Alexis Unlimited

Hello World!  One of my favorite topics is essential oils, and since my back is bothering me today, I turn to these oils for relief. If you aren’t using them, you really should give them a try.  I discovered them later in life, but really enjoy them; as well as how well they work for me… They smell wonderful; are very relaxing and have a host of medicinal benefits. They also have some cleaning benefits which I’ll cover another day. Enjoy the read!

Essential Oils for Arthritis

Most people think that aromatherapy and essential oils is all about bath and beauty products, but it is so much more than that.  I’ve used essential oils for different health conditions with great results for years. Here are some of my preferred essential oils for rheumatoid arthritis, osteo arthritis, gout (a form of arthritis in the big toe) and fibromyalgia, which is technically a form of arthritis that affects the muscles and soft tissues of your body:

Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)

Use diluted in small amounts topically for healing your joint pain. Black

pepper essential oil provides a pleasant warming effect on your joints while its analgesic compounds go to work reducing your pain. Because it is so strong, it can be a bit harsh if you have sensitive skin, so be sure it is well diluted—no more than one or two drops per teaspoon of carrier oil.

Clove (Eugenia carophyllata)

This highly effective natural analgesic oil works on most types of pain,

including both your rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, as well as gout—a type of arthritis of the big toe. Because it’s extremely potent, use only one drop to one hundred drops, or about one teaspoon of carrier oil after first conducting a skin patch test. Avoid using if you have extremely sensitive skin.

Ginger (Zingiber officinalis)

Ginger essential oil brings you a soothing warmth when applied to your

arthritic joint, but it is also great for easing your muscular pain and stiffness of fibromyalgia. You should use two to three drops in a teaspoon of carrier oil and apply topically to your affected joints.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Both a pain reliever and nervous system relaxant, lavender is good for

easing your joint and muscle aches, as well as easing your stiffness. If pain is keeping you awake at night, lavender essential oil is also great for sleep (works for me), particularly if a drop or two of the essential oil is rubbed on the soles of your feet or palms of your hands before bed. While most essential oils need to be diluted, lavender can often be tolerated neat (undiluted) by most people. However, if you have extremely sensitive skin, dilute two drops of lavender in about 4 drops of a carrier oil like fractionated coconut or apricot kernel oil.

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus)

Lemongrass oil is useful for toning your connective tissues and can be

helpful when your tendons no longer hold your joints with precision. Dilute in few drops in a teaspoon of carrier oil.

Marjoram (Origanum majorana)

Marjoram oil can be used for easing your muscle aches and stiffness along

with helping to heal your bruises and joint sprains. It is a good choice for topical use for those with fibromyalgia, which is a form of arthritis. It helps with your pain but also alleviates your muscle tightness. Avoid marjoram essential oil if you have epilepsy.

Peppermint (Mentha piperita)

Peppermint contains analgesic compounds that reduce your pain and

inflammation. Like lavender, it can usually be tolerated on your skin in its neat form (undiluted) to help reduce your pain. A little goes a long way as this oil leaves an intense cooling sensation on your skin. Use one drop and massage into your painful or inflamed joints. Wash hands immediately and avoid eye contact.

Make sure you select high quality, pure, undiluted essential oils.

While you may end up diluting the oils yourself, most of the oils on the market are diluted in less-than-desirable oils. High quality oils cost more than the cheap varieties on the market but are worth the higher price. Many cheap varieties can also contain synthetic versions of the oils, which offer no therapeutic value and may actually be harmful. But, worse than that, many cheap oils are mixed with solvents used during the extraction process or toxic pesticides used in the growing process of the herbs from which the oils are extracted.

After diluting the oil in carrier oil, always conduct a 48-hour patch test on a small inconspicuous part of your skin to determine whether you have any sensitivity to the essential oils,

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I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, I really enjoy using essential oils. You should try them if you haven’t yet. They help me relax, feel energized, and there are a host of other uses for them as well…

Have a great healthy day!