BPAL for headaches, pain, colds, seizures, sickness, illnesses...

[simplyfunjhose]

My 3 yr. old gets car sick and I'm hoping to find something other than meds to help her on trips.....any testimonials here?

 

 

Ever grateful,

Jill

Edited January 19, 2008 by simplyfunjhose

[Sealgair]

I've not tried *oils* as in using scent to combat nausea, but both mint and ginger have tummy soothing properties. I personally prefer mint (as ginger can sometimes cause me heartburn), and I believe that the scent of mint would be more tummy soothing than ginger... but again, that's just me. Good luck!

[hkhm]

My 3 yr. old gets car sick and I'm hoping to find something other than meds to help her on trips.....any testimonials here?

 

Ever grateful,

Jill

 

i also get car sick and awful lot. i do take ginger tea to help me through the worst of it but the scent of strong mint (usually peppermint) helps me as well. i use grr for this purpose (it's also great for it's intended purpose of headache relief).

[mooncityminx]

I have used bpal for nausea soothing aromatherapy. I've been using Lick It Again, but I really think Oof would be nice for that purpose. It's mint is much stronger. In fact I've been meaning to buy a bottle for many months now.

[eloiseattheplaza]

I second mint, though I don't have any BPAL mint as yet. Sharp lemon essential oil is helpful for me, as well.

 

Also, sitting at the front of the car, having the window slightly open, and looking at the sky were the biggest helps when I was a young carsick child.

[Wildbriar]

I second mint, though I don't have any BPAL mint as yet. Sharp lemon essential oil is helpful for me, as well.

 

Also, sitting at the front of the car, having the window slightly open, and looking at the sky were the biggest helps when I was a young carsick child.

 

 

Hmm, I have the same problem with my little one. I'll have to try something minty for him. Lemondrops seem to help me sometimes. Unfortunately the remedy of front seat, window open that worked so well for me as a kid too is no longer legal in the US. Children under 12 must ride in the back seat, belted into a booster seat (so the poor sick kiddo can't even lie down).

 

Ginger capsules or chews can help quite a bit but I don't think ginger as aromatherapy would be quite as effective, and getting a kid to swallow capsules is probably not in the cards if your little one is anything like mine. Actually, I think there is a syrup made for kids that can be purchased at natural foods markets that has ginger in it for upset tummies. I have some at home I've tried for indigestion and its worked well at home, don't know how effective it would be in the car.

[lilirose]

I don't get motion sickness, but I do get migraines, and I understand the nausea from a migraine is very similar (neurologically speaking) to motion sickness.

 

I find Envy to be the only BPAL I can stand when I'm feeling ill- it actually helps. The mix of lavender and mint is soothing and makes my stomach feel more settled.

[septima_pica]

Give the kid some candied ginger. *Everyone* likes candied ginger. Especially if it's associated with nausea going away -- that's a pretty hard-wired rat-brain response, forming a positive association with things that abate nausea, just like foods associated with the beginning of nausea cause a super strong aversion.

 

Lavender, lime and mint oils are also effective as aromatherapy, I think.

[melrose]

Yes, ginger is magic! I used to get carsick just staring out the window - now I can read all day long in the car if I take ginger about every 90 minutes.

[contrary_wise]

I'm waking up this old thread to chat about my favorite new BPAL for sickness.

 

The Coil is seriously minty fresh and and clean. It's been fabulous today as I suffer though an icky stomach bug. The spearmint really helps with the nausea and the clean, almost-but-not-quite soapy freshness makes me feel a little more perky. Plus the eucalyptus and mint combo seems like it would be a good sinus-clearer. I've also worn the Coil when I'm healthy and I can attest that it's nice then too. But I think I might reserve this for when I'm feeling ill, cos it's such an excellent pick-me-up.

[stillalive]

What do you do if you have seizures (not the dangerous kind, the annoying focal seizures that make you spaz without losing consciousness) and can't stand lavender AT ALL? It would be beyond awesome to find a BPAL scent that prevents or reduces my seizures! They've been getting worse recently and I have no idea why.

[scarletgenesis]

Since ginger works for nausea, I will have to try Shub (gingery goodness) next time I feel some coming.

[mooncityminx]

What do you do if you have seizures (not the dangerous kind, the annoying focal seizures that make you spaz without losing consciousness) and can't stand lavender AT ALL? It would be beyond awesome to find a BPAL scent that prevents or reduces my seizures! They've been getting worse recently and I have no idea why.

Your description worries me, maybe I am misunderstanding. Have thought about asking a doctor? Are you not getting enough sleep, or stressing out?

 

If you're sure it's not medical or want some bpal to help in addition, I guess it depends on what scents relax you. Lavendar is traditional considered relaxing, but I'm sure there are others. Help me out, aromatherapy folks?

[stillalive]

I've had them all my life, they're just getting worse right now for some reason. Definitely not stress or sleep related. They're not bad/violent/worrisome enough for me to see a doctor. They're mostly noise induced. Anyways, I might go on meds eventually but I'd rather try whatever I can first.

