you reach for tea to help soothe your nausea, go for the Earl Grey. Bergamot essential oil is a carminative, meaning it’s an essence that is thought to support peristalsis by relaxing stomach muscles. This citrus fruit-producing plant is responsible for relieving many uncomfortable conditions and associated symptoms such as anxiety, stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.

• How to Use: Add a few drops to a diffuser or apply diluted Bergamot oil to the temples or wrists when you feel nauseous.
• Precautions: Bergamot can be photosensitive, so don't put it on skin that will be in direct sunlight.

3. Cardamom

Cardamom is a medicinal staple in the Middle East, India, China, and many other places. In fact, it has been used in Eastern medicine for nearly 2,000 years. It has worked really well to relieve symptoms of many uncomfortable conditions. Some of the many conditions that cardamom treats include indigestion, constipation, flatulence, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), nausea and vomiting, and much more. Cardamom is also a carminative, a stomachic, and an antispasmodic. 

• How to Use: Inhale Cardamom oil directly from the bottle or a handkerchief, or apply it topically after diluting with carrier oil.
• Precautions: Use in moderation, as the strong scent can be overwhelming if used excessively.

4. Black Pepper

Who would have thought that one of the most infamous table seasonings contains an essential oil that fights nausea and indigestion? The actual essential oil comes from the much larger pepper berry and has been shown continuously to aid in the relief of stomach cramps and digestive issues. This Ayurvedic method of healing though used for thousands of years, is becoming a much more mainstream way of fighting nausea and digestive issues than it ever has been.

• How to Use: Dilute a drop of Black Pepper oil with a carrier oil and apply to the abdomen, or add to a warm compress and place it over the stomach.
• Precautions: Test for skin sensitivity due to its warming nature and use in low concentration.

Frankincense

A gift, a medicine, a perfume, and so much more - who knew that essence of a tree had this much to offer...and then some! Used as another carminative, frankincense has been used for thousands of years to help treat many conditions such as vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and indigestion. Though it seems like a miracle essence, too much of it can actually cause the symptoms you are trying to avoid. Make sure you talk to your doctor or physician before using frankincense as an alternative nausea medication.

• How to Use: Diffuse a few drops in your living space or apply diluted Frankincense oil to the back of your neck or temples.
• Precautions: Frankincense is generally gentle, but it should still be diluted, especially for those with sensitive skin.

Grapefruit

Detox your body with grapefruit essential oil and reap the benefits of being free from inflammation and nausea. The process of the rind being put through cold expression brings out the oil, and it is used in aromatherapy, as a massage oil, and much more. It is used as a natural digestive aid and helps with fluid retention, detoxification, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) due to its natural diuretic qualities.

• How to Use: Use in a diffuser or apply a diluted mixture to your wrists to inhale for a refreshing relief.
• Precautions: For better skin protection, only put grapefruit oil in places that won't be in direct sunlight.

Orage & Lemon

Much like grapefruit essential oil, these two essential oils fall under the citrus category and harbor similar side effects. They both prove to be incredible stomachic that is used for intestinal spasms, fluid retention, constipation, nausea, and vomiting. Like grapefruit, they are both created from the rind of the fruit. Studies have shown that lemon essential oil alone can even prevent nausea and vomiting in first-stage labor!

• How to Use: Mix with a carrier oil and rub it on your wrists, or add a few drops to a diffuser to brighten up your space and your senses.
• Precautions: Citrus oils can be photosensitive, so it's best to avoid sun exposure in areas where you've applied the oil.

Lavender

Best known for its relaxing properties, lavender essential oil can be very effective in treating nausea as well as helping the body slow down and be calm. This is especially important for people who deal with anxiety or panic-induced nausea/vomiting. Lavender works best by breathing it in (aromatherapy), so add a few drops to a bowl of hot water or a diffuser if you have one and breathe in the calming aroma.

• How to Use: Add to a bath or a diffuser, or apply a diluted solution to your temples or pillow before sleep.
• Precautions: Lavender is generally mild but should still be diluted, and some people may experience allergic reactions.

Spearmint & Peppermint

The only difference between these two is that spearmint is safe for children as well as pregnant or nursing women, whereas peppermint can be unsafe in high doses to people in those dynamics. Peppermint is a hybrid between water mint and spearmint, and its medicinal properties and uses date back to ancient Greek mythology. Spearmint and peppermint oil are very powerful in treating nausea, vomiting, and an all-around upset stomach. Peppermint tea is a very popular way of treating stomach issues, but it is as simple as breathing the scent of the oil to ease associated symptoms.

Peppermint has been used for a long time to soothe the stomach, and many scientists think that it fights the bacteria which cause stomach illnesses. It makes so much sense - mint is even used in food preservation to reduce foodborne illnesses and bacteria formation! It has soothing properties and studies show that mint can stimulate bile secretion that moves toxins out of the gut. Other research shows that a mint is a great form of therapy for digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome.

