Essential oils are great for treating the symptoms of colds and congestion. They can help relieve pain, clear mucus, and make you feel better.
They’re all-natural, plant-based compounds that work as powerful antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory agents.
But which essential oils work best to treat colds and congestion?
The best essential oils for colds and congestion are ones that can help relieve stuffy nose symptoms, reduce inflammation, and boost immunity.
Essential oils can be used for many things including:
- Stress relief
- Sleep aid
- Digestive issues
- Pain relief
- Immune support
- Skincare
11 Best Essential Oils for Colds
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil has a calming effect on the mind and body, making it a perfect choice for treating colds and congestion. It also has antibacterial properties that can help relieve sore throats and coughs.
Lavender essential oil is best when used in a diffuser or massage oil since it can irritate the skin if applied directly to the skin.
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Eucalyptus essential oil is another great option for treating colds and congestion because it has antiviral properties that help fight off viruses that cause colds and flu. Eucalyptus essential oil also helps ease headaches caused by sinus pressure and pain from coughs and sore throats.
You can add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil to a hot bath or diffuse it throughout your home using an ultrasonic diffuser.
Rosemary Essential Oil
This powerful herb has been used for centuries for its antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also great for clearing sinuses and helping with headaches. You can use it in your diffuser or add a few drops to a hot bath once per day.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint is another herb that has antibacterial properties and is used to relieve headaches, nausea, indigestion, anxiety, fatigue and stress. It also helps reduce mucus production in the respiratory tract so it’s perfect for treating colds and congestion.
Add a few drops to your diffuser or inhale directly from the bottle several times per day for best results.
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Tea tree essential oil is known to be antibacterial and antiviral. It’s often used as an antibacterial and antiviral agent, as well as an antifungal and anti-parasitic agent. The therapeutic properties of tea tree oil include:
Tea tree oil is a natural disinfectant, so it can help relieve congestion by killing germs that cause coughing, sneezing and other symptoms of the common cold.
Ginger Root Essential Oil
Ginger root essential oil is known for its ability to reduce inflammation in the body. By reducing inflammation in your nasal passages, ginger can help you breathe easier during your cold or flu season.
Basil Oil
Basil is a great oil for colds and congestion. It’s also a very soothing oil for sore muscles and arthritic joints. Basil can be used in diffusers, bathwater, and massage oils.
Basil essential oil is great for colds and congestion because it has strong anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties. It also contains eugenol which is an expectorant that helps to thin out mucus so it can be coughed up more easily.
This can help relieve chest congestion and sinus headaches caused by colds and allergies.
Cedarwood Oil
Cedarwood essential oil is another good choice for relieving congestion and sore throats. It’s also rich in antioxidants which protect your body from free radicals that cause cell damage.
Cedarwood essential oil has analgesic properties which means that it relieves pain by dulling nerve endings, making your muscles feel less sore after exercise or physical activity.
This makes cedarwood a great choice for people who suffer from arthritis or back pain during cold season.
Oregano Oil
Oregano oil is a powerful anti-microbial, antiviral, and antifungal essential oil that can help clear up a cold or flu. The main chemical constituent of oregano oil is carvacrol.
This constituent has been shown to have antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also known to boost the immune system which helps fight off infections like a cold or flu virus.
Lemon Oil
Lemon essential oil has strong antiviral properties that can be helpful when you have a cold or flu. Lemon oil contains limonene which has been shown to be an effective treatment for coughs caused by viral infections like colds and flus.
Limonene also has antibacterial properties that can help treat infection in your body such as respiratory infections like bronchitis or pneumonia as well as sinus infections caused by viruses such as rhinovirus.
Cinnamon Essential Oil
Cinnamon essential oil is a great choice for colds and congestion. Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce swelling in the throat and nasal passages.
Cinnamon essential oil can also help relieve sinus pain, pressure and headaches. It’s an effective decongestant and expectorant and can help loosen phlegm in the chest.
Cinnamon is also known to have antibacterial properties that work well against viruses like colds and flu.
