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 o

OBESITY

A small number of essential oils are sometimes described as being useful in losing weight. The most notable of these is Fennel, which has had the reputation of suppressing hunger since at least the time of Julius Caesar. Roman soldiers on long marches carried fennel seeds in their pouches to chew until they could make a meal at the next stopping place. Throughout the Middle Ages and well into the Tudor era, devout Christians used fennel in the same way to help them through the various fast days of the church calendar. Fennel is also a mild diuretic which could help if fluid retention was involved, and a detoxifier, which could be valuable if previous poor diet had created a build up of toxins in the body, but would not directly contribute to weight loss.

Garlic and Onion are mentioned by some French authors, and both these oils have a strong stimulant action on the thyroid gland. If an under active thyroid, leading to slow metabolism is the cause, either of these oils could help, preferably in capsule form, or simply by including plenty of garlic and raw onion in meals.

OEDEMA

This is the name given to any swelling due to excess fluid in the tissues. Oedema may be localised and temporary, such as the swelling of a sprained ankle, or it may affect larger areas or the whole body.However, there are many other forms of oedema which can be very effectively treated with essential oils, especially premenstrual fluid retention, which responds very well indeed to massage in the week to ten days preceding each period. The most helpful oils are Fennel, Geranium and Rosemary.

See our Oedema Page for more information.

ORANGE

Antidepressant, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Carminative , Digestive, Febrifuge, Sedative, Stomachic, Tonic. This oil has a rich, fresh citrus scent, the essential oil of Orange lifts the spirits yet is calming to the nerves. Blend with spicy oils for cheering baths. Add to massage oil for digestive system. Believed to brighten dull complexions.

See our Orange Oil Page for indepth information.

OSTEOPOROSIS

See our Osteoporosis.htm Page for more information.

OTITIS (EARACHE)

Because of this, and the potentially dangerous nature of the possible complications, no earache should ever be neglected. Essential oils can be used at the first sign of pain, to help relieve this and to combat the infection, but if there is no improvement within 24 hours, or if the pain is acute, or there is fever with it, or if pus is seen coming from the ear, a doctor should be consulted at once. This really is one of the situations in which antibiotics should not be despised, though it is possible and advisable to continue with aromatherapy treatments at the same time. Neglect of an apparently simple earache can lead to permanent deafness.