What Is Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease?
Have you heard of this disease that is widely spread across children and even adults these days? Well, as per recent studies, HFMD is a contagious illness also considered a viral problem that mainly strikes children and young adults. An infectious bacterium, Coxsackievirus, is responsible for the contagious nature of this disease. It mainly targets your little ones and young children and leads to painful stiffness in the body. Does it end here? Well, really not because the discomfort triggered by this disease multiplies one after the other. If your little one is under five years, then you should get them a vaccine related to this bacterium.
You may also like:
However, if that is not the issue, try to tackle it with home remedies like essential oils for HFMD. Are you excited to explore how essential oils help to cure or slow down the symptoms and signs of this disease? These facts and benefits about essential oils will blow your mind. They are definitely one of their kind. So, without any further delay, let’s get started.
Safety First: Are Essential Oils Safe For HFMD?
There have been long discussions and debates about the safety of essential oils for HFMD. To be precise, essential oils do not cause any side effects to the body if they are used after proper dilution and application. However, if you are a newbie to using essential oils, then there are some precautionary tips that you should keep in mind. Other than that, essential oils do not cause problems.
Instead, they are a supportive aid to slow down this disease. They help to reduce the discomfort of this disease by reducing the symptoms and relieving stress. Talking of symptoms, how can we not give a special mention to the symptoms of this disease? Once you find the signs of the disease, you can instantly pick the best essential oil for hand-foot-mouth disease.
Signs Of Hand, Foot Mouth Disease
As mentioned above, the disease mainly affects little ones and young children, mainly under the age of five. So you might observe some of these symptoms in your child and see if they are affected by the illness or not.
- Blisters are very common in this disease, and you may observe them on the lips, around the gums, in the mouth, and on the tongue. These are followed by painful sores.
- The children get tired easily and feel a lack of hunger, constant irritation, and little difficulty in chewing food. If you observe any of these symptoms, your baby might be affected.
- One of the major signs of HFMD includes viral fever, throat pain, and soreness.
- If the baby’s skin is sensitive, you might also observe dark red spots, rashes, and irritated skin around the feet, hands, and butt.
Causes Of HFMD
Did you know HFMD is a contagious disease and usually spreads through your hands and mouth? Many people wonder if the disease is mostly due to the virus and not because of their lifestyle habits. To their surprise, the disease is triggered by the virus, and there are reports that it is infectious in adults as well. Here are some reasons for how it spreads in children.
- Constant touching of the nose, hands, eyes, and mouth without washing hands.
- Touching the infected person’s blisters, fluid, mucus, or saliva can trigger this disease.
- Infectious, especially in playgrounds and schools where there are a lot of children.
How Essential Oils Support HFMD Relief?
People usually look for natural remedies to treat HFMD as they naturally heal the body. Along with various treatment options, essential oils are one of the popular home remedies to support HFMD relief. Are you on the lookout for the benefits that essential oils provide to cure or relieve this problem? Well, here are the reasons to believe in the efficacy of essential oils for hand, foot, and mouth treatment.
- Essential oils serve as a holistic approach to treating the symptoms of HFMD.
- It has disinfectant properties that help clear infections from the body and enhance the healing process.
- The best essential oils for HFMD treatment are a powerhouse of benefits that help the body get rid of viral and bacterial problems.
- Essential oils are a support to treat this disease faster than ever.
- The best ones reduce inflammation, offer cooling effects, and calm redness and blisters.
Top 5 Essential Oils For Hand-Foot-Mouth Diseases
The time has finally arrived when we discuss the best essential oils for hand-foot-mouth disease that provide good results. These essential oils can be used along with your regular treatment to get rid of the disease as soon as possible. So, here we go.
1. Lemon Essential Oil
Widely famous for its antiviral and citrusy elements, lemon oil plays a vital role in reducing the symptoms of the disease. Are you wondering how it does it seamlessly? Well, lemon essential oil is extracted through the steam distillation method and has an energizing and cheerful aroma that uplifts the child’s mood.
Its refreshing properties serve as an energy booster for the little ones. You can use it to kick off the microbes from the body with its anti-microbial quality.
2. Clove Oil
An essential oil that is very famous for its strong nature deserves a place in the list of top essential oils for HFMD treatment. It is the one and only clove essential oil, which is packed with antimicrobial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Further, clove oil has numbing qualities that reduce and numb pain and is best used with a carrier oil. However, when using it for your little one, make sure to get medical guidance, as it is very strong and might affect your child.