[stillalive]

update. I tried Twilight today and put it to the Stray Child (a .hack song) test. Results? sniffing my fingers (covered in the stuff) definitely stopped several seizures and in the middle of a long one I couldn't "recover" from, my hand jerked up near my nose and as soon as I smelled the scent the spaz stopped. The only thing is that it doesn't work if my nose gets used to the smell, so I can't just LEAVE the jasmine there full time. Whatever I do I'll have to stop and start the smell as needed.

 

However, one of the ingredients (I'm inclined to think Lavender, since it always give me a horrible headache and I avoid it like the plague) made me have a terrible headache and some chest pain and trouble breathing. Hm. I bought a nebulizer and mask off of ebay and will hopefully give this a try when it gets here if I can find some pure jasmine. I think I'll try using very diluted jasmine and see what works better: leaving the mask on and turning the button on/off as auras hit/spasms fade or leaving it on and running all the time (that the noise is present) and holding the mask to my face/removing it as necessary. The second is probably better for me (though worse for the planet), and I'll probably cover my arms with a very not-floral scent that I like. I'm thinking Bengal, Gluttony, or Eden-- in that order, since that's the order in which they fade.

 

If this works, maybe I'll be able to go to at least SOME concerts and church services. Other people might be able to get away with a scent locket or a doused handkerchief, but I found the jasmine faded much too quickly on me and objects to be effective. I need a fresh, constant, personal stream of it. I'll probably update this thread when I've tried it out more scientifically.

 

Sorry if that's tl;dr, but I thought it might help someone looking for answers in the future.

Edited June 30, 2008 by systemaurora

[Cereus]

I am considering picking up a bottle of Oof since my partner and I both have chronic sinusitis. I was wondering if any one had any experience with Oof in a scent locket. Specifically, does it still lend sinus-clearing properties, or would it just be reminiscent of a jar of Vick's left open across the room? I'd love to be able to wear a locket as a preventative/soothing measure on particularly bad allergy days. If it has enough throw that it could waft over to my partner when we're sitting together or out for a walk, all the better. Any recommendation for other sinus clearing scents that work well in lockets would be greatly appreciated!

 

My current fallback is Ultraviolet, but I tend to amp the violet, so when my sinus headache is bad enough to make me nauseous, it's a little too sweet and almost cloying to let the eucalyptus and mint go to work. I'm also not much of a floral person. I've always loved violet, but it's definitely not my signature scent.

 

I will definitely be looking into The Coil, though. Thanks, contrary_wise!

Edited August 30, 2008 by Cereus

[Celune]

Hey, I am not sure if there is a similar topic on this.

But I think I am coming down with a cold. I got a horrible sore throat and developing a slight runny nose.

 

I was wondering what bpal scents may help with a cold? Either it helps to make one emotionally feel better, or even physically?

Thanks.

[Dark Alice]

Since my nose is pretty much borked when I am sick I stick to Jabberwocky or winter stress relief 07. (which can sometimes be hard to find) Also if you like lavender or pennyroyal I recommend Pain. It depends on what you are going for....something you can sniff or something that makes you feel better. To feel better sometimes soft mint or soft powdery scents are comforting to me. Again..it depends on what your tastes are. I am sorry you are getting sick. I hope you feel better soon.

[plainjean]

I never can smell anything when I'm sick, but when I'm starting to feel a little under the weather, I love to break out my Bastet, The Unicorn, or Green Tree Viper. The first is powdery, spicy, sexiness that is basically the fuzzy blanket of scents for me; the second is a little herbal/medicinal, but it's head-clearing and really pretty; and the last is Snake Oil and crazy mint that knocks out headaches and makes me feel more alert.

[sqwook]

I feel like just going around being grouchy. I can't wear any of my "perfumey" scents because the top notes would make my nose feel even worse.

Of the ones I have, maybe - Eden (that's filling the role of plainjean's Bastet), Gypsy, Flora... probably Eden.

[endlessrains]

I might have inadvertently found a scent that could be helpful to anyone here who gets terrible migraines like I do. I was sniffing my bottles to find something that would help me sleep a particularly bad one off when I took a whiff of Phoenix in Summer. It took the edge off instantly! So I slathered it on, naturally, and within 5 minutes the pain was completely gone, which is something painkillers have never managed to do for me. Weirdest (but quite possibly the best) thing I've ever seen (or smelled? )!

 

So I guess it's worth a shot if you're desperate for relief!

 

After more headache-testing, it seems to work best on tension-type headaches. Sinus ones don't benefit much, but that wasn't too suprising.

[cheetah_pita]

anyone have any recs for nausea? I tend to get very nauseous, just shy of throwing up, during that time of the month, and I've been trying to find a good grounding scent. I've tried all the mint ones I have (Lick it one more time, Shattered, Snow Flakes, Snow White, Cold Moon) with no luck so far. I'm thinking something metallic might work, or maybe even woodsy? I tried Nero the other day and all I could think about was how I smelled manly so maybe not. Any suggestions? TIA!