Incense (Don't Use incense sticks)

A while back (2015) I tried burning incense sticks in my flat to see if that had any calming effects, as usual I was impatient and over did it. I developed a very thick throbbing headache but initially I didn't put it down to the incense, I had some painting done in the flat so I put it down to that. After a while I noticed the headache got so much worse, I was feeling giddy and had a strange sensation in my chest.

I finally googled something like 'incense sticks headache' or something similar and found out just how dangerous they were. The chemicals coming off it and how it effects your breathing etc.. I read things like:

Can incense give you a headache?
It depresses the nervous system and causes cardiac ''sensitization'' as well as headaches, dizziness and nausea; it is surmised that it can also cause leukemia. Car exhaust, smoke from tobacco, fuel burning appliances and perhaps more surprisingly, incense, are common culprits.

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'According to The Quint, researchers found that incense-smoke was mutagenic (causes DNA changes at cell level), genotoxic (causes genetic changes leading to cancer) and cytotoxic (so toxic that it kills your cells). In other words, incense fumes pose a higher risk of cancer than cigarette smoke.'

There is a lot of good said for essential oils and the oil burners, Plenty of good books out there like The Fragrant Pharmacy & The Fragrant Mind. Just stay away from the burning sticks, they'll make everything worse!

I tend to agree but some are definitely worse than others. I would have windows open if burning them. I also get headaches from some incense candles.

Agreed if I use them I put them in a separate room with windows open, especially as I tend to suffer from migraines.

Air fresheners are not good either I recently got rid of our timer spray ones for the formaldehyde and effects it had on my asthma x

I have used incense sticks for years never had an issue but I use a trusted source called thedipper.com

Omg I didn’t know know this I burn incense everyday and run it it over my clothes all the time

Wow, I didn't know either. I burn candles and I think I'll stop for a while.

Thanks for the heads up.

Incense and scented candles are headache fodder for me..

Plus any kind of plug-in or spray air freshener...

Re incense, it's down to possible benzine and formaldehyde. Very zen (not) and the cheaper the sticks the more likely they will contain these chemicals - hence the headaches.

We don't use them in our house now because I kept getting headaches and while my triggers are numerous I realised that I was getting headaches whenever I used them. Also whenever I went into a shop which had some burning..

Hubs used a cone one a few months ago because I was upstairs but the smoke came up through the floorboards and I still got the headache so they're completely banned now. We only use essential oil in diffusers and I only use the pure stuff. I never use those cheap perfume thingies..

Essential oils (the pure ones) are beneficial health wise but I'd advise buying the best that you can afford from reputable companies.

A tip to make the house smell nice is to throw a few cinnamon sticks into a saucepan of hot water. I also put little cotton wool balls behind my radiators with a few drops of essential oil on them so the house smells nice when the timer kicks in..

I do this to freshen up my stinky hoover...

I also make my own version of 'Shake 'n' Vac' by using a few drops of essential oil into some bicarbonate of soda. It freshens up the carpet and with no nasty chemicals..:shades: