Can oregano oil help with asthma?

The medical definition of asthma conditions can make it seem so simple but asthma is a very complex condition to deal with. Shortness of breath is possible which can worsen and make breathing a very serious issue. You find it very difficult to get air into and out of your lungs and a patient described his condition as breathing through a straw (1).

Asthma is not a condition to joke with. It needs serious attention and care. As of 2016, it was estimated that asthma kills over 3,000 Americans annually. Isn’t that more than enough to pay attention to the condition? I have read and seen people who have been dealing with asthma all their life and if you don’t know the condition can be a nightmare.

Asthma is defined by science as a chronic inflammation condition of the airway that causes shortness of breath, wheezing, chronic coughing, and tightness of the chest. The symptoms of asthma are occasional as they can come and go which may make you uncertain of whether it is asthma or just a normal health condition. Diagnosing asthma is the job of a doctor as many things are needed to be considered and some other health conditions to be ruled out before final conclusions are made.

Some signs and symptoms of Asthma

The most common signs of asthma are:

• Coughing, usually at night, when exercising or when laughing
• Chest tightness
• Difficulty breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound in your chest when breathing, especially when exhaling) (1a)

Well, the question now is can oregano oil help with Asthma?

As mentioned earlier, asthma is a very complicated health issue that requires close observations. Oregano oil can help for asthma as a complementary treatment but not as a cure to asthma. Some people claim essential oils as oregano have greatly helped them for their condition and some claim it is a trigger for them. This is why we should understand asthma is a very complicated health condition.

Also, with the history of traditional medicines, it is known to be beneficial to some people and to others not really. From my experience, I can conveniently agree to that claim. Many people have been able to receive the benefits of oregano oil until it was named a “miracle plant” but to others, it has never been any good for their conditions which still leaves me wondering why.

Now let me tell you more about oregano.

What is oregano

Oregano oil is a powerful and natural oil extracted from the Origanum Vulgare plant itself. Oregano is considered a miraculous plant because of its exceptional health benefits. Oregano oil protects the immune system, fights against bacteria, detoxifies the body, and prevents chronic diseases in our system. Today, many use oregano for their daily wellbeing after an amazing experience with oregano oil. We are now turning to and considering oregano oil as our own natural antibiotics.

Why oregano can be beneficial for asthma

Oregano oil has been used for thousands of years by ancient traditional healers to treat respiratory conditions like cough, cold and flu, sinus pain, and even asthma. Oregano was also used for digestion issues, cramping, and diarrhea (2). Due to modern development, the oil can now be extracted through a unique distillation process it is possible to have the oil in different forms and with all its health potentials maintained.

Oregano oil is well known for it’s anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, and anti-fungal properties. The main active ingredients of oregano which are carvacrol and thymol, are known to play a pivotal role in oregano’s health benefits. Oregano oil with its anti-inflammatory properties makes it possible for the oil to soothe the inflamed airway caused by asthma.

Also, the presence of rosmarinic acid in oregano oil can really help for asthma conditions. Rosmarinic acid is considered a very powerful antioxidant than the famous vitamin E. It is known to prevent free radical damage and also an active agent in preventing atherosclerosis and cancer. For asthma cases, rosmarinic acid is known to be very effective and a contributing compound in treating allergic asthma. It can reduce fluid build-up and swelling caused by an allergy attack and also known to be an effective natural antihistamine (3). It reduces inflammatory markers and cyclooxygenase expression (4).

In addition, the presence of flavonoids (flavones) in oregano makes it possible for treating asthma symptoms. This is because, flavones have been linked with numerous pharmacological properties such as anti-asthmatic, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, and decreases the risk of cardiovascular diseases (5).

Oregano oil is known to treat some related symptoms like cold and flu, sinus infection, heartburn (GERD), cough, and even acts as a complementary treatment for swine flu conditions. These conditions are most likely to trigger an asthma attack. This implies oregano oil can play a major role in relieving the symptoms of asthma patients experience.

How to use oregano for asthma

Oregano oil can be used in many different ways but before we get into that it is important to know using oregano can be a great treatment but oregano does not play it fair with some conditions. Before using oregano in any form, take a trip to your doctor and get professional advice about your condition and using oregano oil.

If you are allergic to plants of the Lamiaceae family then you are likely to be allergic to oregano oil as they are all of the same family class. Pregnant and nursing ladies are advised to avoid oregano oil. Even though ancient healers used oregano to treat diabetes condition, if you are diabetic, avoid using oregano oil. Oregano can lower blood sugar levels and can cause complications if taking alongside with your medication. If you take anticoagulants then stay away from oregano.

It is also very important to note that oregano oil can’t be used for children.

