Side effects when breathing neem oil

by Jeanine Giardina
(Los Angeles, CA, USA)

What are the side effects of breathing neem oil after spraying the garden? I've been told that breathing neem oil can cause lightheadedness and dizziness. Please advise how it adversely affects humans when breathing it.

Thank you.

PS.: I wasn't able to find the answer through your website.

Comments for Side effects when breathing neem oil

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Spraying neem oil
by: Birgit

If you read that warning on a bottle of a ready made spray it might have been because the spray contained other chemicals as well. Many garden sprays have neem oil as one ingredient, to give it some "green" image, but they also contain chemicals that you'd better not inhale.

I imagine another reason for the funny feeling of lightheadedness or dizziness could be a simple lack of oxygen. You should not inhale any oily spray droplets, no matter what oil. It would certainly lead to some mechanical irritation of the lungs.

If you used pure oil you also used detergent I assume. Detergent is also not something that you want in contact with the tiny alveoles in your lungs.

Ok, the below assumes that you do NOT show an allergic kind of reaction to neem. Allergies/sensitivities are rare but they exist and most problems with neem are due to such a sensitivity.

Neem oil is not volatile and does not give off fumes. You might smell it but you do not usually inhale the oil. If you inhaled a little of the spray itself while you spray it should not harm you unless you belong to the people who show a senistivity to neem or you inhale enough to cause irritation by the particles.

See the page about the safety considerations when spraying neem. I don't address inhalation itself because it usually isn't an issue, but even from the points I do address you can see that as long as you use pure neem oil (diluted in water with an appropriate detergent/soap) there usually is nothing to worry about.

You can spray yourself with the stuff if you like or bathe in it. It's only a 1% or 2% watery solution after all. It shouldn't hurt you. In fact, it's good for your skin.

But do read the fine print on the container if you buy ready made garden sprays. Who knows what might be in them! And do keep in mind that coating your lungs with (i.e. inhaling) any kind of oil or detergent is definitely not a good thing to do!
Side effects of inhaling neem spray
by: DEE

Sorry, but I have to differ with your opinion. Every time (once a week) that I spray the greenhouse plants with neem at the recommended solution level, my lungs have rebelled violently.

Over my mouth and nose I have tried a single layer of fabric, a double layer of fabric, and a regular (commercial) anti-pollution mask to avoid the worst of the spray, all to no avail. Last night, after trying once more in the morning to spray without having a bad reaction, I was awake all night struggling to breathe around the apparent build-up of mucous and/or coating of oil in my lungs.

Today, I have been coughing like crazy to rid myself of whatever is blocking my airways and preventing comfortable intake of oxygen. At one point I was ready to pick up the phone to call 911 because I couldn't get enough O2 to keep from blacking out. The product is regular neem oil with nothing added which our master gardener gets from an organic gardening source, prepared at the rate of one T per gallon of water.

Needless to say, someone else is taking over that job.
To anyone who has had adverse affects to inhalation.
by: Christopher Rowe

As with any substance that is atomized in the air micro particles of the substance has the potential to enter into your airways.

Most of the time our lungs metabolize the particles, however tests have shown that particles 2.5 Microns(PM2.5)in size can begin the subject into wheezing and coughing through a triggered, automatic response.

At this point its hard to say whether its the Neem Oil causing the effects or simply the size of the particles you inhaled.

Whether it be Neem Oil, cooking oil, smoke, or dust the effects can be the same, once the particle is large enough to trigger that coughing response.

There are many other factors that can also cause this response. If the particle, regardless of size, has any kind of inflammatory response to the tissues in the airways it too can cause a response.

Also the most common issue being allergic reaction. Neem Oil is a natural plant based oil with many types of chemicals contained within it that makes it do what it does so well.. If any one of those chemicals does not bode well with your physiology then you may experience the same result.

