Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Essential Oils - Why I use them. Why I believe doctors should know about them


As a physician and scientist, I was very skeptical about essential oils and their ability to heal. I had tried them before and was unimpressed. As far as I was concerned they smelled good and that was as far as it went. However, when traditional medicines and treatments could not help me, but rather caused many side effects when I had significant health problems, I tried essential oils. The results were amazing, hard to believe but they happened and I could not ignore them.

My first use of oils was for months of postmenopausal bleeding not responsive to all the best gynecologic medical care including hormones and a D&C (uterus scraping), and a hysterectomy had been suggested. Within hours of applying the oils topically and diffusing them in the room, I felt much better, and within 2 days the bleeding stopped. Subsequent checkups confirmed I was fine, and I still have all my parts.

I also suffered severe chronic pain due to a spinal condition, despite surgery. The pain medications left me in a brain fog and made functioning difficult. Using natural remedies including therapeutic essential oils, acupuncture and meditation, I was able to get off the medications, enjoy a clear head again, and experienced significant pain relief. *Read an article about Dr Barice "Dealing with relentless pain" in Fort Myers Florida Weekly September 20, 2007

Because of these results, I began to look for the scientific reasons these oils worked. I found there is a lot of research out there, much of it basic science research but the numbers of clinical studies were increasing. These studies suggest that oils are safe and effective for a wide range of symptoms and conditions, including infections, burns, pain, nausea, insomnia, stress, GI symptoms and many more, and I have found this to be true for myself and for others. In addition essential oils have been used for many hundreds of years as a folk medicine and have a long track record of safety. Nevertheless we physicians need more well done controlled studies on efficacy and safety, in order to comfortably recommend them to our patients. We have much more to learn, and our medical practices require additional evidence based research criteria.

However, when effective treatments are not available or when treatment may carry significant risks, it is reasonable to consider safe alternative adjunctive treatments. There are some conditions now that do not respond well to conventional medical treatment. In view of the well-known and increasing evidence for the effectiveness of essential oils against MRSA and other drug-resistant organisms, the apparent wide margin of safety and relative low cost of essential oils compared to drugs, and the fact that suffering may be relieved and lives may be saved if treatment is timely, I believe that the time is now for doctors to learn more about the evidence for essential oils and their potential as adjunctive therapy. For one, essential oils may be useful in helping prevent and treat some of these drug-resistant pathogens.

Joan Barice MD

For free tipsheet about dealing with chronic pain please fill out the request on the right.

1 comment:

alex said...

This is really awesome, my husband deals with chronic pain from a car accident. He is finally considering trying some essential oil, as he does not like the fog from Western medicines. He is very much a believer in Chinese medicine but needs to take the time to do it!

You are a wonderful woman, thank you for this.

lexi