Please read more about some major safety concerns about using oregano oil

Diffusing oregano oil for asthma

You can diffuse oregano oil in your living area to help clear the respiratory tract and to prevent inflammation and congestion. You will be able to breathe in when the rich properties of oregano make their way through your airway and activate their anti-inflammatory properties.

You can diffuse 5-6 drops of oregano in a 500ml of water or as per the required water level of your oil diffuser. You can diffuse the oil in your living space as you carry on your daily activities. You can diffuse the oil in your bedroom for an hour before bedtime and stop the diffuser as you go to sleep especially during the beginning of using oregano oil for asthma conditions.

Using oregano oil as a steam therapy for asthma

Using oregano oil as a steam therapy can also be helpful to clear nasal congestion and breathing complications. This can be done by simply adding 3-5 drops of oregano oil in a bowl of boiled hot water. Place the bowl over your face and inhale the vapor. It is recommended to use a towel over your head to prevent the vapor from escaping. Remember to close the eyes but mouth open to let the oil go throw the throat and clear any congestions.

Applying oregano oil on the thorax for asthma conditions.

Sometimes you may feel heavy congestion on the chest. You can use oregano oil as indicated for the steam therapy but this time, take a hand towel and soak in the solution and massage the chest. After steam therapy, you can use the same solution with a hand towel to massage the chest.

Also, you can use oregano with a carrier oil to massage the chest. You can mix 2-3 drops of oregano oil with a carrier oil of your choice and massage the chest gently. You can do this 2-3 times a day.

Taking oregano oil internally for asthma

Ingesting oregano oil can be very beneficial for many health issues. You can take oregano oil orally to step up and boost the immune system. To take oregano orally, you can mix 2-3 drops of oregano with a carrier oil and swallow. You can also use a glass of water with 2-3 drops of oregano oil.

I must warn, the taste of oregano can be too strong. If you dislike the taste of the oil you can get busy and make some oregano capsules by mixing 2-3 drops of oregano to a tablespoon of your desired carrier oil and fill up the mixture in empty gelatin capsules. If you are too busy to do that, there are oregano capsules available in the market.

It is important to note oregano is not meant to be used internally for a long time period especially when taking the oil directly. You can only use oregano for 14 days max. You can take a break for about 2-3 weeks and resume taking the oil again if necessary.

Cooking with oregano for asthma

Cooking or using oregano as a spice was one of the ways ancient healers used oregano for their treatments. The nutritional value of oregano is remarkable as it is richly packed with vitamins A, C, E, K, calcium, fiber, niacin, folate, magnesium, iron, manganese, and many other ingredients. Oregano in food can reduce oxidation by 71 percent, and can greatly reduce the toxic compounds that emerge during a cooking process (6)

With this in mind and with the presence of flavinoids, oregano can help to reduce allergy from food for some asthma patients. It can greatly help to control the hormones which are very important in the healing process.

You can use oregano in salad dressings, in your tomato sauce, and for seasoning. Oregano spice can be used in almost every meal if you find it convenient.

Using oregano tea for asthma

You can make an oregano tea just as every other ordinary tea with fresh oregano leaves if you grow your own fresh oregano, also, if you have dried oregano leaves (7) or you can check out oregano tea sachets which are available in many stores today.

To drink oregano tea for healing, add about 4-6 tablespoon of dried oregano leaves in 2-3 cups of water and boil. Let it steep and cool for a while and sip gently while still hot. This will help to keep you warm and reduce tightness in the chest. Oregano will also continue to do its wonders from within.

When you should stop using oregano for asthma

The way oregano might work for some people might not be the same way it might work for you. Unfortunately, that is how traditional medicine works which has always left me wondering. When using oregano oil alongside your asthma treatment, and your symptoms only get worse, then please, stop using oregano oil for your asthma condition.

If you are not having any asthma symptoms, then you try to use oregano for preventing any attack but rather triggering an attack, then you should avoid using oregano oil for your asthma condition.

Using oregano is meant to treat your symptoms and not the other way round. If you diffuse oregano and you start feeling a shortage of air or fighting to get air in and out of the lungs, you should stop the use of oregano with immediate effect. I am sorry, for oregano might not be the essential oil to help you with your condition.

EndNote

It is important to always remember using oregano for asthma should only be a complementary treatment and not a solo treatment procedure. I pray for oregano to bring you to complete healing and if by any chance it does, that will be a blessing for you but never use oregano oil for your asthma condition as a solo treatment until you are finally free from asthma.

Also, it is very important to make sure the oregano oil you are planning to use is a 100% organic and therapeutic grade oregano oil produced by a reputable company under the best production practices. When using oregano oil orally, it is very important to dilute the oil with a carrier oil or use oregano capsules which are already diluted. Please share your experience with oregano oil below for us to learn and implement the use effectively.