“The day before my first hip replacement surgery I packed a variety of personal items for my hospital stay. Besides my clothing and essentials, I brought along the following:
Arnica and other homeopathic remedies
Hand sanitizer
Lip balm
Lemon essential oil and cotton balls
Why lemon essential oil? Lemon has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties…plus I enjoy the uplifting smell. I placed a few drops on a cotton ball and swabbed my food tray, wiped down the hospital bed rails, cleaned off the television remote control, and placed a scented cotton ball in my pillowcase.”
-Tiffany Anderson, LMT, RMT, BS, CHES
Excerpt: Butternut to Bionic: A Resource Guide to Hip Replacement Surgery, Chapter 2- Preparing For Surgery, pg. 46.
Aromatherapy is a powerful tool that, if used incorrectly, can harm as well as heal. An article by John Hopkins Medicine discusses the impacts of potential misuse, allergic reactions to be aware of, and describes how scent molecules travel through the olfactory nerves (via our nose) directly to the brain and impact the emotional center…the amygdala. Read the article in it’s entirety, here.
Having worked in a hospital, I recognize that staff work diligently to keep facilities clean AND a hospital is teeming with all sorts of contaminants. After all, hospitals are where sick and injured people go to get well. Even though the rates of MRSA (staph infection) contracted within a hospital setting have dropped markedly over the last decade, MRSA still accounts for 20% of hospital infections. Plus, there are additional infectious diseases to be concerned about. Practice caution when using essential oils - understand the toxicity levels and the best method to use such as inhaling, topical, or ingesting. I prefer scent and use essential oils sparingly…effective, quality products are expensive and a little bit goes a long way. A research paper shared by the National Library of Medicine titled, The Effects of Essential Oils and Terpenes in Relation to Their Routes of Intake and Application shares compelling details regarding the history and use of essential oils.
Are you a pro-active patient? Take extra measures to protect yourself and take action to prevent infection. Simple preventative steps = added safety and better health.
After an invasive and life-changing surgery it was well worth my time and minimal effort to help sanitize the area I was recuperating in. I follow a similar and simple cleaning routine while I travel; using lemon essential oil to clean the interior of rental cars and disinfect my seating area when I travel by air. I practiced these efforts long before the current pandemic and will continue to practice these efforts long after. Most importantly, I wash my hands often. Read more about the health benefits of lemon essential oil and find a recipe for an inexpensive lemon hand sanitizer here.
Be Well. ~Tiffany Anderson, LMT, RMT, BS, CHES
*This post first published 2/11/2021, content modified and shared 6/27/2022.