The Oils and Plants Oil Finder Database, helps you quickly find which Essential Oils to use for which ailment. Type in the name of an Essential Oil or an Ailment to find the definition. You will find fuller explanations on our Ailments and Essential Oil pages.

Please note that this is only a guide to help you identify which oils are good for which ailments and vice versa. Once you have found the oil that suits your needs, please read the whole article for that oil to find out any contraindications and if it is the right oil for you.

Here are the results for the letter a

ABSCESSES

The most effective essential oils for treating an abscess are Bergamot, Camomile (especially for a dental abscess), Lavender and Tea tree (singly or in combination). The person's general health should also be considered. Advice on a non-toxic diet and maybe vitamin/mineral supplementation may be needed, especially if the condition is recurrent.

ACHES AND PAINS

See the oils for the various types of aches and pains on our Aches and Pains Page.

ACNE

A variety of essential oils may be used to help this condition, and the therapist will sometimes try a number of different oils until the best one for the individual is found, and may also vary the oils from time to time during the course of treatment. The most helpful oils include Lavender and Bergamot, which are both bactericidal. Lavender is also soothing and healing, and promotes the growth of healthy new cells, Bergamot is astringent, as well as anti-depressant (useful, because many young people become understandably depressed about their acne, and the depression may even make the condition worse). Oil of Geranium can be used to balance the secretion of sebum. These oils can be used on the face ( diluted in a carrier oil) in facial massages, and mixed into creams and skin cleansing and toning lotions for use between treatments.

AGING SKIN

Most skins become less oily as they grow older. You have probably observed that people whose skin was oily in youth, preserve a young looking skin much longer. The production of sebum, a natural oil which lubricates the skin, is at its peak in adolescence, and slowly declines thereafter. Massage with such oils as Geranium, Jasmine, Neroli or Rose will help to restore this natural balance to some degree, but it will probably also be helpful to add to the amount of oil on the skin surface by using richer carrier oils, such as avocado, jojoba, peach kernel and a little wheatgerm. These can be used in the form of creams as well as massage oils. See also the entry for WRINKLES.

ALLERGIES

This is a very large subject and can't be generalized upon too much, but the aromatherapist's approach to allergy is to employ essential oils which are calming and soothing, and so modify this over-reaction. Camomile, Lavender, Peppermint and Melissa are the oils most often used successfully to help allergies. Baths, compresses, inhalations, skin lotions, etc., are all appropriate methods, depending on the type of allergic response.

ALOPECIA (Baldness)

Local treatments to the scalp will mainly be concentrated on massage to increase the circulation and the general health of the skin of the scalp, since each hair grows from a 'root' or follicle in the dermis, or inner layer of skin. Rosemary, Lavender and Thyme are the oils which have been found to stimulate hair growth, both where the loss is total, or where there is severe thinning.

AMENORRHEA

If you are not pregnant and your amenorrhea is due to hormonal imbalances and irregular ovulation, try this recipe to regulate your cycle.

15 drops Virginian cedarwood essential oil
  6 drops coriander essential oil
10 drops clary sage essential oil
12 drops rose essential oil

Put the essential oils into a dark glass bottle and shake well. For the following applications, dispense the concentrate using a pipette or eye dropper (available from pharmacies).

ANEMIA

See our Anemia Page for various natural remedies to help this condition.

ANGELICA

Angelica oil can be used to help in the treatment of dull congested skin, irritation, Psoriasa, accumulation of Toxins, Arthritis, Gout, Rheumatism, water retention, Bronchitis, Coughs, Anaemia, Anorexia, Flatulence, Indigestion, Fatigue, Migraine, nervous tension and Stress related disorders. Detoxifying and soothing. Helpful during winter months when many are suffering from Colds and Flu. Helps mental clarity, and relief for Aches and Pains.

ANGER

See our Anger Management Page for various natural remedies to help this condition.

ANISEED

The Essential oil of Aniseed is seldom used, on account of its high toxicity. In high doses or taken over a long time, it is a narcotic which slows the circulation, damages the brain and is addictive, as seen by the high addiction rates to Absinthe in 19th century France. Theoretically it can be used to calm digestive or menstrual pain, stimulate the flow of breast milk, or treat heart and lung disease. As there are many other safer Esential Oils available, you might do better to leave this one alone.

ANTICEPTIC

Some of the most effective antiseptic essential oils include: Bergamot, Lavender, Tea Tree, Benzoin, Clove, Myrrh, Basil, Clary Sage, Eucalyptus, Fennel, Lemon, Pine, Thyme and Rosemary.

Anticeptic herbs include: Arnica, Arrowroot, Camphor, Echinacea and Barberry.

ANXIETY

Benzoin, Bergamot, Camomile, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Cypress, Frankincense, Geranium, Hyssop, Jasmine, Juniper, Lavender, Marjoram, Melissa, Neroli, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood, Verbena and Ylang-Ylang are all helpful in treating Anxiety.

APHRODISIACS

The most notable oils are Rose and Neroli (orange-flower). Clary Sage, Patchouli – if you can stand the smell - and Yiang Ylang are in the same category. All of these are oils which are relaxing in general.

The oils of Jasmine and Sandalwood can be included with those that are calming and relaxing, as they are both wonderfully sedative oils.

APPETITE

If the appetite is temporarily decreased, such as in convalescence, it is a relatively simple matter to stimulate it by using essential oils. Camomile, Cardamon, Hyssop and Bergamot are all known to help with loss of appetite. Fennel is given by some authorities as a stimulator of appetite, while others state the opposite.

ARTHRITIS

Essential oils can be used in a variety of ways to achieve these results. Detoxifying oils, such as Cypress, Fennel, Juniper and Lemon are used in baths and massage to help the body throw off poisons. Painkilling oils, such as Benzoin, Camomile, Lavender and Rosemary are used in baths, local massage or compresses on the affected joints, and local circulation can be improved by the use of rubefacient oils - Black Pepper, Ginger and Marjoram, for example.

ASTHMA

The choice of essential oils will depend on many factors, such as whether or not there is infection present, whether the asthma is known to be an allergic response, or whether emotional factors are involved. Bergamot, Camomile, Clary Sage, Lavender, Neroli and Rose are all antispasmodic oils which happen also to be antidepressant, so they offer a wide choice if you know that stress and anxiety are factors to be considered.

ATHLETES FOOT

You can treat athlete's foot with a combination of Lavender and Myrrh oils, and alternate with Tea tree. All these oils are fungicidal, and have other properties that help to soothe and heal the moist, itching and often cracked skin. If the skin is deeply cracked and painful, oil of Calendula is valuable, too. It is best to use the oils dissolved in alcohol for a few days until the moistness of the skin has dried out.