A common flavoring in foods and a popular scent in health and beauty products, peppermint oil is effective in naturopathic remedies as well. Peppermint oil is available in capsule form for oral use and in liquid form for topical use. While peppermint oil is generally considered safe in small doses, check with your doctor prior to use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding or if you may have allergies to plants in the mint family.
Oral Administration
Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, causes chronic cramping of the intestines, abdominal bloating, constipation and diarrhea. The antispasmodic properties of peppermint oil relax the smooth muscle of your intestinal tract and decrease your symptoms of IBS, explains the Mayo Clinic. Choose enteric-coated capsules to avoid aggravating any heartburn you may have, or alternatively enjoy a cup of peppermint tea to relieve your symptoms of IBS. New York University's Langone Medical Center indicates that peppermint oil taken orally alleviates symptoms of indigestion when combined with caraway oil, and that peppermint oil, in combination with caraway, fennel and wormwood oils, is more effective than metoclopramide in treating abdominal pain.
Aromatherapy
Conducting rigorous scientific studies on aromatherapy is a challenge---it's difficult at best to keep study subjects from knowing what they're smelling---yet aromatherapy is a familiar and widely used home remedy. Peppermint oil is often combined with other essential oils in aromatherapy preparations, according to New York University's Langone Medical Center. For example, peppermint oil is a component of medicated ointments used to relieve coughs and chest congestion. Used alone, inhaled peppermint oil may relieve sinus and lung congestion, and it may also decrease post-surgical nausea. Apply a few drops of diluted oil to your skin or to a piece of cloth to breathe in the volatile oils.
Topical Administration
Applying diluted peppermint oil to the temples and forehead may provide relief from tension headaches, suggests the National Institutes of Health. A 2007 study by Dr. Gordon Ko, described in the "Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain," demonstrated that a combination of topical essential oils, including peppermint oil, decreased fibromyalgia pain better than placebo. Peppermint oil also shows activity as a natural mosquito repellent, although the amount of essential oil needed to be effective would likely cause irritation to your skin. The University of Wisconsin advises that peppermint oil is not used alone but is combined with several other essential oils in commercial botanical mosquito repellents. Whatever topical application you choose, always perform a skin patch test prior to use to be sure you are not allergic to the peppermint oil product.
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