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Is it bad to inhale essential oils from a diffuser?
Inhaling essential oils that are diffused is safe for most people. However, some people may react to the fumes and get an asthma attack. Breathing in essential oils can cause a severe lung infection known as pneumonitis in some people.
What happens if you inhale diffuser?
When you inhale essential oils, the molecules reach thousands of receptors in the olfactory membrane in your nose and follow the chemosensory pathway to reach, almost immediately, the limbic system of the brain. This is the oldest part of the brain in evolutionary terms and is often called the “emotional” brain.
How does the body respond to essential oils through inhalation?
When inhaled, the scent molecules in essential oils travel from the olfactory nerves directly to the brain and especially impact the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain. Essential oils can also be absorbed by the skin.
Can breathing essential oils hurt your lungs?
“In fact, breathing in the particles released by the oils may actually trigger airway inflammation and asthma symptoms,” she says. “The strong odors emitted by essential oils may contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. VOCs are chemical gases that worsen air quality and can irritate the lungs.”
Do essential oils get into your bloodstream?
When essential oils are applied to the skin they are absorbed and travel around the body via the bloodstream. In this way they are able to deliver a range of benefits to the body’s systems and organs. Absorption is increased by massage, as this increases the circulation in that area of the body.
Can diffusing oils hurt your lungs?
Researcher Kai-Jen Chuang, PhD, of Taipei Medical University, points out that aromatherapy oils are also volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a kind of indoor air pollution that can irritate the eyes, throat, and lungs.
Is essential oils bad for your lungs?
Can a diffuser make you sick?
Don’t Neglect Your Diffuser – or Your Reaction to Oils This is especially important for diffusers utilizing water, which can harbor bacteria that can effect indoor air quality, making you sick.