The analgesic powers of essential oils (EOs) have made them the most popular pain relief remedies in traditional medicine.
They can be as effective as any modern-day medicine for pain management. They not only lessen pain but also these oils can alleviate various ailments.
Most importantly, they are free of side effects and provide many other health benefits.
Essential oils have been used against a wide range of pathogens. EOs help in fighting inflammation, and eliminating swelling.
They are the best natural remedies for common health issues like migraine pain, muscle aches, arthritis pain, neuropathy, and mental stress.
Aromatherapy with EOs can improve a person’s mental and physical wellness in several ways.
Continuous use of pain reliever capsules can cause physical discomfort and even damage to vital organs such as the kidney and liver. In such a scenario, natural remedies like essential oils are the best option for managing chronic pain issues such as arthritis and sciatica.
Traditional remedies with EOs for pain reduction include oil massage, baths, aromatherapy, lotions, and creams.
How Do Essential Oils For Pain Relief Work?
One of the most pleasant ways to manage day-to-day aches, including severe and chronic pains, is by using essential oils.
EOs contain powerful medicinal properties in highly concentrated form, along with the natural goodness of the mother plant from which they are extracted.
They are free of chemicals and synthetic substances, unlike many prescription medicines.
Each essential oil has a couple of therapeutic properties beneficial for alleviating pain and inflammation. The following are some medicinal substances in popular essential oils that are useful for natural pain relief:
- Anesthetic properties in EOs help create a numbing sensation in the inflamed and bruised areas of the body.
- Oils with analgesic elements reduce and alleviate the pain.
- The anti-inflammatory quality of the EOs helps suppress inflammatory pain.
- The use of essential oils with antispasmodic properties assists in relieving muscle spasms and low back pain caused by strained back and neck.
- EOs work for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and abdominal pains.
- Oils with sedative elements induce sleep and produce a mild tranquilizing effect, which can make the person insensitive to pain.
- EOs with anti-rheumatic substances help relieve stiffness and joint pains caused by rheumatism.
- Antimicrobial properties in many essential oils are useful for pain relieving.
- A few of the EOs have carminative properties that effectively eliminate pain from gas formation in the gastrointestinal tract.
- Some essential oils work as decongestants, which are useful for relieving congestion in the nose, throat, and lungs and the associated pain.
- Antidepressant properties EOs help relieve chronic pains, especially migraines, headaches, and neuropathic pain.
12 Best Essential Oils That Help Relieve Pain
Now let us look at different essential oils for pain management. Always dilute your essential oils in a carrier oil before use.
1. Lavender oil
The multifaceted uses of lavender oil in traditional remedies and the most used aromatherapy oil. It is the best natural remedy for nerve pain, migraines, and headaches.
This oil can produce a mild sedative effect that relieves tension and stress, which causes headaches and migraines.
This oil contains both anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that make it exceptionally useful in reducing pain.
Unlike other essential oils, lavender oil, in its undiluted form, does not cause skin irritation.
It can be inhaled or applied to the forehead, neck, and chest.
When you are suffering from pain, use an essential oil diffuser to humidify the lavender essential oil in your bedroom or office. Breathing microscopic particles of the oil suspended in the air relieves stress and pain.
2. Chamomile oil
The chamazulene compound in the chamomile essential oil is an excellent anti-inflammatory agent. It effectively treats abdominal pain, back pain, and PMS in women. The deep blue German chamomile oil is more effective than the Roman chamomile variant.
The Roman chamomile oil extracted from Anthemis nobilis and the German chamomile oil from Matricaria chamomilla has analgesic properties.
This oil is used to treat headaches and neuralgia as well as muscle and joint pains.
Chamomile oil has a carminative effect that helps to relieve bloating and gas formation in the abdomen and reduces the pain associated with it.
Dilute the oil in a carrier oil and apply the mixture to the pain-affected area or drink 2 drops of diluted oil in warm water or tea.
3. Peppermint oil
Peppermint essential oil, which contains menthol properties, is highly refreshing and relaxing for the body and mind.
It has antispasmodic power, which helps relieve muscle pain, stomachaches, and painful spasms.
The topical application of this oil (in diluted form only) helps relax the muscle spasms in the lower back and relieve pain due to fibromyalgia.
It is a decongestant that contributes to relieving headaches due to sinus congestion. Inhaling and rubbing the oil on the pain-affected areas helps remove the physical discomforts of stomachaches, headaches, and stress.
4. Ginger oil
Ginger essential oil is a potent pain reliever that works perfectly for painful autoimmune health conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and lupus.
The topical application of ginger oil also helps to reduce stomach pain and headaches.
You can use ginger oil for external application, internal consumption, or aromatherapy.
5. Rosemary oil
The anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of rosemary essential oil have been shown to help with pain relief. It is particularly beneficial for managing headaches and migraines; use it in aromatherapy for best results.