Take precautions and wear a certified respirator or filtered breathing apparatus when spraying, if you still have a breathing issue its possible the reaction could be trans-dermal, though more unlikely.
Inhaling Neem Mist
by: RNDeb

I thank you all for your comments on this subject.

I was looking for answers for a couple of reasons and believe I have my answer. As for the person who has such a bad reaction to neem spray, it definitely sounds like an allergic reaction. Might be best to get someone else to do your spraying if at all possible. As a medical professional I believe an ounce of preventive maintenance is worth more than a pound of cure!
Side-effects
by: Anonymous

I usually use the neem oil on my dogs for fleas and mosquitoes and it seems to help. I usually bath them first then apply the oil once they are somewhat dry but for some reason I always feel light headed afterwards so I don't know if I will continue to use it.
Allergy?
by: DEE

Well, a week after writing the comments about breathing difficulties, after a week of worsening breathing problems, I had a heart attack. Was it caused by neem? I doubt it. Was it aggravated by limited O2 uptake due to large droplets and/or allergen-triggered mucous formation in my lungs? Probably. Before you react, here is this year's report: I tried spraying the greenhouse tomatoes again for about 20 minutes, being careful to keep the spray localized on the plants and avoiding contact. 10 minutes later I was wheezing and coughing; this afternoon I am doing deep breathing exercises in the fresh salt air to maintain a respectable O2 level, coughing all the while. No more spraying for me... unless, as the expert says, I invest in a heavy-duty respirator!
Side-Effects
by: XYZ

I am having small round rashes on my stomach & hand parts. It looks like chapped skin. My doctor gave me Aloevera gel & other cream to apply. But it was no use. Then I decided to take neem leaves in the morning on an empty stomach. The rashes reduced within 2 days. After seeing this result I decided to take neem leaves after food also, this led to cold & asthma.

It also made me difficult to breathe also. So I stopped taking neem leaves. But I have no problem when taking it on an empty stomach? Any advice is welcome.
BREATHING NEEM OIL
by: Anonymous

Neem oil is not toxic at all. People in India are using it for centuries. It has many application and in lot of medicinal use. Breathing neem oil will not make you dizzy.
Inhaling Neem accidentally while spraying plants
by: Anonymous

I was not careful enough while spraying Neem on some cucumber bugs. While spraying away from myself, a draft of wind turned the spray toward me and I inhaled some very quickly. The next day I was having lung problems and would cough on exercising , singing, trying to hold my breath, or if I suddenly laughed hard, a choking kind of cough. Eventually a CAT scan was done which showed extensive inflammation of my lungs. This condition persisted 5 months and was not helped by taking an antibiotic course. It seems somewhat improved, but will be going to an allergist in 6 days just to see what she thinks. Barbara
Neem Oil Effects
by: Anonymous

Sprayed citrus trees and inhaled sprayed particulates. I now breathe as if I have asthma or emphysema. I can't be active for anytime more than 10 -15 minutes. Breathing labored to a point of being an invalid. It continues throughout entire day. Is there any info that can help reverse the symptoms?
Response to inhaled in Citrus grove:
by: Anonymous

What my friends and I have done: inhale a big breath of clean air and cough once as deeply as you can. Repeat a couple of times. Take a few cleansing breaths (see any Yoga literature), repeat every couple of hours for a few days. In other words, you are cleaning your lungs out. Be careful to 1) avoid hyperventilation, 2) avoid inhaling any more particulates for a while, and 3) avoid coughing so hard that you irritate your throat and airways.
Neem and breathing
by: Anonymous

I use neem and simple soap and sometimes Rosemary. Consistently, I have severe mucous build up and have terrible breathing problems.

I am athletic, run 6-10 miles a week and now have to have an inhaler when I garden or else I can't breathe.

Sure there is pollen in the garden and I am sure this contribute, but while neam is organic and used in India and the US, it does affect everyone differently.
An Asthma Sufferer
by: Anonymous

I had to use Neem oil recently, and the fumes got in the house. I have asthma and was not directly affected, so good news.

