In this article, we discuss the top 7 essential oils for diverticulitis. Diverticulitis is a disease that forms along the digestive tract and is one of the most common and painful intestinal health issues in the Western world. With this being the case, there are thousands people who are wondering how to treat diverticulitis. We will discuss how using essential oils can help and which are good for diverticulitis pain relief.
It has been well known for hundreds if not, thousands of years that essential oils help greatly with a number of health conditions. They have been used around the world, in almost every culture, and throughout time due to their beneficial healing qualities.
One of the health conditions people claim that they help is called diverticulitis.
What is Diverticulitis?
Here is the definition found on Healthline:
“Diverticular disease develops when pouches form along your digestive tract, typically in your colon (large intestine). These pouches are known as diverticula. They form when weak spots in your intestinal wall balloon outward. Diverticulitis happens when diverticula become inflamed and in some cases infected. This can occur when feces or partially digested food blocks the opening of the diverticula.”
Causes and Symptoms of Diverticulitis
Before we discuss how to use essential oils for diverticulitis, let us first discuss what the causes and symptoms are. While there is no single known cause for the development of diverticular disease, there are factors that many believe lead to this condition.
These factors include:
- Low fiber diet
- Lack of exercise
- Diet high in animal fats and dairy
- Smoking
- NSAIDs
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Aspirin
- Opiates
- Steroids
Symptoms of diverticulitis include:
- Severe abdominal pain – mostly in lower left side, sometimes the lower right
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Fever and chills
- Blood in stool
- Bleeding from rectum
How to Treat Diverticulitis
When it comes to how to treat diverticulitis, it depends on how severe the symptoms and signs are. They boil down to whether or not you have uncomplicated diverticulitis or complicated diverticulitis.
If you have uncomplicated diverticulitis with mild symptoms, you doctor will most likely recommend home treatment. This is where essential oils can come into play.
If you have complicated diverticulitis with severe symptoms, you will be hospitalized where the doctor will determine if surgery needs to take place.
So, how to treat diverticulitis depends on how severe your case is.
This condition can be uncomfortable and painful to manage no matter how severe your case is. Finding diverticulitis pain relief is an important part of the healing process.
Please note, this article is providing advice and suggestions for those who are suffering with uncomplicated diverticulitis and looking for at home remedies. For those with complicated, ask your doctor about the use of essential oils during your recovery. As always, consult with your primary care provider about the treatment of your condition.
What essential oils are good for diverticulitis?
Choosing which essential oils you would like to use for diverticulitis depends on your symptoms. Essential oils help with a wide variety of symptoms from pain, infections, fevers, nausea, inflammation, and so on. Essential oils may help you find diverticulitis pain relief and treat your symptoms and so that you feel more comfortable, which then allows more healing to take place.
When I asked myself what essential oils are good for diverticulitis, I dove into scientific research on what oils out of the thousands to chose from that I can share with you. Below are the top 7 essential oils for diverticulitis and pain relief.
The Top 7 Essential Oils for Diverticulitis
1. Peppermint essential oil for Diverticulitis
Peppermint essential oil is one of the most popular essential oil for diverticulitis pain relief due to the soothing benefits it has on the digestive system. It also has antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. It helps those with diverticulitis because it relieves stomach pain and stimulates colon contraction. Those with diarrhea and nausea may also find relief with peppermint oil.
How to use this essential oil for diverticulitis:
To safely use, dilute with a carrier oil, such as coconut or almond oil. We recommend almond oil because it creates a nice smell combination. If no carrier oil is used, it may cause a burning sensation on the skin and redness to occur. Mix with a carrier oil and apply directly to the stomach with a cotton ball.
2. Chamomile essential oil for Diverticulitis
Chamomile essential oil has been known to relieve many gastrointestinal conditions due to its many beneficial properties. These include anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, antispasmodic, spasmolytic, and anxiolytic. Chamomile essential oil soothes the intestines, heals infection, and improves digestive functions and is why it is one of the top 7 essential oils for diverticulitis.
3. Rosemary essential oil for Diverticulitis
Rosemary essential oil is known for relieving pain and some of the other major problems caused by diverticulitis. This is due to antiviral, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, carminative, stimulant, and digestive properties. It has an antiseptic effect on the infection of the colon caused by diverticulitis.
4. Clove essential oil for Diverticulitis
Clove essential oil prevents bloating, nausea, gas, diarrhea, and intestinal spasms. It also smooths the inner lining of muscle throughout the digestive tract. The qualities that clove essential oil has are antibacterial, antiviral, anti-infectious, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, carminative, anthelmintic, and stimulant. Please note, it is a highly potent oil and is a powerful aid for those with diverticulitis.
5. Lavender essential oil for Diverticulitis
Lavender essential oil has a plethora of uses and benefits, including helping those with diverticulitis. Studies have found that lavender oil has pain relieving qualities similar to prescription pain medication when applied topically. Additionally, it relaxes and soothes the muscles in the digestive tract. Alongside being carminative, it is antibacterial and antifungal.
6. Cinnamon essential oil for Diverticulitis
Cinnamon essential oil is one of the top 7 essential oils for diverticulitis because of its relieving qualities for bloating and stomach distention. It also relieves the muscles in the intestine which helps expel gas. The other properties cinnamon oil possesses are antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anthelmintic, and anti-inflammatory.
7. Turmeric essential oil
Turmeric essential oil can provide relief for those suffering from diverticulitis because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Because it has been used for centuries in ayurvedic medicine for healing the digestive system, now is being studied by Western medicine for its ability to help with gut inflammation and gut permeability.