What is the Best Aromatherapy for Pneumonia?

Essential oils and aromatherapy have been used for centuries as an alternative method for preventing and healing a number of ailments. To treat pneumonia and pneumonia symptoms, a combination of aromatherapy essential oils can be used effectively alone or in conjunction with conventional medicine.

Pneumonia is a possibly life threatening illness that is most often acquired when bacteria, fungi, or a virus reach and infect the tissues of the lungs. Pneumonia symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and shaking chills. If pneumonia is suspected, a doctor should be consulted, as hospitalization and antibiotic treatment may be necessary in some circumstances. If a doctor recommends treatment at home, essential oils and aromatherapy diffused through steam can be an effective method in treating both the symptoms and causes of the infection.

Steam treatments are done by adding several drops of aromatherapy essential oils directly into a pan of water that has been boiled and cooled for one minute. Placing your face near the water and putting a large towel over your head will create a micro sauna. As you breath deeply, with your head inside the sauna, the essential oil steam will be able to reach your lungs to sooth and open passages and help to kill bacteria.

There are several aromatherapy essential oils that can be used in a steam to treat pneumonia. Research has found that a combination of thyme, oregano, and rosewood oils are effective in destroying one strain of bacteria responsible for pneumonia. Cinnamon oil and clove oil also showed moderate anti-bacterial effects in research. In addition, a two percent dilution of lemon and eucalyptus oils is helpful in fighting staph, strep and pneumonia infections as well as soothing the uncomfortable pneumonia symptoms.