5 Best Essential Oils for Croup and How To Use Them

Croup is known to affect children and can precipitate embarrassing, potentially dangerous symptoms. Fortunately, these are essential oils for croup that might prove to be effective in treating this condition.

5 Best Essential Oils for Croup and How To Use Them

Croup is a viral upper respiratory infection that affects an estimated 3 percent of all children ages 6 months to 3 years old. It can also affect older children and adults.

In most cases, the parainfluenza virus causes croup, meaning there isn’t a cure for the condition. There are, however, many medical and at-home treatments that can help you or your little one feel better.

However, in this article, we tackle the use of essential oils for croup and how it is been used.

Best Essential Oil for Croup

1. Sandalwood Essential Oil

Sandalwood Essential Oil

Although Sandalwood oil is best known in Western cultures for its use in perfumes and incense, it also has medicinal properties that can be helpful for alleviating croup symptoms. It can be use as an inhalant or ointment to help calm and heal.

How to use it:

  • begin with a weaker solution of two drops per 2 oz. of carrier to test reaction, can slowly increase as prescibed
  • add a few drops to a diffuser or vaporizer as an inhalant
  • after testing on a small patch of skin, rub on chest or feet

Along with its calming effect, sandalwood is also astringent, antiviral, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory. This oil also has expectorant properties to help clear airways if needed. Sandalwood can be a bit expensive, as it becoming increasingly rare.

2. Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavendar oil is extremely popular for its calming effect. It can help children with croup to sleep easier and alleviate cough. For croup, the best application of lavender may be topical, although it is also use in aromatherapy for its calming properties.

How to use it:

  • dilute as prescribed after testing
  • rub on back, chest, or sole of feet
  • optionally, add to diffuser or vaporizer

Lavendar is a non-toxic, non-irritating folk remedy that is safe for all skin types. This oil has powerful healing and soothing properties and is found in any number of products.

Lavendar is safe for all ages, including infants. As an essential oil, it should be closed tightly and kept away from direct sunlight or heat.

3. Marjoram Essential Oil

5 Best Essential Oils for Croup and How To Use Them

Marjoram oil is extracted from the leaves of the marjoram plant and was used in ancient times in Greek and Mediterranean cultures. It is a well-known treatment for cold and flu symptoms.

Marjoram is an aromatic treatment that helps to clear the sinuses and relax airways for easier breathing. It may also be used as a massage to relieve tightness in muscles due to your child’s effort to breathe more freely.

How to use it:

  • dilute in carrier, 5-10 drops per 2 oz. of carrier or as prescribed
  • add to diffuser of the vaporizer as an inhalant
  • Do not use oil undiluted
  • massage a weak solution into chest, throat, or on feet
  • dilute with water instead of oil and spray in the room

Marjoram oil helps to alleviate croup symptoms with it’s antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties.

However, its spicy scent is reminiscent of the orient. As with many other essential oils, it should be kept out of the reach of children and stored at room temperature in a cool location.

Read Also: What is Shingles and How to Apply Coconut Oil for Shingles

4. Evergreen Essential Oil

5 Best Essential Oils for Croup and How To Use Them

Evergreen oil has been used as a natural remedy for thousands of years. This aromatic oil can be used as an inhalant or topical treatment to help ease breathing and shrink swollen membranes.

Never apply essential oils full strength. The oils should be suspended in a carrier oil such as safflower, coconut, almond, or avocado oil.

How to use it:

  • until you have tested your child’s reaction, start with a weak solution, 2-4 drops to 2 oz. carrier–can be increase to up to 10 drops
  • add to hot water, diffuser, or vaporizer and inhale aroma
  • massage on throat/chest (in prescribed amounts)
  • Do not ingest essential oil
  • keep oil out of reach of children

Evergreen oil has antiviral, anti-analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties to help fight against colds and croup. I=However, it’s woodsy scent is refreshing and calming, helping your child to sleep.

5. Tea Tree Essential Oil

5 Best Essential Oils for Croup and How To Use Them

Tea tree oil comes to us from Australia. It is known for its pungent aroma that can help open airways as well as heal irritations and inflammations. It can be applied topically or inhale to ease breathing and help aid the overall recovery process.

How to use it:

  • mix 15 drops in 2 oz. water and use it to spay the room
  • begin with 5 drops per 2 oz. carrier to add to a vaporizer
  • after testing on a small area, apply to chest and throat

Tea tree oil is non-toxic and hypoallergenic. It can be applied directly to the skin, but always test on a small patch first in case of adverse reactions. This oil is safe for any age, newborn to elderly.

However, it should not be ingested. Keep it out of the reach of children. Tea tree oil is antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antibacterial.

Some Natural Remedies for Croup

Steam

Breathing steam always helps in upper respiratory and breathing issues. The simplest way to do this is to add essential oils to your hot bath.

Additionally, make sure to add a carrier oil to dilute the essential oil, if you use it in the shower or in the tub. Both infectious and spasmodic Croup improve if you steam essential oils.

Cold Air

Take your kid out for a walk, in the cold air, especially at night, when the air is misty too! It seems this improves the symptoms.

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!

Warm liquids, such as soup or herbal tea, are great choices to keep hydrated and nourished at the same time. Warm liquids also help relax the vocal cords and loosen sticky mucus, soothing that noisy cough.

Also, make sure to avoid mucus-encouraging foods (dairy, sugar, processed foods!)

Rest!

Make sure to create a proper restful environment. Do not let your child (or yourself, if you’re the one that’s sick) rest in a flat position. Raise the head, using pillows, to make breathing easier.

Create a Calm Atmosphere!

Diffuse a calming, soothing essential oil (lavender is of great aid!), to comfort your child. Stay calm and keep your kid calm as well.

Final Word

In most cases, essential oils can be applied at home for a quick recovery. As with cold or flu, croup cannot keep a healthy child down for long. Using essential oils can help alleviate discomfort while the illness is running its course.

Was this article useful? If Yes! Please leave your comment. For more related articles, subscribe to our webpage.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *