Treating Sore Throat and Flu With Essential Oils

Recently, I got a flu bug and one of my symptoms was a really sore throat.  My glands were swollen on both sides, it was very hard to swallow.  It advanced strongly and quickly.  My neighbor had also been struggling with strep.  (I didn't look to see if that is what I might be.)    It was very hard to drink water and the pain extended into my ears and head.  I remembered reading somewhere that you can use therapeutic grade lavender essential oil to treat a sore throat, by rubbing it on the outside of the neck of the infected areas.  I did this and up around the back and front of the ears as well...  IT WORKED!  I was able to swallow easier within a half hour and eat and drink freely within a couple hours.  (That important, because could feel myself dehydrating I needed fluids to continue to flush those toxins!) And within an hour, the pain was notably less, the head ache went away and my glands were reduced in size and going down.   I repeated this about 3-4 times that day. for two days.  By the end of the second day, almost normal.  By the beginning of the third day, I had no throat symptoms, but would feel pressure in my head, when I bent over and would get a dull ache in my ears.  So I continued it after - but was able to function moderately as my body gained back it strength from the other flu symptoms.  On the froth day - I could bend without pressure in my head like the day before.  This is wonderful way to treat small children as well.  I would have no hesitation doing this on my toddler.

My other symptoms were also quite severe, I had sever aches everywhere, chills and fever, fatuge and shortness of breath at times, mental clarity was gone, I could not read or write well, my eyes tired very quickly, and I kidney pain.  This was the second round of this bugger - it hit us earlier in the week, but had diarrhea with it.  Others in the family also had mixed and variations of these symptoms plus vomiting, runny and stuffy noses and chest congestion for some.  I thought I had concurred it..but I did not take it seriously enough!  It came back and bit me again after having been "normal" for 3-4 days!  This is what I did to finally get rid of it once and for all.  In the first 12 hours I took lots of Epsom salt soaks and took some goldenseal  and oregan grape root caps.   I also used a homemade deep tissue salve, this gave me temporary relief, but it was really more of a distraction than a cure.   I could tell, none of these things were getting to the source quick enough for my liking.  :-) (What can I say?  I fail in the "long suffering department"!) My throat was getting worse as well.

So it was time to bring out the big guns in little bottles -  essential oils. DH did a modified Raindrop Technique on me with essential oils which was VERY helpful in turning things around.  On the first day, I took some acetaminophen to manage the pain to allow me to sleep.  (You KNOW I'm hurting if I take Tylenol!)  DH also filled a veggie gel cap with a mix of Warrior  and Lymphatic Cleanse and I took that internally three times a day for 3 days.  The second day, I added lots of vitamin C, about 6-8000 mg (after I was able to get some sleep in - because it keeps me awake).  I ate very little, some eggs, spinach and a couple sips of broth for those two days. But as soon as my throat cleared up, I started drinking lots of water.  (I like to use a quart jar with a straw.  This helps me measure my intake easily and motivates me to keep drinking.)  I tried herbal teas, which are usually my 'go-to', but for some reason that wasn't happening this time.  They are effective.  So simple and so "plug and play"!

This post was shared at Wildcrafting Wednesday.