Those who suffered the vapor/droplet problem and it persisted, ask your doctor for what asthma patients use when the paroxysms are really bad, a SHORT course of prednisone. 5 days is NOT bad and it will reduce inflammation.
PURE Neem oil, or with additives?
by: n8tive and PROUD!

After reading all of the comments, I did not see one question in regards to the purity of the Neem oil being used or in question.
Neem purchased from your hardware/garden store is NOT pure. There are additional ingredients and additives (read the label).
PURE Neem oil can be purchased from a vitamin or health food store.
I have severe allergies, asthma, heart disease, COPD. I use Neem oil for insect control. I have used it in closed areas, had it blow back upon me in the wind, get my arms and hands covered with the stuff while spraying..

I don't have any immediate or delayed symptoms after any use of Neem.

Perhaps the above reactions are due to other INGREDIENTS, underlying and unaware health issues? You check the labels on what you eat, check them also on what you expose yourself to!
Breathing Difficulties Caused By Neem Oil
by: Anonymous

After extensive spraying with neem oil I have experienced mucous build-up and breathing difficulties. I was not wearing a mask or respirator. Symptons are similar to pneumonia. I was inadvertently sprayed in the face numerous times. I experienced a slight burning in my eyes but didn't really worry about it too much because I was told that it is safe. The following day my respiratory issues began. It has been a week with only minimal signs of improvement. I have no allergies that I am aware of. I was in perfect health before the exposure to neem oil. While the oil itself may not be toxic I am convinced that breathing the fine particles is the cause of my respiratory problems. Please do not be lulled into a false sense of security by those with a vested interest in promoting this product.
Neem oil
by: Anonymous

After conducting an inhouse pest extermination with neem oil spray, within a short time starting getting light headed, dry reaching and felt like i was going to pass out. I decided to stay clear of the house for 24hours. My health returned to normal. I read from a medical journal a man being taken to the emergency ward after drinking 20ml of Neem oil ending in convulsions but did return to normal health. Follow the return to my house I am still encountering the feeling of nausea and light headedness in my house and when leaving the house symptoms disappearing after a couple of hours. It really has me scratching my head. I've read that the potency of neem oil starts to deteriorate in soil up to 44 days in water its reduced considerably. I assume on household items that the potency will decrease over time. The house is an uncomfortable place at the moment, I believe that it is something i'm touching and absorbing into my skin (not inhaling. I am also assuming that this is not a normal occurence in people in general and that my system may be intolerant to neem oil (Bunnings product). I've decided to wipe down the furniture with detergent which emulifies oils and hopefully break down whatever potency that is left. Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Are You Using ORGANIC Neem Oil?
by: Anonymous

Is this referring to organic Neem oil OR Neem oil added to other ingredients? Read the bottle and see if it is natural and no other things you cannot pronounce.
side effects of breathing pure neem oil
by: Anonymous

Breathing pure neem oil does not causes dizzines. Its odour is not pleasant to many people, just get material saftey data online, that will give you information.
Neem almost killed me
by: Former Marine

I can handle some chemicals but neem oil nearly killed me. The local Indian store sold it. The neem was thick, greenish and smelled strong. Information said it was helpful for skin so I was using it on my feet. No problem. But once I had it on my hands and decided to use it on my face and neck I had a severe allergic reaction. A rash broke out on my calves, forearms, face and neck. I could not swallow because of the thickness in my throat from tasting the neem oil. I laid in bed and could not swallow. It hurt so bad I was trying to get up out of bed but just lay there wondering if this was going to be it. That lasted all night. My skin rashed up terribly and I was itching and scratching. 2 weeks later it's just now going away. I threw away the bottle of neem oil. I am allergic to it.
good stuff, but...
by: Anonymous

The neem formulation I used irritates my lungs and throat. It dried very sticky on my hands, so I imagine it's very bad to get your lungs gummed up with it, beyond any chemical effect.
Neem Oil is a fungicide
by: Anonymous

I say this to the people who are having a reaction if they get a tiny little spray of Neem oil mixed with water on them, and, such as that.

