Best essential oils for menopause | How to use & Safety
Menopause is a defining event in the lives of many women. It not only symbolises the end of a woman’s monthly menstruation, but it also denotes a fall in the woman’s ability to have children. Even while some women may begin to experience menopause in their 30s, the majority of women do not go through menopause until they are in their 40s or 50s. Menopause is considered to have been attained when a woman has gone a whole year without having her periods.
The symptoms of hot flashes and exhaustion are experienced by a large number of women. These symptoms have the potential to interfere with daily activities. There are homoeopathic treatments that may help you live with these symptoms, despite the fact that they can be rather painful. There’s a chance that using essential oils for menopause can assist alleviate some of the symptoms that you’re now experiencing.
Essential Oils For Menopause
- Basil
Basil aromatherapy is something you should think about including into your daily routine if you are searching for strategies to raise your oestrogen levels or to assist in improving your mood. If you dilute the basil oil and apply it to your feet or massage it over the back of your neck, you may find that it helps reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes.
- Peppermint oil
It’s possible that peppermint oil might help ease the pain associated with hot flashes as well. The maximum amount that should be added to a tissue is two drops. While you gently breathe in and out, hold the tissue up to your nose.
This oil might also be helpful in relieving any cramps that you might be experiencing at this period. During perimenopause, it is usual for a woman to feel menstrual-related cramps, also known as dysmenorrhea. Once menstruation has stopped, this condition is much less prevalent.
Even after the last menstrual period has ended, it is possible that some women may continue to suffer from cramps. There is a possibility that this is a symptom of a more serious underlying medical disease. If you are suffering cramping that does not go away even if you are no longer menstruating, you should see a doctor.
- Lavender
You may experience more hormonal harmony and relief from perineal pain by using lavender. If the region surrounding your perineum feels tight or painful in any other way, you may want to try applying a cold compress to the area in question. If you need even more relief, try adding one drop of lavender oil that has been diluted to the compress.
It is strongly suggested that you apply the compress for no more than half an hour at a time. Remove the compress and thoroughly wash the affected area with water if you feel any kind of stinging or burning after applying it.
Lavender has been shown to aid enhance the quality of sleep and induce feelings of relaxation in those who use it. Insomnia and other sleep-related difficulties are rather typical throughout this time period. You may discover that including lavender aromatherapy into your nightly regimen is useful to you.
- Geranium
It has been shown that using geranium as an essential oil may assist menopausal women in better managing the effects of hormonal shifts. Inhaling one to two droplets of the oil off a napkin may provide almost instant relief from tension. Additionally beneficial for dry skin is geranium. When taking a soothing, hot bath, you may want to consider adding a few drops of the diluted oil to the water.
According to research, this essential oil may also have an impact in reducing feelings of anxiety and depression.
- Clary sage
A hot flash is a sudden feeling of heat that travels throughout your body and may be quite uncomfortable. The natural treatment for these issues is to apply three drops of diluted clary sage oil to the nape of the neck and then massage the mixture into the soles of the feet.
If you want relief even more quickly, try putting a few drops of the essential oil to a tissue or napkin and then gently inhaling and exhaling the vapours. This makes it possible for the oil to enter your body via the nasal passages. This procedure may also cause effects that are analogous to antidepressants.
It is also believed that clary sage may assist in preventing or delaying the onset of osteoporosis. Because oestrogen levels begin to drop throughout menopause, women see an increase in their likelihood of developing osteoporosis. During this time period, bone resorption takes precedence over bone formation.
- Citrus
It is believed that aromatherapy with citrus oil may provide women who are going through the symptoms of menopause with a lot of health advantages. Researchers discovered that postmenopausal women who breathed this essential oil had less physical symptoms and an increase in sexual desire. The research was conducted in 2014 and the results were published in 2015.
They also saw an improvement in their oestrogen concentrations and pulse rates, in addition to the drop in systolic blood pressure that they had previously observed.
Citrus also possesses anti-inflammatory effects, which may help alleviate any aches and pains that you may be feeling at the moment.
Safety and Precautions
- Do not use essential oils to treat depression or to relieve anxiety.
- Do not use essential oils if you’re experiencing an allergic reaction.
- Avoid using essential oils to treat any condition in which the immune system is compromised or in which the use of pharmaceuticals is advised.
- Do not use essential oils near your face or mouth when you’re applying lotion or makeup.
- Make sure to wash your hands and any surfaces that you touch regularly after you use essential oils. It’s important to avoid ingesting oils that are stored in your home or workplace, such as in cabinet doors or drawers.
- Be careful while using citrus oils since they might make your skin more sensitive to the sun. When using diluted citrus oils on your skin, you should avoid direct sunlight as much as possible.
How to Use
There are many ways to use essential oils, from adding them to bath water to rubbing the oil directly on your skin. But, if you’re looking to use essential oils to balance hormones or to treat other health issues, there are some things you should know before you start.
You need to use essential oils safely. Avoid using them undiluted on broken skin or open wounds. When used internally, avoid using essential oils with a high concentration of eucalyptus, rosemary, clove, cinnamon, juniper, lavender, lemon, and peppermint. These oils may cause irritation to the digestive system or cause the liver to produce too much estrogen.
Takeaway
When you first notice symptoms of menopause, you should schedule an appointment with your primary care physician as soon as possible. As you start the process of menopause, your doctor will be able to provide you with useful information.
The symptoms of menopause are often treated with pharmaceutical intervention. Hormone replacement treatment may be an option for many women. Hormone therapy is the most effective treatment option for women who have night sweats and hot flashes. You have the option of ingesting oestrogen in the form of a tablet, patch, gel, or cream. It’s possible that some women will additionally need the use of progestin.
Estrogen may help improve vaginal dryness. A low-dose pill, ring, or cream may be used to deliver the hormone straight to the vagina, where it can then be absorbed by the body. The vaginal tissue is the site of the absorption of the oestrogen.
The best essential oils for menopause aren’t necessarily the strongest, but the safest and most gentle. Peppermint is a great choice because it doesn’t contain camphor, which can make skin very dry and irritable. The most common side effects are temporary skin irritation, stomach upset, and nausea.