Essential Oils for Urinary Tract Infection & More

By Caryn Gehlmann

I was so pleased to interview my sister and fellow clinical aromatherapist, Sue Dwiggins, this month. For years, we’ve enjoyed collaborating and creating unique essential oil blends. In fact, one of our most popular blends, e3’s Serenity, is something we created together. Sue was also the inspiration behind e3’s Urinary Blend. In our interview, she shares how she’s used essential oils for Urinary Tract Infection, as well as, keeping herself and her family healthy.

Tell us a little about your background.

I graduated as a Dental Assistant and worked in the dental field for 3 years. We started a family and I became a stay at home mother of three. In 2007, Essential 3 gave me the opportunity to learn about essential oils. I discovered I loved the blending process and creating lovely aromas with natural benefits, so I went on to become a Certified Clinical Aromatherapist.

Which essential oil have you found most helpful?

For me personally, Lavender Spike has been the most helpful during the spring allergy season. I get allergy headaches and my protocol is to diffuse Lavender Spike in the bedroom throughout the night and to roll it under my nose at any time and as often as needed.

Which e3 essential oil blend have you found most helpful?

I was diagnosed with MS in 1994. My bladder and intestines are the affected areas. After being treated with antibiotics so often over the years, I began looking for an essential oil blend that I could benefit from. Caryn and I collaborated on creating the e3 Urinary Blend to assist my body during my urinary tract infections (UTIs). It’s a blend of the following essential oils:

Bergamot: Infections, immune support.
Chamomile, Roman: Inflammation, infections, irritations, itching, allergic reactions.
Geranium: Infections, poor circulation, general tonic, immune support.
Lavender: Infections, inflammation, irritations, itching, lymphatic support.
Tea Tree: Infections, poor circulation, immune support.

The results speak for themselves, for the last 13 years I no longer have frequent UTIs. Caryn tells me many of her customers have reported less frequent Urinary Tract Infections now that they use the essential oils in e3’s Urinary Blend.

How do you use essential oils for Urinary Tract Infection?

When I feel my bladder is a bit off, my protocol is to increase my water intake and place drops of the Urinary Blend on my sanitary pad in my underwear. I will begin with 2 drops several times a day as I change my pad. I do not want my body to get used to the blend and stop working. I believe that’s what happened to me after prolonged antibiotic use*. So I change the number of drops during the week. For example, I begin with 2 drops during the first couple of days and then I alternate 1 drop then 2 drops then back to 1 drop until my bladder begins to show improvement.

*Please note that while many have found the Urinary Blend to be a helpful preventative measure, if you believe you have a Urinary Tract Infection, it’s very important to see your healthcare provider and discuss the best care options for you.

How has your family benefited from aromatherapy?

My use of essential oils during my husband’s hospital stays after being diagnosed with AML & ALL Leukemia was very beneficial to him, me and his caregivers in the hospital. It was an eye-opener! He was diagnosed in the ER then placed in a room immediately where he was given synthetic footies to wear. Chemotherapy began three days later and lasted seven days straight so the last thing we were thinking about were those footies! As Ken’s body was recovering from his first round of chemo I removed his synthetic footies. His heels and pads of his feet were covered in a thick yellow buildup. I began to realize his feet are one place his body rids toxins. As his body was doing its job, we were trapping the toxins since synthetic socks do not breathe. I began a daily foot bath of Lavender and Roman Chamomile. This process took place on a daily basis for 5 months! He began only wearing cotton socks that breathe! I also created an anti-fungal spray, using essentials oils that were pleasant to Ken to spray in his room, since the doctors were worried about any fungus that could settle in his lungs. On a daily basis, we experienced nurses popping into our room that were not assigned to Ken’s care to take a deep breath due to how good the room smelled. They also were reaping the benefits of the essential oils that were being used in the room. Ken is doing well and living a very full life after a bone marrow transplant on August 10, 2010.

Another important family member is our black lab, Murphy. After moving to North Carolina, we discovered that we needed to treat Murphy on a regular basis for the prevention of fleas. However, when I used one of the national brand name flea drops, I noticed that Murphy became lethargic for a few days following the application. It kept happening every month, so I decided to try something natural. After a bit of trial and error, I have had great success with an essential oil blend that I place on his collar. Click here for the recipe.

Thanks, Sue for sharing how your entire family has benefited from essential oils. Do you enjoy making your own essential oil blends? Would you like to learn how? For tips and recipes grab a copy of our downloadable free ebook, Listen to Your Nose – An Introduction to Aromatherapy.