Neem oil is a fungicide and I believe it is also an antibacterial agent. It is used to kill internal parasites and internal bacterial infections.

If you are having a reaction, it may simply be that one of the most powerful fungicidal substances on earth has come into contact with the fungus among us (or, in this case, among your body parts) and you are experiencing the die-off reaction of the bad things in your body, maybe even the parasites, dying and not enjoying the process.

How do you know? Well, when you follow the yeast overgrowth diet, ala Dr.Crook, the rule of thumb is that if something makes you feel bad when you come in contact with it, and, you continue to feel worse after you've ingested it, then, it's probably an allergy. But, if it makes you bloody miserable, even for hours after, and, then you feel better than you felt before you had it, you probably experienced a die-off reaction and you should have some more of it - though, perhaps, more cautiously.

I have used Neem oil for two nights in a row where I mixed it with moisturizer and put it on several areas of my body, to dissuade pests from attacking me at night. And, for those two days, I have had loose bowels, at odd times, along with headaches, with a lot of truly noxious smelling stuff coming out of my backside. I took allergy medicine and it stopped. Which, if I was having a die-off reaction, I would have flu like or allergy like symptoms that could be slowed or stopped by the ingestion of sugar or the introduction of allergy medicine.

So, I assume that the Neem oil soaked in enough to affect my body to that extent and it was cleaning me out some.

Certainly, I coughed, got a rash, as well as the aforementioned problems. But, I also feel better than I did three days before, except right when those things are happening and those things do not happen all the time.

Now, that does not mean this is true for you. But, it does mean you should consider the possibility and, perhaps, with whatever medical supervision makes you most safe and comfortable, perform a little experiment to see if Neem should be avoided or celebrated by you.
vertigo
by: Anonymous

I used 100 % pure neem oil to spray some plants and then used a bit on my skin and hair. The next morning I woke with vertigo. I think it may have triggered an allergic reaction. It's impossible to tell if it was the neem or some other factor.
Allergies or breathing in Neem Oil?
by: Anonymous

Neem Oil brought my fruit trees back to life but I am wondering if it affected my lungs as I am having a little pain and trouble breathing shortly after using it. So now, a day later, I thought to do a little research since it definitely seemed to be difficult to breathe shortly after spraying my nectarine tree and picking plums for an hour so. I am also wondering if it could be allergies and pollen etc. I am not coughing, just little pain and having a little difficulty breathing, no health problems other than not having the strongest set of lungs.
neem oil makes me ill
by: Anonymous

Neem oil makes me sick. I needed it to kill a mold on one of my trees. I followed directions exactly and even wore a surgical mask. It irritated my trachea and lungs and gave me a terrible headache. The warnings on the bottle are not sufficient. This stuff is toxic.
asthma attack :(
by: Anonymous

I got asthma attack and a little skin rashes after I sprayed my plants with diluted neem oil. It happened both times I tried on separated days so I really hesitate to use it again. The neem oil I bought says it's 100% pure and certified organic. The ingredients listed: Azadirachta India (Neem) seed oil. So I guess it's not related on the topic of mixed chemicals...
Neem oil and headache
by: JulieB

I have used neem oil in the past when I somehow got scabies on the calf of my leg. It took care of them fast. Not even the meds the doctor prescribed would get rid of them. Then, recently I started getting a fungus on my toenail. I thought I would try the neem oil after reading others had as well and it worked for them. I just paint it on the toenail and go on with my day. For a few days now I have been experiencing headaches. I never get headaches, so this is uncommon for me. Yesterday I did not use the neem oil and yesterday I did not have a headache. Today a few minutes after applying the neem to my toenail the headache came back. That's when it clicked that must be the culprit, the neem.
I am going to stop the use for a week and see if the headaches cease. Then try again. I hope it isn't the cause but this way I will know.
Funny it never caused a headache years back when I used it for the scabies??? Who knows.
If it harms you then it would be something else on the name of Neem
by: Rajiv