3. Tea Tree Essential Oil
Another powerful essential oil that has incredible properties to treat hand-foot-mouth disease is tea tree essential oil. The essential oil is packed with antiviral, antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties, which can be used on clean and dry skin for instant relief from blisters.
However, if you use it in undiluted form, it might burn your skin badly. So, always dilute the essential oils with a carrier oil of your choice before using them on your skin. Tea tree oil reduces several infections in the body and prevents the disease from spreading further.
4. Lavender Essential Oil
If there is one essential oil that serves as an all-rounder for every other health or body concern, it is lavender oil. Lavender essential oil has soothing, calming, and analgesic properties that keep infections and inflammation at bay. Not only does the oil help with undisturbed sleep, but some of its properties are a big YES for skincare disorders. Say acne, pimples, hyperpigmentation, or dullness, and all of it is gone, Thanks to lavender essential oil.
5. Chamomile Essential Oil
Chamomile essential oil, whether you use German chamomile or Roman chamomile, is safe for children as it treats and prevents HFMD. The essential oil reduces skin discomfort, itchiness, and inflammation without any adverse effects. All of this is possible with the gentle nature of chamomile oil and its sedative properties that reduce stress and anxiety, too.
How To Mix Essential Oils For HFMD Relief?
When using essential oils, trust the formula of Less is More. Just a few drops of essential oils diluted with carrier oil can do wonders for your HFMD-affected skin. Let’s check out the best ways to use essential oils for HFMD relief.
- Dilution is vital to keep your skin safe from the high potency of essential oils. If you’re using it for children between the ages of 2-6, consult your doctor or just add a drop of essential oil.
- If your child is between the ages of 6-12, you can use essential oils with 1% dilution rate.
Here are some essential oil blends for fast HFMD relief and treatment.
1. HFMD Soothing Balm
- In a bowl, combine 2 drops of lavender oil, 2 drops of lemon essential oil, and 1 tablespoon of pure coconut oil.
- Mix it well and let it freeze at room temperature so that it takes the consistency of a balm.
- Once done, use it on your baby’s head as a balm to get relief from redness, fever, and blisters.
- You can also use it on other parts of your body, like your feet or hands, to ease the discomfort.
2. Soothing Diffuser Blend
- In an essential oil diffuser, add 2 drops each of sandalwood oil and tea tree oil.
- Use it safely in a ventilated area, and keep it away from the child.
When To Avoid Essential Oils Completely?
Essential oils are undeniably one of the best ways to treat various diseases in one go. But do you know there are times when you have to avoid oils completely, as they might do more harm than good?
What are these scenarios, and when should one avoid them? Are you also juggling between these questions? Here’s the verdict.
Avoid essential oils if –
- Your child is below the age of 2 and is very sensitive in terms of health, especially the respiratory system.
- The child has any skin allergy or flare-up, such as Eczema, rosacea, or inflammation.
- The child is dealing with respiratory problems like asthma or any kind of fever.
- Blisters are very evident, and the skin is broken. In this case, the essential oil might worsen the condition and may also burn the skin.
- You see mouth sores, intense pain, and other health problems in your child.
Home Care Tips For Faster HFMD Recovery
It’s never too late to treat a disease at home, especially when you have so many home care tips handy with you. Are you wondering what all these tips and remedies are? Let’s have a look.
- Stay hydrated with tender coconut water that cools the body.
- You can also try the oil pulling method that cures mouth sores and helps with oral hygiene. It is an ayurvedic remedy for a clean and fresh mouth.
- Frozen food items like ice cream popsicles might help for a sore mouth.
- Healthy food items like smoothies, green leafy vegetables, vitamin-packed fruits, and protein deserve a place in your diet.
You may also like:
Conclusion
Diseases come and go, but what remains constant is the remedy that worked the best and is still used after years. Essential oils for HFMD treatment are one of those remedies that won’t ditch you ever. It not only cures the disease but also reduces the symptoms day by day and skin infections, which otherwise might take time.
But, while trying essential oils, do not make the mistake of falling for cheap alternatives. At Moksha Lifestyle, we have 100% high-quality, organically sourced, and pure essential oils.
FAQ’s
1. Which ointment is best for hand, foot, and mouth disease?
The best ointment for treating HFMD is petroleum jelly. But if you want something more soothing, then try 1% hydrocortisone.
2. Does honey help to treat hand, foot, and mouth disease?
Honey is an ayurvedic formula that has sound properties to treat several health issues. But when it comes to HFMD, it definitely works amazingly well.
