Camphor oil has been proven to be effective in treating some mild symptoms hence can be seen in different products like tiger balm, salons, and Vicks Although I choose not to use it in my soaps for safety concerns I still don’t doubt it’s effectiveness. If you prefer to use the oil or any products containing it, here are my recommendations.
1. Use a diluted camphor oil
If you are experiencing muscle soreness or inflammation and looking for a topical that can effectively ease the pain, you may consider using camphor oil if you have one at home. Just remember that even though you are tempted to use a high concentration of it due to the pain’s severity, avoid using it undiluted.
2. Consider other safer alternatives
I haven’t used camphor oil for direct or indirect inhalation to find nasal congestion relief. If you are using it for kids, it’s best to choose other safer minty alternatives of essential oil such as spearmint. Davis (1999) recommended that since camphor oil is a hazardous oil, it should not be used at home. However, if you still opt to use it, make sure that you “use it with caution.”
You can also blend this with other alternatives such as peppermint and eucalyptus or spearmint so you can lower the number of camphor oil drops and add more drops for those oils with the same therapeutic effect and warming sensation.
3. Never ingest camphor
As previously mentioned, camphor oil is hazardous hence it’s best not to ingest it especially if you are pregnant or experiencing epilepsy attacks.
4. Keep it away from your tots
Presented in the paper of Flaman et. al (2001) in their review of the documented calls received by the Poison Information Center regarding Camphor and Eucalyptus oils. the result of their study revealed that some of the children who were reported to ingest camphor oil and ointment containing Camphor had seizures. Moreover, other usual symptoms observed were coughing and vomiting.
5. Make it a habit to check the label
If you are using healing balms or patches for inflammation, nasal congestion, or muscle soreness, it’s better to check the label first before applying it. Many products that are made for this purpose contain camphor. Checking the label first will enable you to identify how much camphor content it has. to see how much camphor oil it has. Some balms include on their label the percentage or the milligrams of each ingredient they include in their product. Make sure that the camphor oil in the product you will use follows the standard safety guideline for using camphor.
6. Seek your doctor’s advice before using camphor oil and camphor-containing products
Even in the past, camphor’s potential in treating some illnesses has been discovered and hence used in some treatments. Zuccarini et. al (2009) cited Wade’s (1977) note that “camphor oil was used medicinally in the past, and “the oral doses ranged from 120-300 mg” However, we can see in different research that the prescribed dosage of camphor oil differs or more specific. Lee et. al (2022) states that “the daily maximum human therapeutic dose of D-camphor is about 1.43 mg/kg. Furthermore, he added that “this dose is relatively safe, but long-term data are still lacking.”
Hence even if camphor has been traditionally used for treating different health problems, it is still crucial to remember to have further studies regarding ” the modernization process of traditional applications of camphor.” (Lee et al., 2022). More research is needed about its therapeutic properties and risks in use as “various components of camphor are not fully understood (Lee et. al, 2022).
To enjoy its benefits, here’s a good suggestion from Zyccarini et.al’s paper “Camphorated oil can be used with no risks for safety when following the prescriptions” hence, follow your doctor’s advice.
Immediate Action After Camphor Oil Exposure
Some immediate remedies can be done should you or any of your loved ones accidentally ingested camphor oil. An evidence-based guideline has been outlined by Manoguerra et. al (2006) in their research paper. It includes some recommendations on what you can do should camphor-oil ingestion-related concerns happen. Actions to be taken must depend on the severity of the symptoms, the condition of the patient, the amount of camphor oil consumed, as well as the manner the essential oil was received by the patient. In severe cases, the patient is to be brought to the hospital immediately. Meanwhile mild to asymptomatic cases can be addressed by following some first-aid solutions. For cases that can be treated at home, the guideline listed in the paper of Manoguerra and his colleagues can be followed. The outline below is some of them:
1. Washing the affected area with soap and water is recommended for asymptomatic patients who had topical exposure.
2. Eyes must be irrigated if camphor oil or any camphor products was splashed on the patient’s eyes.
3. A person who has been exposed to camphor oil through inhalation must be moved to a fresh environment.
5. Use activated charcoal for ingested exposure to camphor oil or camphor-containing products only if “there are other ingredients in the product that are effectively adsorbed by activated charcoal or if other substances have been co-ingested.”
However, it’s also worth mentioning that even though active charcoal has been recommended for such cases, it’s helpful to be aware that its efficacy is uncertain. Flaman and his colleagues have raised the concern in their paper that “the role of activated charcoal has not been studied, and its use in treatment is controversial.” when it comes to the treatment of ingested essential oil.
Whether you choose to use camphor oil or not, it’s useful to be familiar with the risks and benefits of using the essence. You know you’re and your family’s health condition best hence I hope the guideline and tips provided in this post will help you to sound judgments about whether to use camphor oil or not.
Stay updated and safe 💋❤
References:
- Craig J.A. (1953) Poisoning by the Volatile Oils in Childhood. University of Edinburgh
- Davis, P. (1999) Aromatherapy and A-Z.
- Flaman Z., Pellechia-Clarke A., Bailey B., M McGuigan M. Unintentional exposure of young children to camphor and eucalyptus oils. Paediatr Child Health 2001;6(2):80-83.
- Lee, S.-H.; Kim, D.-S.; Park, S.-H.; Park, H. Phytochemistry and Applications of Cinnamomum camphora Essential Oils. Molecules 2022, 27, 2695. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27092695
- Zuccarini P., Soldani G. (2009) Camphor: Benefits and Risks of a Widely Used Natural Product. University of Pisa
- Manoguerra A., Erdman A., Wax P., Nelson L., Caravati E.M., Cobaugh D., Chyka P., Olson K., Booze L., Woolf A., Keyes D., Christianson G., Scharman E., & Troutman W. (2006). Camphor Poisoning: an Evidence-Based Practice Guideline for Out-of-Hospital Management, Clinical Toxicology, 44:4, 357-370, DOI: 10.1080/15563650600671696. https://doi.org/10.1080/15563650600671696
- Clinical Toxicology, 44:4, 357-370, DOI: 10.1080/15563650600671696. https://doi.org/10.1080/15563650600671696
Oil Therapy 