Whether you’re an aromatherapy enthusiast or new to it, you might be wondering what is the best oil for pain relief. The good news is – there are multiple options! Essential oils, especially when inhaled, work by reaching the amygdala part of the brain that is responsible for emotions. That is why you may often see various essential oil recommendations for anxiety or sleep. However, there is also research that proves the benefits of aromatherapy for our overall well-being, including pain relief.
Nobody wants to live in pain. That’s why we’re here to share with you our suggestions when it comes to finding what is the best oil for pain relief. Aromatherapy can be helpful when looking for pain relief after a workout, during menstrual period cramps, or while experiencing aches or pains for any other reasons.
Do Essential Oils Really Work For Pain?
The quick answer is yes! Let’s start with pain relief after a workout. You might be working hard to tone up and see those muscle gains, but that comes with a price. While sore muscles after a workout can be a great indicator that you are working the right muscles, you don’t have to suffer with no relief. According to research, geranium oil is a great remedy for ongoing pain. It is a good idea to mix a few drops of geranium essential oil with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil, and massage it on the sore area. Using a warm oil could help its penetration deep into the skin. This is arguably the quickest way to alleviate pain as you are targeting the specific area that is affected.
There are also other great essential oils for pain relief and they are listed below:
15 Essential Oils Most Commonly Used For Pain relief
- Lavender
- Peppermint
- Rose
- Bergamot
- Geranium
- Rosemary
- Eucalyptus
- Clary Sage
- Chamomile
- Frankincense
- Lemongrass
- Ginger
- Clove
- Juniper
- Sandalwood
What Is The Best Oil For Pain Relief?
1. Massage Oil For Pain Relief and muscle recovery
Muscle recovery massage oil is ideal for those post-workout aches and pains. You can use it as a massage oil or as a bath oil. Apply this massage oil if you suffer from muscle pain, arthritis, rheumatism, sciatica, neck pain, and general body aches. It iincludes Lavender, Peppermint, and Eucalyptus essential oils and Pure Grapeseed Oil. Not only will this massage oil relieve pain, but it also reduces stress and anxiety with its nice and soothing smell!
You can prepare this massage oil at home and dilute the essential oils with a carrier oil like grapeseed oil or coconut oil.
2. Joint Relief Massage Oil
While we’re mostly talking about muscle pain post working out, let’s not forget our joints. The joint Relief massage oil includes quality Rosemary, Ginger, and Geranium Essential Oils and Pure Grapeseed Oil. As we’ve already mentioned, geranium helps with pain relief and showed to alleviate neuropathic pain. Besides geranium oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Ginger oil was shown to reduce stiffness and tension. In addition, rosemary oil reduces inflammation. This is clearly a great blend of essential oils for pain relief.
You can prepare this massage oil by mixing the essential oils with a carrier oil like grapeseed oil or coconut oil.
3- Essential Oils To Relieve Menstrual Pain
While muscle and joint pain may be more common in the general population, millions of women suffer from excruciating menstrual cramps each month. It is argued how much pain during your period is normal and what could be an indicator of endometriosis. There is a specific term for the pain women experience during menstruation which is dysmenorrhea. Women go through life often ignoring the pain, sometimes turning to painkillers. In more severe instances – skipping work, school, and other life activities. If that’s you, we’re happy to tell you that aromatherapy can help in relieving your pain using natural essential oils.
According to a research paper published by the Journal of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, applying a blend of clary sage, lavender, and marjoram oils, in a 2:1:1 ratio and diluting it into an unscented jojoba cream can really help reduce the pain. The participants of this study recorded shorter times of being in pain, and milder pain overall. During this study, the women were asked to apply the cream once a day on their abdomens from the day their cycles ended until the next one began. The data was clear – participants who received this essential oil blend experienced clear pain relief.
CBD Oil For Pain Relief
Another oil that is clinically tested and proven to help with pain is cannabidiol oil, also known as CBD. According to a research paper published in the Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology journal, the researchers did an experiment on multiple groups of patients with peripheral neuropathy. The results showed that CBD oil had a statistically significant reduction in pain for both men and women. Some indicators are pointing to CBD oil also benefitting those with arthritis, however, more research is required. CBD oil has also been used for cancer patients going through chemotherapy. Researchers suggested that CBD oil helps with pain management and other symptoms of chemotherapy. If you wish to give CBD oil a try, a great way to relieve pain is to dilute it with a carrier oil and then rub it on a sore part of the body.
How To Use Essential Oils
Now that you have a list of different oils and ingredients that you may use to relieve pain, you may be wondering what is the best way to use essential oils. Here are a few tips.
- Topical application is the best way to use essential oils for pain relief. Dilute the essential oil with a carrier oil (coconut oil) and massage the sore body part to alleviate pain.
- Add some to a bath. You can also dilute it with a carrier oil to prevent skin irritations especially if you have sensitive skin. You could also mix essential oils with bath salts.
- Add some to a diffuser or an oil burner. Allow the wonderful scent of lavender, geranium, ginger, or any of the essential oils mentioned above to fill the atmosphere and relax your body and ease the pain.
Final Thoughts
There is no denying that essential oils can help relieve pain, but more research is required to unveil essential oils healing powers. Even if you have doubts about the efficacy of aromatherapy, it is always a treat for the body and mind to relax in a scented bath, or have a massage. Remember that you don’t have to suffer from the pain you are experiencing, whether it’s a workout or any other circumstance that is causing the pain. Choose your favourite scent of the essential oils we’ve listed and make your own massage oil, or get yourself a massage/bath oil that’s already blended and ready to use. We’d also love to hear your opinion on what is the best oil for pain relief if you have a favourite!
You can read more about it on Healthline, London Pain Clinic, and Bustle.