Whether you are suffering from Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), shoulder pain, knee pain or other joint ailments, using essential oils as a supplement to your doctor prescribed medications is a great idea! Here are my top tips for using essential oils for pain.
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Nothing Aches Like Joint Pain
I suffer from inflammation throughout my body and sometimes the joint pain is overpowering (like I am never going to lift my arm up over my head again ever painful).
My mother in law also has joint pain from Rheumatoid arthritis and just normal aging. She also has dementia and never remembers that I put the oils on her hands.
She always asks if I am doing “voodoo” on her… hahaha! Just checked and the blend I used this morning in the rollerball made her hands feel better (Balsam of Peru, Lemon, Eucalyptus and Lemongrass with an almond carrier oil).
Do I Think Essential Oils Will Replace Medicine… Heck To The No!
Sometimes I feel like a pharmacist giving my son his ADHD medicine and giving mom her pills 3 times a day, so anything I can do to help them with oils is just a bonus, not a substitute for doctor prescribed medicine.
Essential oils for me are a natural way I can help my family AND we smell nice too!
I wish I could use the diffuser, but I have cats so that is out for me. Instead I use cute little roller bottles with covers which works great for getting the oils right on the spot that hurts!
A couple of people asked me where I get the little cloth covers I use on my roller bottles (they are great for catching stray drops!) I get mine on Etsy from OilyRags.
Essential Oils For Joint Pain
Here are some of the best essential oils for joint pain.
Peppermint Oil: Peppermint oil is very useful and one of my favorite all around oils, the active ingredient, menthol, is an antispasmodic and mild analgesic, helping to reduce tension, pressure, and pain.
Lavender Oil: Lavender is another useful oil mostly because it its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties (plus it smells so nice). Lavender oil will immediately sooth the affected area when applied, and it’s gentle enough to use without having another carrier oil.
Juniper Oil: Juniper has antioxidant, and a pain and inflammation properties. It has powerful anti-rheumatic, antiseptic, and even analgesic properties. Be careful with this one. Pregnant women and children under the age of 3 shouldn’t use it.
Turmeric Oil: This oil has strong anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antioxidant, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties. Best used with a carrier oil. Massage once or twice a day on the sore joint.
Rosemary Oil: Rosemary is extremely high in antioxidants and in anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties. It contains carnosol, an antioxidant that focuses on inflammation, making it a great choice. It’s a strong oil, so a few drops in a carrier oil will do the trick.
Clove Oil: Clove oil has been used forever as an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial/anti-microbial agent. It’s a “hot” oil that has a warming effect on the body, that can burn your skin so make sure to use it with a carrier oil. It’s also a mild anti-neuralgic which means it numbs the surface of the skin temporarily when applied topically. This oil should not be used by pregnant and nursing women, nor used on children 3 years of age or younger.
Thyme Oil: Thyme oil is fantastic for soreness, inflammation, and muscle pain, due to the compound called carvacrol. It has high levels of analgesic and antispasmodic properties, all which work together to reduce and sometimes relieve pain.
Frankincense Oil: It’s not just for Christmas! It is a well-known anti-inflammatory, anti-anxiety, analgesic, anti-bacterial, and anti-spasmodic properties. It’s another oil, like lavender, that is gentle enough to use without a carrier oil, but if you have sensitive skin don't risk it.
Orange Oil: orange oil which comes from the skin of the fruit, has great anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. When using it, though, be careful in the sun. Citrus oils can cause photosensitivity and applying before going out in the sun can cause skin to burn.
Ginger Oil: ginger has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. It can be used to help numb, dull or alleviate pain. Be careful using it orally. It can cause heartburn, diarrhea, and stomach discomfort. Women need to be careful using ginger as it can cause extra menstrual bleeding, and pregnant women should never use it.
Myrrh Oil: Like frankincense, myrrh is known for Christmas. It is has antirheumatic properties which are effective in treating RA symptoms. Myrrh SHOULD NOT be taken during pregnancy since it has been proven to cause miscarriage. It is also syruppy so it is not one of my favorites to use!
Eucalyptus Oil: this oil eases muscle aches and rheumatism.
Lemon Oil: Like orange oil, lemon oil can reduce inflammation of joints. It also causes photosensitivity, so be careful.
Lemongrass Oil: relieves aches and reduces lactic acid.
Evergreen Oils For Joint Pain
The following oils mixed in equal parts make a great blend for sore joints, aches, pains and soreness. Use a few drops in the bath, or mix in a carrier oil or in homemade body butter (shea butter, coconut oil and jojoba oil). This is my friend Suzanne's own blend – her husband swears by it!
I get my oils from Rocky Mountain Oils, so I included the Latin names for those who buy elsewhere so they get the right ones:
Juniper berry – Juniperus communis – neutralizes microbes, soothes sore muscles, tendons and joints, diminishes swelling, relaxes cramping
Himalayan cedarwood – Cedrus deodara – Reduces stress & tension, Antiseptic, Astringent, Circulatory Stimulant, Diuretic, Expectorant, Fungicidal, Sedative, Pain relieving, Antibacterial
Atlas cedarwood – Cedrus atlantica – Antiseptic, Astringent, Circulatory Stimulant, Diuretic, Expectorant, Fungicidal, Sedative, pain relieving, antibacterial
Black spruce – Picea mariana – Antiseptic, Expectorant, Antitussive, Relieves muscular aches and pains, Anti-inflammatory, Antibacterial, Antioxidant, Pain-Reliever
Siberian fir – Abies sibirica – Analgesic, Antiseptic, Rubefacient, Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant
Spruce – Tsuga canadensi – neutralizes microbes, promotes the healing of tissues, relieves muscular tension and aching joints, soothes sore muscles, tendons and joints, diminishes swelling, increases local blood circulation
Douglas fir – Pseudotsuga menziesii – neutralizes microbes, relieves muscular tension and aching joints, relaxes cramping, eases discomfort, soothes sore muscles, tendons and joints, diminishes swelling, increases local blood circulation
Pine needle – Pinus sylvestris – encourages cell regeneration, increases local blood circulation, neutralizes microbes, soothes sore muscles, tendons and joints, diminishes swelling, stimulates blood flow, improves circulation to extremities
Balsam – Copaifera officinalis – Analgesic, Antifungal, Anti-inflammatory, Antiseptic, Astringent, Circulatory, Diuretic, Expectorant, Stimulant
Essential Oils For Joint Pain Wrapup
I know it is popular to bash essential oils right now, but I put some of my today's mix on my shoulder when I started this post and my range of motion has gone up and my pain level has gone down.
At one point in my life I was taking ibuprofen like they were candy, which I know is a super bad idea but better than getting on the super addictive painkillers that are causing so many people problems now.
I feel like using something natural and pretty affordable (if you don't have to have all the cute accessories like I do!) is a win-win for me and my family!
Just make sure to check with your doctor if she has you on anything that might interact with the oils.
Donna
Tuesday 20th of June 2023
Thank you for the very informative post. What is the ratio for the "voodoo" blend? 😊