I was recently in Bali and visited a swimming pool at a volcano – just before my wedding – when I shone over and fell to the concrete. I landed on my knee, my hand and my chin – and it was unbearably painful. In the UK that would probably have resulted in immediate first aid from the resort – but in Bali they came out with an empty first aid box covered with a cotton pillow in the blood.
While I kindly refused the offer of their first aid box – after a few language barriers – they went to the natural doctor. Although I was in shock, I actually burst out at this point because I thought: “I really like the sound of this, much better than traditional medicine – this is magical.” Instead of panicking, I realized that I was met, in my favorite place in the world, with the exact remedies that I would have reached for myself at home.
The holistic doctor came out with an abundance of essential oils – as my family looked in horror! And they intuitively pushed a bottle of Cajeput oil into my hands. As an aromatherapist I applied it, and within 5 minutes my swelling started to go down in a miraculous way – my pain disappeared. I have been an aromatherapist for more than ten years, but it is in times like this – where you feel in shock, pain and fear, and you witness the miracle of essential oils all over again – where you are humble on his strength.
And so I wanted to explore the aromatherapeutic first aid forces of essential oils – because they bring us back to our own self -healing wisdom. And that is, they are not only necessary – I am also in force that they also offer an additional approach to regular medicine (which can also be life -saving).
The power of nature in crisis
That said, we have become a culture that it is ingrained that we have to look for external solutions. That we have to outsource our strength to the regular medical system. But what if we also keep medication in ourselves? What if we know intuitively how we can bring first aid to ourselves?
Although I do not say that essential oils are a replacement for urgent medical care, it can still be holy plant bonds in emergency situations that help us to pause, calm down and regulate in moments of shock – or even physiologically support our body, whether it is now due to pain lighting, or anti -inflammatory properties.
First Aid Aromatherapeutic Features of Essential Oils
There are so many different aromatherapeutic properties of essential oils, including:
- Inhibitory – To reduce swelling and redness after injury or tension – Examples: lavender, chamomile (German), turmeric
- Analgesic – To relieve pain – useful for bumps, bruises or muscle tension – Examples: peppermint, clove, black pepper
- Antiseptic and antimicrobial – To clean small cuts, scratches, bites and infections – Examples: tea tree, ravensara, lemongrass
- Blood circulation/warming – To encourage blood flow – Examples: ginger, rosemary, Marjoram
- Cooling – To calm heat or inflammation – Examples: peppermint, Spearmint, Eucalyptus
- Airways – To relieve breathing in shock or for shallow breathing – Examples: Eucalyptus, Benzoin, Niaouli
- Calming (nervine) – To calm anxiety, panic, shock or emotional overwhelming – Examples: Bergamot, Chamomile (Roman or German), Rose
- Earthing – To reconnect with the body after dissociation or trauma – Examples: incense, patchouli, vetiver
There are so many oils that can help us in moments of emergency situations – but I am also aware that it can be difficult at the moment to remember what we need. So let’s look at my top 5 aromatherapeutic oils to keep in your kit, ready!
Top 5 Essential oils for Aromatherapeutic First Aid
The following oils are great all-rounders with different ‘first aid properties:
- Lavender – A large oil to calm shock, this oil has multiple physiological properties – including pain lighting, anti -inflammatory and shock lighting!
- Tea Tree – A beautiful oil for cleaning wounds, bites and scratches, but also for protecting and repairing our energy in shock. This oil is a great all -round oil to keep in your kit (Ravensara is a softer alternative if you don’t like the scent).
- Peppermint – a cooling oil, which also breathes new life and relieves pain, making it a normal first -class oil.
- Chamomile – both emotionally calming and physiological anti -inflammatory and grounding, this is a great oil for shock, and also for pain.
- Incense – one to support and breathe in earthing in times of shock and trauma – and also good for the skin – this is another great one to have in the kit.
Each of these oils has a medicine that can help us in every emergency situation – there is a wide variety of ‘first aid’ properties in this mix – for many difficult situations.
First aid rituals
When we have had a kind of emergency situation, one of the first things that essential oils can offer is a sense of calmness and grounding – so I have created a ritual for shock, followed by 2 rituals for a number of common first aid challenges – wound wound and fire gel.
RESCUE ROLLER – When we are in shock:
- Mix 10 ml of grape seed oil in a rolf bottle and add 1 drop -chamomile and 1 drop of incense. Roll this on your pulse points as soon as there has been an emergency, to ground yourself back into your body and to restore a feeling of calmness. This is the best place to meet the emergency of the emergency.
Wound Wash Spritz – If you have physically cut or scrap a small surface:
- Mix 100 ml of sterile water (or lavender hydrolat) in a clean spray bottle and add 20 drops of ravensara, 5 drops of lemongrass and 5 drops of incense. Use this to spray each small surface wound that needs soft cleaning.
Minor Burns Gel – If you have had a small, superficial burn (no large burns) or sunburn:
- Mix 15 ml aloe vera -gel with 2 drops of lavender, 2 drops of chamomile and 2 drops of helichrysum and apply gently to the burn to calm it down.
Trusting the wisdom of your body
The most important thing to remember is that our body is intelligent – while you start working with essential oils in first aid moments, you learn to trust your own wisdom and intuition about where oils are asked. Our bodies are good at the desire for the oils they need.
I would recommend building a small ‘starter kit’ for aromatherapeutic first aid, while you are going – as a supplement in addition to other mainstream emergency aid. As you do, you will notice that first aid help not only needs to be clinical – it can also be registered with your vegetable allies, calm and holy!
Just start – and become creative!
Nicole Barton
Consultant Aromatherapist
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