Health benefits of tea tree essential oil
Tea tree essential oil is oil derived from steam distillation of leaves of melaleuca alternifolia, which is a plant that has its origins in Australia. The plant is also known by other names such as Australian tea tree oil or melaleuca oil. Historically, the leaves of this plant were used as an alternative for tea, hence the name tea tree oil. The oil obtained from the plant is what is used for medicinal purposes.
Tea tree essential oil is most commonly available as a pure natural essential oil. It is also used as an ingredient in making creams, soaps, lotions, and shampoos. There are numerous uses of tea tree oil. The tea tree essential oil has aromatherapy benefits that can be beneficial in treating several health issues. This plant is essentially a shrub and has green spiky leaves as well as spiky white flowers.
Tea tree oil contains antifungal and antiseptic properties. The oil should not be taken orally. This essential oil can be used for aromatherapy in order to treat conditions such as: Warts, vaginal yeast infections, lice and nits, athlete's foot, nail infections, acne, minor cuts, scalp infections, as well as dandruff, bad breath, ringworm, dermatitis, psoriasis and eczema. It is also effective in the treatment of joint and muscle pain and periodontal disease.
Remember that the essential oil is also an ingredient of some mouthwashes. But there's no clinical study that proves it's efficacy in treatment of bad breath.
Other health benefits of tea tree oil include antibacterial benefits.
This essential oil can be used to cure wounds as they are most susceptible to bacterial infections.
Tea tree essential oil is an excellent antiseptic that can be applied on wounds, boils, cuts, sores, insect stings and bites, and certain eruptions to keep infections at bay. It is also said to be a good antibiotic.
Tea tree oil can help get rid of some viruses and helps to protect you from them. It can also be used to treat viral infections such as common cold, flu, measles, mumps etc.
The balsamic effects of the essential oil can help boost your health. It can help you absorb nutrients from food as well as protect you from diseases. It also has cicatrisant properties that can help wounds heal quicker and keep infections at bay and help neutralize after spots and scar marks left behind by boils, eruptions, acne, pox etc.
The essential oil is also effective for treating fungal infections such as dermatitis and athlete's foot. It is also an effective insecticide in that when you rub some of it on your body, insects such as flies, lice, fleas, mosquitoes etc. cannot come near you. It also eliminates internal worms such as tapeworm, round worm, and hookworm.
Tea tree essential oil also has other health benefits such as removal of toxins, water, salt, and uric acid from the body. It also helps relieve aches, muscular pain, and sprains.
Just like other natural herbs, tea tree oil has some possible side effects. Some of them include: Skin irritation, redness, itching, and blistering. it may also result in altered hormone levels, diarrhoea, impaired immune function, and potentially deadly depression of the central nervous system (sleepiness, excessive drowsiness, coma, and confusion) caused by internal use of the oil.
Always seek medical attention if you experience any side effects from using tea tree essential oil and keep it far away from children and pets.