Neem is a holy tree in India. It never harms human or other being but heals and heals only. If it harms you then it would be something else on the name of Neem.
My side effects after spraying Neem Oil
by: Parsons.T

I use Neem Oil Insecticide Spray. I tried holding my breath every time I spray it. Well this time I had a small spray bottle with just water and poured over a teaspoon full shook it up really good. Well it was a little windy. Went to spray my plants in the flower bed and on my porch close to my front door. I couldn't hold my breath long enough and I walk away from the plant to my side walk it was so strong that it gagged me. I decided to stop spraying and went inside got cleaned up because the neem oil got on my hands and legs. Went to go sit on the couch and the smell was coming through the front storm door. So I closed my main door sit back down. My nose was really burning. I have a small Jack Russell mix with Dachshund she is 9 years old. The warnings on the back of the bottle said its extremely toxic for people to breathe or swallow. Said to keep all pets away from areas that have been sprayed. So my question is- if I did breathe that by accident twice what should I do? Does anyone have any advice for me? Thank You.
reactions developed - organic Neem
by: Anonymous

I used organic neem topically in the past and had no reactions other then minor skin irritation. Recently I started diluting the neem and using to spray my outdoor plants. I mistakingly inhaled fumes of the diluted neem oil on a few different occasions. I now have had reoccurring neuro and respiratory symptoms that seem to be triggered by even the scent of neem. It's taken me months to pin point but I've finally concluded that it is the neem. I seem to have developed an allergic reaction and now with just the slightest whiff of the residue I begin to get dizzy, burning lungs, confusion, some numbness on tongue and limbs, etc. It is very scary. I do believe it is great stuff but do NOT ever inhale the fumes you may be very sorry.
Side effect
by: Susan

Can't breath anywhere near neem.
Allergic to neem oil
by: Anonymous

I used organic neem oil on my itchy scalp overnight and woke the next morning very dizzy, vomiting and with loose, smelly bowels. This took a day or two to pass. It was not until I did the same thing again a week later and had the same reaction that I realised it is the neem oil, it is in an almond oil mix. My hair is looking great from it but I am as sure as I can be that I am allergic to neem oil.
Allergy test first
by: Anonymous

Have any of the people in these comments patch tested on their skin first to see if they are allergic?
Some people can't tolerate neem but, as a person with severe lung damage, it is an essential oil that is recommended for me by the COPD professionals.
Accidentally put neem oil in my lip
by: Anonymous

I accidentally applied neem oil in my lips.. Is it safe? Do I need doctor?
Neem should never be taken internally NEW
by: Anonymous

Neem should never be consumed internally , is it very toxic to your body! And for the folks whom have inhaled the stuff when gardening , please wear a suitable face mask that offers appropriate protection from the neem oil aerosol , it should never be inhaled . Be safe when handling this stuff!
Benefits of Neem and when to use it NEW
by: Anonymous

Neem oil is very beneficial for your body. If you have a sensitive body then I recommend you take it once a month since it is very strong and has a strong aftertaste. When taking in Neem oil for a cold or something similar to it, put 1-2 drops in each nostril maximum. Then wait about 5 seconds and then blow your nose and drink water. Do not use neem oil daily for you will feel lightheaded and experience more symptoms, and your body will not be as strong. This natural chemical is extremely healthy and very strong and the cause of using it every day can be hurtful for your body. Neem leaves should be eaten naturally without any topping to get the effect. If you experience nostril inflammation, headaches, ear pain, or throat pain, drink about a liter of water and try and get rest. You experience these symptoms since the neem oil is curing your body at a quite fast pace. When using neem oil for animals or pets, try it once a week but not any less than that. Neem can hurt animals and plants the same way it hurts you.

Thanks... I'm saying from experience

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