Why does oil of oregano work for colds

According to Dr. Marty, some poultry farmers use oregano oil instead of antibiotics to keep their chickens healthy, and the beef industry uses the herb to prolong the shelf life of steaks.

Keep in mind though that natural remedies can still cause side effects, says Dr. Judy Fulop, ND, a naturopathic practitioner at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Northwestern University, warns that oregano oil could interact with other medications, especially anti-coagulants or anti-diabetic drugs.

It may also be unsafe for pregnant women and those who have certain conditions or allergies. Mysore points out. She recommends rubbing eucalyptus balm on your chest to help clear congestion, or using a diffuser with a few drop of eucalyptus or lavender essential oil.

Ginger, chamomile, or turmeric tea may help soothe your sore throat. Don't take oil of oregano capsules for longer than 1 week, and talk to your doctor before starting to take oregano. Use oregano essential oil in a diffuser to treat your cold with steam therapy. Inhaling steam can help ease congestion and relieve a runny nose, even if temporarily. Oregano oil added to an essential oil diffuser could help clear the nose and lungs even more. Breathe in the steam.

This may be the safest way to take oregano oil. Apply oregano topically to help relieve aches and pains. Mix 1 drop of oregano oil for every 1 teaspoon 4. Rub the mixture gently into aching muscles or into the chest. Make tea from dried oregano. Using dried oregano won't get you as high of a concentration of carvacrol as pure oregano oil, but it could still potentially provide some relief.

Pour 8 fluid ounces mL of boiling hot water over 1 tsp 3 g of oregano and let it steep for 10 minutes. Try adding a bit of honey to make it a little sweeter and soothe a sore throat. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Side effects can include burning in the throat or wherever the oil is applied and upset stomach if you take it orally. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. If you are allergic to basil, hyssop, lavender, marjoram, mint, or sage, you may also be allergic to oregano. Related wikiHows How to. How to. More References 3. About This Article. Co-authored by:. Lisa Bryant, ND. Co-authors: 5. Updated: May 25, Categories: Common Cold. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 3, times.

Did this article help you? Yes No. Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. It had subjects with intestinal parasites take mg of oil of oregano three times a day for six weeks, and it found that the oil was effective at getting rid of the parasites.

Using oregano as an herb in your cooking is fine. The bigger risk is putting off necessary medical care—using oil of oregano instead of seeing a doctor can be dangerous if you truly need an antibiotic or other treatment.

One company in B. And the death of seven-year-old Ryan Lovett in Calgary is a tragic example of placing too much faith in an unproven natural remedy: His parents were trying to treat his strep infection with oil of oregano, among other things , when he died, while traditional antibiotics would have almost certainly cured him. The danger in all of this business is that it might distract people from remedies that actually work. Photo, iStock.