Essential Oils & Pain and Inflammation

If you are not getting effective pain relief from medications, you might benefit from trying traditional and alternative methods of pain relief. Essential oils are one of the most popular ways practised in alternate remedies for pain management. Using essential oils for pain relief is a completely natural method.

Essential oils are fragrant essences obtained from natural sources such as roots, stems, petals, and different parts of plants. They are generally extracted from the plants using steam distillation.

These essential oils result from an old and time-tested technique and aim to improve your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Every kind of essential oil has its own unique benefits and scent. You can use these oils in a blend or individually. Studies show that essential oils can be used to treat many conditions like:

• respiratory illnesses

• sleep disorders

• depression

• headaches

• inflammation

Essential oils can be used with your current pain management system to reduce pain and inflammation. These are commonly used in aromatherapy for massages and also in bath oils. Essential oils offer an easy-to-use and convenient method of pain management and can help you relax while relieving pain.

Why using essential oils can be effective for Pain and Inflammation?

Inflammation, joint pain, and body aches are very common and affect everyone at one point. Whether you suffer from them temporarily, for example, due to an impact injury, or face them regularly, you need to know how to manage them properly.

It is reasonable to look for pain relief during times of discomfort. You can opt for the traditional treatment path, particularly if the inflammation or joint pain is due to a medical condition. However, when your general route isn’t as effective, you can opt for natural or alternative treatments like essential oils for pain management.

However, for medical conditions that have already been diagnosed, it is advised that you try using essential oils for complementary therapy. Even for less serious issues, you may rely completely on essential oils and alternative medicine to help you overcome joint pain and reduce inflammation. Not only is pure essential oil very adept at easing or alleviating inflammation and joint pain, but also offers many other positive health benefits.

Essential oils can help relieve pain and inflammation and regain comfort easily. Some oils like rosemary oil aim to relieve stiffness and tension in joints and enhance blood flow. Others, like peppermint oil, can significantly reduce pain. All essential oils work well in helping you manage your pain. They are typically used for massages, aromatherapy, or bath oils and show very positive results.

Types of pain:

Acute Pain

Acute pain is a specific kind of pain that generally lasts between three and six months. It is related to soft tissue damage. Some common examples of acute pain can be a paper cut or a sprained ankle.

Although acute pain lasts a short duration, it can also continuously resolve itself with the repair of the damaged tissue. It is different from chronic pain and is comparatively more severe and sharp.

Essential oils can help relieve acute pain as the compounds present in these oils are completely organic and derived from plants. Oils that are obtained from medicinal plants can help in providing an antiseptic as well as a soothing effect to the injury. They can help you avoid any bacterial infection due to open wounds such as paper cuts. For pain caused by injuries such as sprains, you can massage the area with the essential oil for pain relief.

Chronic Pain

Chronic pain usually stands for pain that lasts beyond six months, and the tissue is not getting healed. Some common examples of chronic pain can be fibromyalgia, failed back surgery syndrome, or continual pain even after your back surgery has healed.

Chronic pain is perhaps one of the most common problems that we need to manage. It is much less understood than other kinds of pain, and often, patients get tired of prolonged medical treatments for pain management.

In such cases, alternate treatments, such as using essential oils for pain, can be very beneficial. Essential oils can be used as bath oils, for aromatherapy, or even as massage oils and work well in helping you relieve chronic pain.

Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain is a common pain situation that is generally chronic. It is caused by progressive nerve disease or chronic illnesses. It can also be caused due to an infection or injury.

If you suffer from chronic neuropathic pain, it might come up at any time without a pain-inducing factor or event. Acute neuropathic pain is quite uncommon but can also occur at any time without a very obvious warning.

People that suffer from this particular painful condition can sometimes experience burning, and shooting pain . This pain can be constant, or it can also occur at intervals. You may also feel numbness or lose your feeling of sensation. However alternate therapy such as using essential oils regularly in the painful area can help.

Nociceptive Pain

Generally, nociceptive pain or non-neuropathic pain is caused due to an illness or injury. For instance, if you suddenly drop a very heavy book on your foot or your hand, your central nervous system will send a signal of pain instantly just as the book hits. It is a pain that is based on the reaction of the body to stimuli. Harmful stimuli get detected by the nociceptors throughout the body and it reacts to the signal received.

Nociceptors are basically a kind of receptor present in the body that exists to feel any or all types of pain that are expected to be caused when the body gets harmed. This harm can usually include physical or mechanical damage to different parts of the body.

Radicular Pain

Radicular pain is a kind of pain that starts radiating from your hip and your back and into your legs via the spine. The pain progresses along with the roots of your spinal nerve. This pain in the leg can often be accompanied by muscle weakness, tingling, and numbness. Radicular pain generally occurs when your spinal nerve gets pinched, inflamed, or compressed suddenly.

If you see that your pain is starting to radiate down your leg and into the foot, it is called sciatica or radiculopathy. Sciatica can get steady and deep with time, and it can get worse during certain activities, such as walking or sitting. It is one of the most regular kinds of pain produced by the compression of a nerve inside the lower spine.

Best essential oils for Pain and Inflammation

Bergamot

 Bergamot essential oil is one of the best citrus essential oils that helps relieve pain and inflammation. You can think of bergamot as a citrus fruit that takes the best of both an orange and a lemon and presents you with excellent medicinal properties.

The bergamot essential oil is used for pain management and relief owing to its analgesic, disinfection, sedative, digestive, anti-depressant, antispasmodic, antimicrobial, and antiseptic properties.

Lavender

One of the most popular essential oils, you can probably find lavender essential oil in many places and even many homes. Generally, lavender essential oil is used to create a relaxing and calming environment. This is primarily because lavender can help you reduce anxiety and stress.

But this potent oil can do a lot of things, the most important functions are due to its anti-inflammatory properties. It is one of the best essential oils in reducing inflammation and relieving pain around joints.

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

The eucalyptus essential oil contains tremendous healing properties. It offers muscle pain and joint pain relief very quickly and efficiently. It also contains cooling and refreshing effects and these complements the pain-relieving properties of the eucalyptus oil.

Eucalyptus oil has antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties that work extremely well in reducing stress and pain. Eucalyptus essential oils are an excellent option for people who go through chronic discomfort due to joint pain and inflammation. You can even dilute and add a few drops to your bath and experience pain relief. Or you can mix it with a carrier oil and use it for topical application.

Ginger Essential Oil

Ginger essential oil primarily contains the compound zingibain, which contains anti-inflammatory properties. This helps alleviate pain, stiffness inflammation, and swelling, in joints and muscles. This makes ginger oil a very popular choice for people looking for pain relief.

Not only is ginger oil very effective in inflammation and pain relief, but it is also one of the easiest oils to use. You just need to add a few drops to 10-15ml of water to dilute it properly and massage it on the area.