Using essential oils for nausea caused by motion sickness, digestive upset, or other factors may bring relief. Commonly suggested essential oils include:
- Ginger (one of the most recommended; generally good for digestive issues)
- Clove bud
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Peppermint (may aggravate GERD)
- Roman chamomile
- Sweet basil
- Sweet fennel (avoid if you have an estrogenic cancer)
- Sweet orange
Diffuser Blend
- 6 drops ginger essential oil
- 3 drops roman chamomile essential oil
- 3 drops peppermint essential oil
Important: If you repeatedly experience nausea for an unknown reason, consult a healthcare provider.
Inhalers for Nausea Relief
You can inhale a single essential oil but might find an essential oil blend for nausea more effective.
To make an aromatherapy inhaler, drop the essential oils onto the cotton wick and insert it into the tube. Seal the tube with the bottom plug. Screw on the outer cover to keep the inhaler fresh. Remove cover and inhale deeply as needed.
General Nausea Relief Inhaler
- 7 drops peppermint essential oil
- 5 drops basil ct. linalool essential oil
- 2 drops ginger essential oil
Inhaler for Travel Sickness
- 2 drops peppermint essential oil
- 7 drops sweet orange essential oil
- 6 drops roman chamomile essential oil
Source: Aromahead
Inhaler for Travel/Motion Sickness
- 5 drops cardamom essential oil
- 5 drops ginger essential oil
- 5 drops sweet fennel essential oil
Cautions: Do not use in pregnancy, if you have epilepsy, or with or near babies and young children.
Source: Cheryl Murphy, Certified Aromatherapist, “The Zingiberaceae Plant Family,” NAHA Aromatherapy Journal, Autumn 2018.3.
Tummy Rubs for Motion Sickness
Gently massage a few drops of a nausea essential oil blend recipe onto your belly.
- 8 drops roman chamomile essential oil
- 4 drops ginger essential oil
- 2 tablespoons carrier oil
Source: Aromatherapy for Dummies
- 4 drops peppermint essential oil
- 3 drops roman chamomile essential oil
- 2 drops dill essential oil
- 2 drops myrrh essential oil
- 4 tablespoons carrier oil
or
- 2 drops lemongrass essential oil
- 2 drops fennel essential oil
- 2 drops roman chamomile essential oil
- 2 tablespoons carrier oil
or
- 7 drops roman chamomile essential oil
- 7 drops distilled lime essential oil
- 3 drops ginger essential oil
- 2 tablespoons jojoba oil
Source: Aromahead
All-Purpose Nausea Relief Blend
To make a stock blend for nausea relief, add the following essential oils to a 5-ml dropper bottle:
- 60 drops peppermint
- 20 drops ginger
- 20 drops lemon
Cap the bottle and shake well. Let sit at least eight hours before using.
To use: Make an aromatherapy inhaler (5 to 10 drops) or a massage oil (15 to 30 drops in 2 tablespoons carrier oil).
Source: The Essential Oils Complete Reference Guide
Warming Cardamom Compress
If your abdomen is tender and painful to touch, use this warm compress.
- 1 teaspoon almond oil
- 2 drops cardamom essential oil
- 2 drops black pepper essential oil
- Fill a bowl with warm water.
- Add the essential oils to the almond oil.
- Stir the oil blend into the water.
- Soak a washcloth in the bowl.
- Squeeze the excess water out of the washcloth.
- Place the washcloth on the abdomen and leave the compress until it cools to body temperature.
- Soak the washcloth again and apply it. Repeat three times.
Source: Essential Oils All Natural Remedies
Essential Oils for Nausea During Pregnancy
The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy recommends the following essential oils for nausea during pregnancy:
- Bergamot
- Cardamom
- Coriander seed
- Frankincense
- Ginger
- Grapefruit
- Lemon
- Petitgrain
- Spearmint
- Sweet orange
Learn more about using essential oils during pregnancy. Work with a professional to know which oils are safe for your pregnancy and how to best use them.
Essential Oils for Nausea During Cancer Treatment
Some studies suggest essential oils may help relieve the side effect of nausea during cancer treatment. See Aromatherapy: Using Essential Oils as a Supportive Therapy and Effectiveness of Inhaled Aromatherapy on Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting.
The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils suggests the following essential oils may help:
- Cardamom
- German chamomile
- Ginger
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Peppermint (may aggravate GERD)
Check with and tell your healthcare provider about anything you are using.
Photo Credit: Ricardo630, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons