Many people in Tucson looking for alternative natural treatments for a variety of health woes are turning to essential oils. Some even believe they can be helpful in treating hearing loss. Is there any truth to these claims?
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are liquid compounds derived from a variety of plants. There are hundreds of different combinations. Herbs and fruit are especially common; popular essential oils include lavender, peppermint, lemon, and eucalyptus.
People have been using oils for centuries to add flavor to foods and scent to other products. One of their most popular uses is in aromatherapy—users inhale them or rub them on their skin.
Essential oils are not meant to be swallowed.
An increasing interest in alternative medicine has led to a rise in the popularity of essential oils in Tucson and across the U.S. Experts are dubious over many of the health claims being made about essential oils. They are alleged to provide benefit for a wide variety of ailments and are used for the following purposes:
- Boosting energy
- Relieving stress
- Aiding digestion
- Reducing anxiety
- Improving mood
- Fighting infections
- Treating headaches, nausea and skin conditions
Recent claims have been made about essential oils’ ability to treat hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo and ear infections. Specific claims include:
- Cajeput oil, geranium oil, lavender oil and tea tree oil can help sensorineural hearing loss
- Helichrysum oil helps both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss
Is there any truth to these purported benefits of essential oils?
Can Essential Oils Help the Hearing-Impaired?
Essential oils are not regulated by the FDA. Like other popular alternative therapies such as CBD oil and homeopathy, there is simply no clinical evidence that EO’s provide any medical benefit—with the possible exception of lavender oil, which has some demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties.
Your Tucson audiologist says essential oils won’t help those with hearing loss and does not recommend them as a treatment option.
Can oil in your ear help tinnitus?
Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) sufferers fare no better. Despite claims that cypress oil, ginseng oil, helichrysum oil, juniper oil, lavender oil, lilies oil, olive oil, onion oil, petitgrain oil, rehmannia oil and spotted orchis oil, among others, will all reverse tinnitus, there is no magic remedy.
Do EO’s help with vertigo?
People with vertigo are told to try basil oil, bergamot oil, bitter orange oil (neroli), CBD oil, clary sage oil, cypress oil, geranium oil, ginger oil, lavender oil, lemon balm oil, peppermint oil, rose oil, rosemary oil, tangerine oil or thyme oil to help relieve symptoms. There is no clinical evidence that any of these work.
Can essential oils help with ear infections?
Unfortunately, the same holds true for ear infections. Despite claims that lavender oil, olive oil, tea tree oil, oregano oil, basil oil, thyme oil, bishop’s weed oil, peppermint oil, mustard oil and a mixture of sesame and castor oil will help infections heal more quickly, the data just isn’t there.
You aren’t likely to experience any harmful side effects from essential oils as long as you use them properly, but certain oils can cause skin reactions. Others may be harmful to pregnant or nursing women.
If you’re hoping to cure a hearing or balance problem using essential oils, you’ll end up disappointed. It’s best to schedule an appointment with a Tucson hearing professional, who will treat your condition with a proven remedy. And never place essential oils in your ears; they can cause a burn or other irritation.