• How to Use: Apply a diluted mixture behind your ears or on your abdomen, or add a drop to a glass of water if you have high-quality, ingestible oil.
• Precautions: Peppermint can be intense and should not be used near the face of infants or small children.

Ginger

On this list, we are saving one of the most popular oils for last. Ginger ale and ginger snaps as well as ginger lozenges are household nausea staples that have been used for a very long time. Another stomachic, ginger oil is a very powerful medicinal plant used for centuries in China before making a worldwide appearance. So, what conditions does ginger essential oil help with? The long list includes constipation, stomach pain, nausea, morning symptoms, diverticulosis, influenza, stomach spasms, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and so much more. Surprisingly enough, ginger contains active chemicals that are regularly used in laxatives, anti-diarrheal, and antacids.

• How to Use: Mix it with a carrier oil and rub it on your stomach, or inhale directly from the bottle for quick nausea relief.
• Precautions: Ginger oil is potent and should be diluted to avoid skin irritation, especially for those with sensitive skin.

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How To Use Essential Oils for Nausea

There are so many ways to get a plant’s essence safely inside your body, and you can be as fancy or casual about it as you want. By no means is an oil diffuser fancy - you can find them almost everywhere and they are relatively inexpensive. This way, breathing in the essential oil (aromatherapy), is the most popular way to reap the benefits. But what if you don’t have an oil diffuser readily available? Check out the steaming method!

What You Need:

• Essential oil of your choice
• A bowl of hot water
• A bath towel 

What You Do:

• Make sure your water is hot enough that it creates a steam
• Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to your bowl of hot water
• Lean in and wrap the towel around your head and the bowl of water - creating somewhat of a small sauna
• Breathe in the aroma for a few minutes and use this process a few times every day until symptoms are alleviated
• There are many other ways to use essential oils including massage therapy, falling asleep to the scent on your pillow, tinctures, tea, and some food and beverage products even have essential oils as part of their ingredients!

What Are Essential Oils And How Do They Work?

Essential oils are the essence or scent of a plant that is extracted from either the flower, fruit, fruit rind, or stalk of the plant. The essence is composed of its own unique aromatic compounds. After the chemicals are extracted, they are either combined with carrier oil (as we mentioned before) or sold pure. But, how do they actually work?

Plants and fruits contain certain chemicals that are easy to inhale, easy for your body to absorb, and can even be ingested. The limbic system within the body plays a big role in controlling the way these essential oils make the body feel and how the scent is even remembered. The limbic system controls many unconscious physiological functions such as your breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. It can also help with the formation of memories, which explains why certain smells trigger memories or thoughts. Because essential oils can help provoke the limbic system, it makes sense that they have many properties that aid in healing the body.

You can use essential oils in many different ways, and it is becoming very popular to add them as part of a meditation process and even place them on the skin or inhale them periodically throughout the day. Some people even wear multiple lava stone bracelets or necklaces to have certain essential oil aromas surrounding them constantly, which I would definitely recommend if you have severe cases that require the scent often. The essential oil is rubbed directly onto the lava stone beads which absorb the essence and holds the oil throughout the day to ease your symptoms.

The Power Of Essential Oils

Using essential oils is becoming globally huge, whether you use them in the form of massage, aromatherapy, tinctures, smoking herbs, directly out of your essential oil bottles, or various other ways of getting the oils into your system. In only the last few decades, studies and research have gone above and beyond to prove that essential oils are progressively treating various ailments and their associated symptoms.

These days, you can buy essential oils almost everywhere - from your favorite online shops to grocery stores and mall outlets. Carrier oils are a very popular way of getting essential oils onto your skin, such as shea butter and coconut oil (you simply add a few drops to the carrier oil and mixed in with it). Other forms of using essential oils include diffusing them in an oil diffuser, smoking herbs, eating, and drinking (such as tea), aromatherapy, and quite a few other ways. You can even take essential oil vitamins!

If you use essential oils how they should be, they truly do have the potential to take care of common ailments and pesky symptoms that follow along, as we discussed earlier, nausea. They are not meant to be a cure for severe illnesses, but they have been shown to help people who are suffering from anxiety, sleep problems, problematic and inflamed skin, aches and pains, and fatigue.

Note: We are not medical professionals, nor do we intend to pose as them. You should always consult your doctor or physician if symptoms of nausea or stomach pain persist for long amounts of time. In addition, you should consult your doctor or physician if your pain or nausea gets worse over time rather than better. All advice in this article has been researched but you should always contact a medical professional before using essential oils as an alternative method to medicine.

Final Thoughts

Through endless research and studies, many people’s claims have been backed by science and shown to prove that they can alleviate symptoms of an upset stomach. It is a method that has been used for centuries, and while still somewhat new to the Western world, Eastern and Ayurvedic medicine has become quite popular.

While essential oils have been shown to treat nausea and associated symptoms effectively, you should always talk to a medical professional if symptoms like nausea and stomach pain persist for long periods. If symptoms are mild, the essential oils listed above will help fight bacteria and prevent a sour stomach.