Essential oils have long found their way into traditional medicine. The most common applications include relaxing muscles, reducing pain, promoting digestion, and reducing nausea. A popular home remedy, using essential oils for nausea has minimal to no side effects.

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What is Nausea?

The sensation of wanting to vomit is described as nausea. Nausea can be acute and short-lived or chronic and long-lasting. Nausea (and vomiting) may have an underlying psychological or a physical cause. Disturbances in the upper gastrointestinal system or even in the brain can trigger nausea.

What Causes Nausea?

Nausea can be the symptom of:

• Motion sickness, sometimes known as seasickness;
• Pregnancy in its early stages (nausea occurs in approx. 50-90% of all pregnancies; vomiting in 25-55%);
• Emotional stress (such as fear);
• Gallbladder disease, ulcers, or obstruction of the bowel;
• Food poisoning, upset stomach or stomach flu;
• Overeating, bulimia;
• Toxin ingestion or excessive alcohol consumption.

Are Essential Oils Safe During Pregnancy?

Using natural remedies such as essential oils for nausea during pregnancy is typically safe. However, never ingest them, avoid topical applications, and just simply inhale the essential oils. To be on the safe side, use them sparingly and always consult with your healthcare provider, and preferably a certified aromatherapist, first.  

Which essential oils help with nausea?

When you are feeling uneasy, it is hard to concentrate on anything else. So, whether motion sickness has a habit of sneaking up on you when traveling or if nausea bothers you from time to time for other reasons, essential oils may help you keep your upset stomach in check without the need for medicines. Here are seven essential oils for nausea that genuinely work:

#1 Ginger essential oil

Ginger root has traditionally been used as a stomach tonic. Remember the time when you drank ginger soda when you were unwell as a kid? And it turns out, just the smell of ginger can help control nausea. In a clinical study, patients suffering from post-operative nausea were given a gauze pad soaked in ginger essential oil. They were then instructed to inhale the ginger oil deeply through the nose. Compared to a control group of patients who got saline-soaked pads, patients who inhaled ginger oil reported a decrease in symptoms and relief from nausea.

#2 Lemon essential oil

Lemon oil is one of the most widely recommended essential oils for morning sickness, a type of nausea frequent in pregnant women. According to one study, 40 percent of women have used lemon smell to ease nausea and vomiting. The same study showed that 26.5 percent confirmed that it was effective in controlling their symptoms. It has been demonstrated that diffusing one or two drops of lemon essential oil will help ease and reduce nausea and vomiting caused by pregnancy. You can also use essential oils such as lemon and other citrus oils to relieve nausea caused by motion sickness.

#3 Sweet Orange essential oil

Sweet orange is one of the few essential oils you can use to treat an upset stomach and nausea. Sweet orange has been used for digestive issues since ancient times. Even today, its use for treating gas and diarrhea, as well as anxiety and restlessness, is not uncommon. Sweet orange essential oil is an excellent essential oil for nausea (including nausea caused by motion sickness) due to its outstanding soothing characteristics that calm both the gut and the mind.

#4 Lavender essential oil

Lavender essential oil is well-known for its calming effects and its ability to help your mind unwind as you prepare for bed. Lavender oil's anti-nausea properties are similar to those of chamomile. If your nausea is caused by stress or physical discomfort, lavender's ability to calm may be precisely what you need. Put a few drops of lavender oil in an oil diffuser and gently breathe in the aroma as it fills the air.

#5 Peppermint essential oil

Although peppermint tea is frequently recommended to treat nausea, peppermint essential oil can have the same calming effect. Experts say that peppermint oil soothes the stomach muscles and prevents them from cramping or contracting excessively. According to scientific studies, inhaling peppermint oil when you feel nauseated will ease your symptoms and get you feeling better immediately. The next time you are feeling unwell, try diffusing a few drops of peppermint oil.

#6 Lemongrass essential oil

Natural healers for generations have used lemongrass to help relieve nausea. Science can now back up this plant's healing abilities. Studies show that lemongrass essential oil can help with diarrhea and may even be beneficial in treating stomach ulcers. Lemongrass is commonly used in herbal drinks to relieve nausea, but the essential oil can have a similar effect.

#7 Bergamot essential oil

Bergamot essential oil has a distinctive mild fruity fragrance with flowery overtones that aids with nausea relief. You can diffuse it or dilute it in a carrier oil such as coconut oil and apply it on your temples or the back of your neck. 

A word of caution: bergamot oil can create photosensitivity, so avoid exposing your skin to the sun for at least 24 hours after applying it topically.

Also, when searching for your essential oils, make sure they are 100% natural like the ones WOW Skin Science offers.