title: Critical incident: idiosyncratic allergic reactions to essential oils.
abstract: Essential oils have the potential to initiate allergic reactions due to their volatile and skin absorbent nature. Practitioners and aromatherapy teachers need to be aware of the potential for allergies and be equipped to deal with them if they should arise. Two cases are presented of potentially serious reactions that occurred within a learning situation along with a brief literature critique about allergic reactions to essential oils.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, Science and Technology, Universal College of Learning, Palmerston North, New Zealand. W.Maddocks@ucol.ac.nz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Maddocks-Jennings
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D019341:Aromatherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000451:nursing; D031167:Chamaemelum / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006969:Hypersensitivity, Immediate / Q000209:etiology*; D018653:Juniperus / Q000009:adverse effects; D027523:Lavandula / Q000009:adverse effects; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D031341:Origanum / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile