Tea Tree Oil

[knothead]

Wondering if using Tea Tree oil would work as a decongestant by placing some in front of the filter. Just wondering about this. Would like to try something to help with Sarcoidosis congestion...

[Snoregone Conclusion]

If the filter is coarse enough it might let it through enough to have an effect on you, otherwise if the filter is fine enough, it will just clog the filter. The way that seems most probable to get oil into a state it’s going to go through easier is to heat it, but I don’t know how you’d do that most safely and effectively.

The one person I read on here with oils put in front of the intake used a piece of paper/tissue of some kind soaked in the essential oils, and where they really screwed up was having removed the filter, and having that sucked into the machine’s internals.

[ChicagoGranny]

Wondering if using Tea Tree oil would work as a decongestant by placing some in front of the filter. Just wondering about this. Would like to try something to help with Sarcoidosis congestion...

An internet search returns hundreds of woo-woo sites extolling the benefits of tea tree oil.

You might want to see what Mayo Clinic has to say about tea tree oil. It only mentions topical use and says toxic if swallowed. https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supple ... t-20364246

Shouldn't you be talking to your doctor instead of pursuing woo-woo treatments?

[chunkyfrog]

Tea tree oil can be an irritant for many people--even externally.
Therefore, it is best to test on a very small area EXTERNALLY only.
Inhaling the vapor, especially while sleeping, sounds like a VERY BAD IDEA.
Please consult with your doctor.

[JayDee]

I have not tried Tea Tree oil by itself yet, but I have tried Eucalyptus, plain old Vicks Vapo-rub and now am trying a blend called "Breathe" that claims to include a cocktail of Eucalyptus, Cardamom, Lemon, Laurel Leaf, Peppermint, Pine, and Tea Tree oils.

Each has worked OK, though I find I like the scent of the "Breathe" blend best, so far.

Biggest complaint is that none of them seems to last more than about two or so hours and that could be entirely due to how I use them. There may be a method that lasts longer.

If you search Amazon for: Aromatherapy Sinus Congestion, there are a ton of options. What works for me may not work at all for you. I would suggest that whichever one you pick, start with the smallest bottle to try it. You should expect to try two or more (likely more) "flavors" until you find the one that works best for you. I wish they sold a 15-drop "sampler" size or something like that...

Here's how I use them...

- I take a paper-towel or toilet-tissue tube/core and cut off about a 3-inch section.
- Fold up a napkin so that it is flat and will slide inside the tube.
- When your head is ready to hit the pillow, put about three drops (+/- to suit) of your preferred aromatic "booze" on the napkin and slide it in the tube. You want the napkin laying flat so plenty of air can flow over it.
- Point the tube at the intake port of your xpap machine so that air can flow through the tube and into the intake port.

I find that butting the tube against the intake port renders the aroma too strong, so I position the tube maybe an inch or so away from the intake port. Just experiment with the tube position to get it "just right" for your tastes (straight, angled, close, far, etc).

Good luck with it!
-JD

[PA051]

I get congested tooooo.. especially this time of year from ragweed. Please don't breath in tea tree all night. It's not a good idea. I had been using eucalyptus oil near my air intake and loved it-- but I started waking up with a fast heartbeat. It took me about a week to find out that eucalyptus oil is a cardiac stimulant. I should not have been breathing that in all night!!
I switched to putting a towel over my head in a bowl of very hot water with one drop of oil in it. A steam tent. It helps.
I use a humidifier on my machine and have it set on 5. That helps me too. It's not perfect ..some mornings I do wake a tad stuffy but nothing like I was which was completely stuffed up. Waiting for a frost to kill this ragweed.

[nikkwong]

Can't speak as to what science believes, but—I was chronically congested until I started putting several drops of tea-tree oil in my humidifier and smothering it onto my air filter, every night. The air that enters my nasal pillows is very pungent, and can be unpleasant if i pour a bit too much in, at which point I dilute the water in the humidifer. It absolutely does the job, but I can't speak to whether it is reducing the lifespan of the cpap. Definitely net positive though, not being able to breathe through my nose is not an option, but YMMV.

Sure I'll get flamed, but i'd def recommend trying it out!

[knothead]

Thanks for ALL the replies. May try another route...

[ChicagoGranny]

Sure I'll get flamed, but i'd def recommend trying it out!

Hopefully, PA051 and you will just be ignored.

Have either of you ever heard of Allergists, ENTs and modern medicine?

[chunkyfrog]

Loratadine 10 mg at bedtime is all I need.
Better living through chemistry.

[PA051]

Sure I'll get flamed, but i'd def recommend trying it out!

Hopefully, PA051 and you will just be ignored.

Have either of you ever heard of Allergists, ENTs and modern medicine?

Hey there, Not sure why you are singling me out there. There is nothing wrong with a steam tent of eucalyptus! Good grief. remember vicks? it's a lot safer than that. Many of us can not take decongestants due to stimulant drugs in them. We all have to do what works. There is nothing woo hoo about using essential oils with caution. They are chemicals (albeit natural) and need to be treated as such. The problem is with those using them recklessly. They are potent.

[PA051]

Loratadine 10 mg at bedtime is all I need.
Better living through chemistry.

That's an antihistamine. It does nothing for congestion. Essential oils are chemicals as well.

[igotsuckeredtoo]

I tried a shampoo with it in it. I liked it and coukldn't find that shampoo again. I bought a bottle of it at Rite Aid and when I opened it all i could smell is turpentine. If that is what tea tree oil is supposed to smell like then I cannot imagine it would help your sinus. An ENT I saw back in the 90's suggested something to me for chronic sinus swelling from allergens, with sterile bacitracin and clean qtip coat the inside of your nostrils with the bacitracin. It works for me on the bad days.

[Janknitz]

Isn't the congestion from sarcoidosis mostly due to inflammation? I don't see how breathing in aerosolized tea tree oil would help that. Seems to me it might cause more inflammation in your nasal passages, airway, and lungs.

What are you doing to address the underlying inflammation? Have you tried any dietary approaches?