Essential Oil for Joint Pain and Inflammation
Joint pain and inflammation can become a huge problem and disrupts our daily life. Whether it’s simple sore muscles from working out or serious injuries due to an accident, joint pain can diminish our quality of life. However, there are ways to relieve pain.
In this guide, we will explore what essential oils are, some frequently asked questions about essential oils, and what the best essential oil for joint pain is.
What is an Essential Oil?
Essential oil is basically the parts of a plant that produces a variety of scents when crushed or broken down. These parts include the leaves, peel, and bark. Steaming these parts can also bring out the wonderful fragrances making what is called essential oil. The chemicals present in the oil can provide benefits to both your body and brain.
Multiple essential oils have been found to help alleviate joint pains and inflammation through various means. From relieving the stiffness and tension on your joints to reducing the swelling, these essential oils can help you regain your comfort. Remember that many other factors in your life can also contribute to joint pain and inflammation. This includes how much exercise you do, your diet, quality of sleep, and stress.
Essential oils aren’t a solution that will replace conventional medicine, especially for serious injuries. However, it can be used as a complementary therapy to further help you become more comfortable. Keep this in mind when exploring the world of essential oils and its benefits on our body.
Related: Best Compression Gloves for Arthritis
The Best Essential Oils for Joint Pain and Inflammation
There are plenty of essential oils and mixtures of essential oils out there. It can be very challenging to find the right one for your joint pain on your own. We are here to help you narrow down your choices and help you find the best one without having to try all them out blindly. Here is our list of the best essential oils to alleviate joint pain and inflammation and some information about them.
1. Ginger Essential Oil
Ginger is widely used in many conventional and alternative medicines across the globe. This is because it contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties such as zingibain. Zingibain helps in reducing the inflammation, swelling, stiffness, and pain in your joints and muscles.
Multiple studies have shown that people who suffered from moderate to severe knee pain reported that they experienced less pain when they massaged ginger essential oils directly on their knees. You can try this by mixing 10 – 15 drops of ginger essential oil to 1 ounce of almond oil. Directly massage it to the affected joint.
2. Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Another incredibly effective pain reliever is the Eucalyptus essential oil. Due to its potent anti-inflammatory abilities, it stars in many pain-relief solutions as the main ingredient. From severe headaches to muscle and joint pain, it has been purported to help. On top of this, it can help in reducing the effects of sickness such as nausea.
There have been many cases where people who inhaled eucalyptus essential oil experienced lower blood pressures and less pain after a knee replacement surgery. The eucalyptus’ cool and refreshing effect helps in relieving the pain and reducing stress.
3. Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint has been used by humans for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. This makes peppermint one of the oldest medicinal plants still used to this day. Our ancestors have used this amazing plant to ease muscle aches, joint pains, and inflammations.
The main compound that gives peppermint its effective pain-relieving activities is menthol. Menthol is very good at cooling and relaxing the areas it affects. This results in easing tension, discomfort, and pain. If you want almost instant relief, you can apply peppermint essential oil topically to the affected area. We guarantee that you’ll feel better in no time.
4. Lemongrass Essential Oil
Lemongrass essential oil is widely used to treat the symptoms of arthritis which includes inflammation and joint pain. Lemongrass essential oil has very good astringent properties. This means that when your body absorbs the oil, it will draw any excess fluid from body tissues. This results in less inflammation, pain while improving joint mobility. On top of this, it has antioxidant properties that can help your body ward off cell damage due to free radicals.
5. Clove Essential Oil
Clove essential oil is prominently used when dealing with inflammation and pain in various parts of the body. From pain in the mouth to muscles, joints, and also skin infections. The main star of clove essential oil is eugenol. Eugenol is rich in potent antioxidant properties, which gives it a huge boost when fighting against free radicals that damage the cells of our body.
However, please note that due to the high amount of eugenol content, it is highly advised to not apply clove essential oil to sensitive or heavily injured skin. Never use it on children under two years old.
6. Thyme Essential Oil
Thyme, alongside peppermint, has been used by humans for thousands of years when it comes to treating inflammations. It is also used as an antidote against venoms and poisons because of its excellent antiseptic properties. The main compound of thyme is thymol. Thymol effectively relieves inflammation and swelling of the muscles. Thyme essential oil has also been found to relieve other health issues. Using thyme essential oil to treat the pain from dysmenorrhea is also widely popular.
7. Marjoram Essential Oil
Very popular in traditional medicine, Marjoram essential oil is widely used to treat joint inflammations such as sprains, stiffness, swelling, etc. You can either use pure marjoram essential oils or mix it with other essential oils to enhance its effects. Applying marjoram blends for minor pains and inflammation can easily ease the pain and help your muscles relax. This results in better quality sleep.
Related: Best Back Braces
Frequently Asked Questions About Essential Oils and Joint Pain
What is the best essential oil for joint pain?
Different people will react to essential oils differently. However, for joint pain, we highly recommend trying out the Eucalyptus essential oil. Not only will eucalyptus ease the pain and swelling, but it can also reduce the stress you experience. You can easily relax and unwind when using eucalyptus essential oils.
What essential oils are good for pain and inflammation?
Other essential oils that are very effective at treating pain and inflammation are ginger essential oils, marjoram essential oils, and peppermint essential oils. These essential oils can guarantee an instant to very fast relief when used on the painful joint.
How do you mix essential oils for joint pain?
You can easily mix essential oils to enhance their healing effects for joint pain. You can mix the essential oil with a carrier such as a coconut oil, olive oil, and jojoba oil. You can start by mixing 10 drops of your chosen essential oil with about a teaspoon of carrier oil.
Related: Best Heating Pads
A Final Word From Wellness Nova
Now you know what the best of the best essential oils for joint pain and inflammation are. With any type of medicine, you decide to try out, make sure to talk to your personal doctor or physician beforehand. Different people can have different reactions to essential oils. It is also highly recommended to do a test skin application before fully applying to ensure you won’t have any allergic reactions to the oils.
