Due to its high menthol content, peppermint essential oil is highly invigorating and markedly analgesic, making it a top choice in a home or athlete’s first aid kit: Peppermint is truly a shock, blow, or painful sting. It is also used to relieve headaches and migraines, improve digestion, clear the nose, fight nausea, and fight bad breath.
Regardless of the use of peppermint essential oil, it is best diluted in vegetable oils to limit the risk of skin irritation, reduce the intoxicating smell, and avoid excessive cold effects.
When to Use Peppermint Essential Oil?
Cold pain relief (trauma, blows, bruises, sprains, strains, punctures)
migraines and headaches
nausea, motion sickness
Digestive disorders (cramps, indigestion, bloating, irritable bowel, colitis, bad breath)
heavy or swollen legs
poor concentration, fatigue
itching
Menthol is what gives peppermint essential oil its excellent analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. Just like a cold, menthol does activate the skin’s heat receptors, which leads to deep analgesia (pain relief). The heat receptor involved is the TRPM8 receptor, which is sensitive to low temperature and involved in the process of inflammation, pain and pruritus (itching). This analgesic (anti-pain) property has been experimentally validated in models of chronic neuropathic pain.
Whenever pain, redness, warmth, or itching (pruritus) occur, peppermint oil will ease your discomfort.
muscle or joint pain
For topical application, dilute with a maximum of 10% vegetable oil
insect bites
For topical application, diluted in 10% vegetable oil, alone or in synergy with Spike Lavender and/or Tea Tree essential oil
whitlow
To dilute, combine an infection-fighting essential oil such as Tea Tree, Noble Bay or Palmarosa, each at 10%.
cold sores, cold sores
If the pimple is mounting and painful, combine with tea tree essential oil.
heavy and/or swollen legs
In the leg massage, very strong dilutions with vegetable oils (not more than 3% peppermint), if necessary synergistic with circulating essential oils (evergreen cypress, pistachio frankincense, etc.), all diluted to 7%. (Please refer to the instruction manual of each essential oil for precautions in use)
Headaches and Migraines
Whatever the cause of the headache (hepatic, vascular, infectious), peppermint oil can reduce or even relieve pain.
In case of migraines and headaches, peppermint essential oil is used topically (preferably diluted, up to 10%) to the forehead, temples and sinus area. After application, massage these areas continuously with fingertips, preferably acupoints.
digestive system disease
Regarding digestive disorders, peppermint promotes gastric emptying above all: the stomach empties faster, reduces the feeling of bloating, and is useful in cases of stomach acid.
In addition to this, peppermint also has antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and carminative (anti-flatulent) properties that make peppermint clinically proven for a variety of digestive disorders such as:
irritable bowel syndrome
Intestinal cramps
Functional dyspepsia (a digestive disorder that usually presents with stomach pain and bloating)
Inflammatory Bowel Pain: Combine with Coriander Essential Oil
Peppermint essential oil can also be used to control nausea.
It also has an effect on the gallbladder: peppermint essential oil is also of interest in cases of biliary insufficiency due to its choleretic properties and relaxing effect on the sphincter.
digestive cramps, indigestion
Use alone or in synergy with Coriander essential oil (1 drop of Coriander with 2 drops of Peppermint).
Oral: 3 drops per tablespoon. Coffee oil 1 to 3 times a day (up to 3 weeks)
irritable bowel syndrome
Oral: 0.2 to 0.4 ml antigastric capsules 1 to 3 times daily (up to 2 weeks). The recommended dose is high, and implementation of this treatment is imperative, requiring advice and monitoring by a health professional.
Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases
We must consider on the one hand the action of menthol, which relaxes the airways during constriction, and on the other hand, the anti-inflammatory, mucolytic and refreshing properties of peppermint, and we get a remarkable essential oil for ENT ailments, of course Works synergistically with other anti-infective essential oils.
Sinusitis, stuffy nose
Smell (inhalation stick or handkerchief), topical application (diluted ideally), forehead, temples, sinus area. Massage these areas continuously with your fingertips. Ideally in synergy with anti-infective and mucolytic essential oils (Niaouli, Rosemary with verbenone, Eucalyptus, etc.: see the corresponding table for precautions for use)
Cold, Nasopharyngitis
Peppermint essential oil will be used synergistically with other anti-infective and expectorant essential oils (e.g. ibex and Ravintsara in equal parts). For massage: dilute 6 drops of this synergy with vegetable oil and massage on the back and chest.
Oral: 3 times a day, add 3 drops of synergy to 1 teaspoon of honey
(Please refer to the instruction manual of each essential oil for precautions in use)
Other indications
Decreased vigilance and emotional shock
Peppermint essential oil can give you a “boost” when:
Mental and physical fatigue, driving, difficulty concentrating
Stage fright, anxiety, chest tightness, intense fear
Precautions for using peppermint essential oil
There is no risk of high blood pressure in peppermint, and regular consumption of peppermint may even lower blood pressure.
Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium) is rich in menthone, which is much more neurotoxic and hepatotoxic than peppermint and should not be confused.
Precautions for use
dilute peppermint essential oil for oral or dermal use
Do not apply on damaged skin
Do not inhale or instill into nose until age 12
Not recommended for pregnant and lactating women
Contraindications
Contraindicated in children under 7 years, epileptics and asthmatics
Contraindicated if biliary obstruction
If you are allergic to peppermint or one of its ingredients
medicine interactions
It is best to wait 2 hours between taking an antacid and taking an antacid peppermint essential oil capsule.
Peppermint essential oil can enhance the effects of certain medications, such as calcium channel blockers. Therefore, it is best to separate the intake of these medications from that of peppermint essential oil.
Toxicology
For young children: Menthol can cause laryngospasm, which can lead to choking
Inhalation of overdose can cause nausea, cardiac, muscular and nervous disturbances. Not recommended for pure diffusion.
In some sensitive people, peppermint essential oil can cause heartburn, irritation of mucous membranes, or skin reactions (see Allergic Sensitization for Irritation)
Vulnerable individuals could theoretically be at risk of convulsions due to the presence of a ketone (menthone) (menthone, however, is not a ketone with strong neurotoxic potential)
Menthol increases the penetration of other active ingredients through the skin
warn:
This form is not a substitute for medication or medical advice. In case of doubt or need, it is always recommended to consult a physician. Essential oils are not intended to replace medication without prior medical or pharmaceutical advice.
