Lavender?!

annie.rn · Dec 17, 2015

On the floor, sometimes they work great, but mostly I think they just make the whole place smell like shittrus. [ATTACH]20394[/ATTACH]

Shittrus --- funniest mash up word I've heard in a long time! It will now be part of my vocabulary. Thank you :-)

huffmannurse · Dec 17, 2015

The little purple rolling eye face is supposedly sarcasm. There is a reason I like purple.

I stand corrected. Thanks MrNurse(x2) This is not sarcasm. Maybe this little smiley is ok? :yes:

OldDude · Dec 17, 2015

So, my father in law, now retired, was a hospital microbiologist. He was playing around with a MRSA culture and found it to be sensitive to Tiger balm.

NanaPoo · Dec 17, 2015

Yep, shittrus is my new favorite word.

My hubby has always called it "painting a turd."

Flare, ASN, BSN · Dec 17, 2015

interesting - both the painting a turd and the tiger balm

MrNurse(x2), ADN · Dec 17, 2015

https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/lavender
all kidding aside, there is a link to aromatherapy research. I still wouldn't use it on kids in the school nurse setting but I do suggest it when I teach childbirth Ed classes as a relaxation tool.

That's my employer for my acute setting job. The place definitely doesn't smell like lavender. :whistling:

MTtoBSN · Dec 20, 2015

While I don't support any claims that any one oil can cure anything, and I agree that I wouldn't give them to my patients/students (mainly due to liability purposes); I don't understand many people's aversion to REAL essential oils (because some of these oil's are, in fact, not essential oils at all. They are simply just scented synthetic oil's meant to produce a smell).

Natural medicine and science are not mutually exclusive. Try to dig deep and remember those science courses you took in undergrad. You know, the classes where your eyes glazed over and you thought to your self "I don't need to know this stuff for nursing, I'll just memorize this crap so that I can pass the class."

People might think, "how can simply smelling some sort of scent affect any change in your body?" REAL essential oils are oils extracted from the original plant (i.e. Lavender, peppermint, etc) and therefore contain the same organic compounds- or "chemicals" as the plant. That scent is simply those chemicals evaporating into tiny aromatic compounds in the air, which are then inhaled. The tiny compounds may directly interact with tissues (like that cool crisp feeling you feel when you get a big whiff of peppermint) or through neuro-chemical modulation via stimulation of the olfactory nerves (like the calming effects of lavender).

No, applying some random oil to your temple is not going to cure some ailment in your orifice, but do remember that the skin is the largest organ of the body, with absorptive properties. Furthermore, the intended site might be the skin itself. I personally have been experimenting with teatree oil and lemongrass oil (diluted in a carrier oil of course; most essential oils are too potent to directly be applied or inhaled (which, now that I think of it, could be causing some of the adverse effects some of you describe)) for use on my feet for treating toenail fungus. I used these to because these are two oils known for their fungicidal properties (in addition to bactericidal and anti viral properties (During microbio, I was able to validate the bactericidal properties using a standard medium (it's been a while since microbio, so I can't remember the specific name of the petri dish or the bacteria used, but it was the basic one)). Ultimately, it was a success, and the toenail fungus is gone. I didn't try any prescribed/over the counter medication, so I can't speak to whether or not one method is faster than the other, but It cleared after about a week and a half (though, admittedly, consistency is not my strong suit, and so some days I'd forget to put it on).

Having been a massage therapist for nearly 8 years, I had been trained in the therapeutic use of essential oils, but never had the scientific background to back it up. After some of my nursing prereqs (DON'T get me wrong, I'm not saying that I'm suddenly an expert in the field, but given what I DO know, there definitely seems to be some dots that connect) a lot of it makes more sense. I consider myself to be a pretty big skeptic, bur I heartily subscribe to the old "trust but verify" frame of mind.

Just something to think about.

P.S. I also like peppermint to help with nausea when my migranes come on, because the only thing worse than the head pain is the retching over the toilet even after you emptied your stomach 30 min ago.

Elladora · Dec 20, 2015

I think it's kind of sad that you discredit something because you personally don't believe in it. I take prescription meds, but I also use essential oils. As I've told many, many people, oils are not a cure, but they can definitely work hand in hand with traditional medicine. (I personally swear by peppermint oil for headaches - a little on my temples and a little on the base of my neck almost always eases a headache for me).

Essential oils are becoming more and more mainstream. I'm not saying you should stock an entire line of them (or any for that matter) but please don't let your dislike for them color what your students and their families believe and practice.

After all, to each their own.

Farawyn · Dec 20, 2015

I think it's kind of sad that you discredit something because you personally don't believe in it. I take prescription meds, but I also use essential oils. As I've told many, many people, oils are not a cure, but they can definitely work hand in hand with traditional medicine. (I personally swear by peppermint oil for headaches - a little on my temples and a little on the base of my neck almost always eases a headache for me).
Essential oils are becoming more and more mainstream. I'm not saying you should stock an entire line of them (or any for that matter) but please don't let your dislike for them color what your students and their families believe and practice.
After all, to each their own.

Yes, and they can "practice" this on their own time. I won't be rubbing anyone's temples in schools.

Farawyn · Dec 20, 2015

Elladora, I'm not being rude, but if you reply and I don't answer, it's because I've blocked you. Your clown is freaking me out. Sorry.

Edit: Crap. It doesn't hide the avatar. Oh well.

Elladora · Dec 20, 2015

Practice doesn't need quotes in this case.

Lol sorry about the avatar. It suits my mood lately. :)

Farawyn · Dec 20, 2015

It needed quotes for me.

I unblocked you. It's not you, it's me!

We hatesesses clowns, Precious.