The topical application of rosemary oil helps reduce muscle spasms and joint pains. You will find that most of the traditional treatments for rheumatism have rosemary oil as a prominent ingredient.
6. Eucalyptus oil
Eucalyptus essential oil possesses a warming effect that soothes and comforts the pain-affected areas of the body, especially muscle soreness, joint pain, throat irritation, and chest congestion.
The anti-inflammatory properties of eucalyptus oil are beneficial for reducing inflammatory pain.
It is fit for external application, but it must be diluted in coconut oil or other carrier oils. But for insect stings and bites, you can use undiluted, pure eucalyptus oil for a powerful effect to counter the venomous reaction.
7. Wintergreen oil
Native people in North America have used wintergreen essential oil to treat pain and swelling for hundreds of years.
Wintergreen oil is strictly meant for external purposes due to its toxicity and the risk of intestinal bleeding if consumed internally. However, the leaves of the wintergreen shrub are fit for internal consumption to treat digestive and bladder issues.
Wintergreen oil is mostly used as a massage oil for treating arthritis, muscle spasms, skeletal pain, and neuralgia.
It is a strong oil concentrate, so it needs to be diluted with a carrier oil before it can be used to treat pain.
8. Juniper oil
Juniper oil is a traditional medicine often used to treat painful conditions like colitis, dysmenorrhea, and hemorrhoids.
A hot bathtub makes it easy to relieve the pain and itching associated with hemorrhoids. After adding 10 drops of Juniper oil to the warm water, the patient can soak in the bathtub for 15 minutes.
This oil is also suitable for internal consumption. You can add a few drops of this oil to a cup of herbal tea or a spoonful of coconut oil and drink it to treat colitis and indigestion.
Juniper berry oil is useful for reducing pain and stiffness related to rheumatism.
9. Marjoram oil
Marjoram oil is spicy and can be eaten. It has pain-relieving and muscle-relaxing properties that can help eliminate the pain.
Traditional remedies it is used for treating headaches and flu. If you suffer from muscle spasms, you can massage marjoram oil diluted in olive or coconut oil to relieve the spasm and pain.
Toothaches can be calmed down by locally applying 2 drops of Marjoram oil on the tooth and gums surrounding it. It is also beneficial for reducing abdominal spasms from diarrhea; take two drops of marjoram oil diluted in warm water or tea.
Marjoram oil also has a mild sedative effect, which can relieve pain by reducing the sensory reflex of the pain.
10. Clary sage oil
Clary sage essential oil obtained from the Salvia sclarea herb is an excellent pain relief solution, especially to eliminate menstrual cramps and abdominal pain.
Just like lavender oil, this oil can also relieve a headache caused by stress. The topical application of this oil helps reduce muscle spasms and soreness.
Clary sage oil is not fit for internal consumption and should be diluted with any carrier oil before applying it externally.
11. Clove oil
The oil from the clove is highly pungent and spicy. It contains anesthetic properties that temporarily numb painful areas.
Clove essential oil is a traditionally used remedy for relieving toothaches. You can apply 2 drops of clove oil on the painful tooth and gums for instant relief.
You can get rid of throat pain by adding 2-4 drops of clove oil to a cup of warm water and using this water for gargling. This treatment is also beneficial for curing throat infections.
You can reduce pain from muscle soreness and joint pain by massaging the affected area with clove oil diluted in jojoba oil or coconut oil. Clove oil can calm the pain from insect bites by rubbing the venom-infected area with the oil.
12. Cayenne oil
Cayenne pepper essential oil is useful for reducing severe pains like shingles. This oil contains anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that are helpful for pain management. It is a hot and spicy oil; it should be diluted in a carrier oil before being used for external application.
You can mix 1–2 drops of cayenne oil in half-ounce carrier oils like coconut or olive oil, Use this oil blend for massaging inflamed joints and muscles to reduce pain. It works well for relieving arthritic and rheumatic pain and neuralgia.
The Final ThoughtÂ
Essential oils may reduce pain and provide several other health benefits to the body. Most essential oils have one property or another that can be effectively used in managing pain and inflammation.
EOs contain active compounds that can soothe the muscles and relax the nerves. The analgesic, anesthetic, sedative, and anti-inflammatory compounds in EOs are very useful for alleviating pain and other symptoms of inflammation.
The powerful concentrated forms of medicinal properties in EOs can cause irritation and allergic reactions in some people. These oils must always be used after diluting any good carrier oil.
The best pain relief from pure essential oils is achieved when two or more oils are blended. Choose the right mix of oils that suits the particular pain-causing ailment you are suffering from.
Before using essential oils to treat pain, you should talk to your doctor or a natural therapy expert if you don’t know much about them.
Recommended reading: Best Essential Oils For Sore Muscles