Essential oils and Epilepsy

We recently received a question regarding use of essential oils when you have epilepsy. This is a serious medical condition affecting the neurological center of the brain and should be diagnosed and treated by a medical practitioner. Until more medical research is done to discover exactly how certain essential oils react in the brain of an epileptic patient, it is wise to avoid their use.

If you have ever browsed for essential oils or purchased them online from a reputable dealer, you would have read a warning not to use certain oils if you are epileptic or suffer from seizures. Essential oils that have been widely reported to cause or trigger convulsions and seizures include:

Aniseed
Rosemary
Fennel
Hyssop
Sage

Researchers are continuing to perform studies on these oils and until there is conclusive evidence to the contrary, those whom suffer from this condition would do well to avoid using these oils.

Even given this information, some epileptics still use essential oils in very diluted concentrations for massage.

If you have epilepsy and use, or have used essential oils we'd love to hear your comments.