Eucalyptus oil facts

Eucalyptus oil is a strong, fragrant essential oil, widely used in aromatherapy, but also for various medicinal purposes. Eucalyptus oil is obtained through steam distillation of the leaves and stems of the eucalyptus tree, also called fever tree. This tree originates from Australia, where the Aborigines have used it for hundreds of years to cure various ailments, from fever to skin problems.

Properties of eucalyptus oil

The most important active ingredient of eucalyptus oil is eucalyptol, along with pinen, terpineol, cineol, valeraldehyde, sequiterpene and fenchen. This oil cools the skin but it warms the muscles. It has antiseptic, antifungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties. It has the ability to reduce fever, to relieve cough and to lower the blood sugar.

Because it has significant anti-inflammatory properties, eucalyptus oil provides relief for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout and other types of pain involving joints and muscles.

In aromatherapy it soothes the nerves but also invigorates the body and the mind. In addition, it enhances the effect of other essential oils when it is combined with them.

Although many practitioners claim that it is universal oil that can be applied to the skin in its original form, it is still better to slightly dilute it in massage lotion or carrier oil, such as olive or sunflower oil.

How to use eucalyptus oil

Those who need to soothe tired or aching muscles can combine two or three drops of eucalyptus oil with two ounces of grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil and massage the muscles with this mixture.

Eucalyptus oil can be used to alleviate the symptoms of common cold, like congestion and cough, where it can be used for massaging the chest or for making chest compresses. Simply inhaling this oil from the bottle will provide significant relief for headaches, phlegm and congestion, which often occur due to common cold. Eucalyptus oil can be added to the water used for inhaling vapors, which is a great remedy for sinusitis and sinus congestion.

This oil can be used as an antiseptic for insect bites, ulcers, boils, cuts, scrapes and other small wounds. It can be applied undiluted to a clean dressing that is used to cover the wound.

Adding ten drops of eucalyptus oil to the regular shampoo is a great way to get rid of dandruff. However, for best results, it is required to shampoo the hair with this mixture at least two times a week for several weeks.

Eucalyptus oil has a cooling and stimulating effect on the body and mind, especially if combined with other essential oil of similar effect and applied to the pulse points on wrists, inner elbows and below the jawbone joints.