Can Essential Oils Help With Arthritis
Inflammation can crop up in many different forms and take a toll on our health. Affecting an estimated 1 in 4 adults in the US, one common way inflammation presents itself is in the form of arthritis. If you are one of the millions experiencing the effects of arthritis, you may be looking for ways to manage your symptoms.
Along with making lifestyle changes, essential oils and aromatherapy have also been shown to assist with arthritis symptoms such as inflammation, pain, mobility and more. Read on to learn about aromatherapy, arthritis and much more in this short guide.
What Causes Arthritis?
Arthritis can be caused by a variety of controllable factors. Here are some of the most common.
Infection
Infections can cause inflammation which can lead to some type of arthritis. If you notice redness or swelling, see your doctor to stop inflammation from worsening.
Career
If you work in an occupation that requires a lot of physical activity, such as bending, squatting and generally using your knees often, this can lead to osteoarthritis in your knees.
Obesity
Maintaining a healthy weight can prevent your joints from becoming overworked, which can thus prevent arthritis.
Smoking
Smokers are at risk of various health issues, including rheumatoid arthritis. Smoking can also worsen arthritis in those that already have it.
Joint Damage
If your joints are often stressed or have undergone damage, you may be at risk of arthritis.
Along with controllable factors, people with a family history of arthritis, women and seniors are more likely to get arthritis.
Can Essential Oils Help Arthritis?
Recent clinical trials have illuminated the effect of essential oils on arthritis.
- A topical blend containing oils of Basil, Bitter Orange, Black Pepper, Clary Sage and more was used on subjects with arthritis. Clinical tests revealed that the essential oil blend lowered the severity of the subjects’ arthritis by lowering inflammation.
- 90 patients with osteoarthritis were split into three groups for a clinical trial. One group was given an aromatherapy massage with Lavender oil, the second group was given a massage without essential oil and the third group was given no massage. Pain severity of the patients in the Lavender oil group was found to be significantly lower than the other trial groups.
- A study on over 200 patients with osteoarthritis were given Ginger extract or a placebo. Pain reduction in the two groups was measured and of the two groups, the arthritis patients given the Ginger extract had superior improvement over the placebo group.
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Patients with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or chronic inflammation were given a topical massage using an essential oil blend of Wintergreen, Camphor, Peppermint, Ylang Ylang, Helichrysum, Blue Tansy, German Chamomile, Osmanthus and Copaiba essential oil or Coconut oil alone. After 5 days of treatment, patients had less pain and better dexterity over those given Coconut oil alone.
How To Use Essential Oils For Arthritis
Studies have shown us that anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving essential oils have a soothing effect on arthritis–so we’ve curated our most calming oils and listed a variety of easy ways to use them.
Anti-Inflammatory & Pain-Relieving Oils
The following oils help to reduce inflammation at different stages in the inflammatory response, reduce pain and promote arthritis relief:
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Chamomile- German Essential Oil
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Chamomile- Roman Essential Oil
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Clove- Bud Essential Oil
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Eucalyptus Essential Oil
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Ginger Essential Oil
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Juniper Berry Essential Oil
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Lavender Essential Oil
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Lemon Essential Oil
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Orange Essential Oil
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Peppermint Essential Oil
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Plai Essential Oil
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Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Step 1: Choose Your Blend
The following blends assist with joint pain relief, arthritic pain and general pain and inflammation.
To an empty 5 ml bottle, add the following:
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30 Drops Peppermint
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30 Drops Plai
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20 Drops Eucalyptus
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10 Drops Clove
To an empty 5 ml bottle, add the following:
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30 Drops Chamomile- Roman
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30 Drops Ginger
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20 Drops Lemon- Steam Distilled
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20 Drops Thyme- Red
To an empty 5 ml bottle, add the following:
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33 Drops Spruce
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30 Drops Black Pepper
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20 Drops Hemp
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17 Drops Juniper Berry
Alternatively, Edens Garden offers expertly formulated essential oil blends made to stop pain and inflammation on contact. Try Circu-Touch, Massage Therapy, Muscle Relief and Yuzu Cannabliss today.
Step 2: Choose Your Method
While topical use is the preferred method for assisting arthritis, you can also add your chosen blend to the diffuser to obtain the benefits of pain and inflammation relief.
For topical use, there are a few ways you can best use your preferred blend. Use any of these methods to apply your essential oil blend and use twice daily or as needed.
In a Double Boiler, add:
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2 oz Tamanu Carrier Oil
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1.5 oz Shea Butter
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1 Tbsp Soy Wax
Once melted, remove from heat and stir in:
- 72 Drops of Essential Oil Blend
Transfer to an air-tight Container.
To 2 oz of Unscented Body Oil, add:
- 36 Drops of your chosen Essential Oil Blend
Combine the following:
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1 oz Baobab Carrier Oil
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18 Drops of Essential Oil Blend
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1 oz Epsom Salt
Add to a warm bath. Alternatively, try Yuzu Cannabliss or Circu-Touch bath salts.
Sources:
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Arthritis - National Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/national-statistics.html
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Topical dermal application of essential oils attenuates the severity of adjuvant arthritis in Lewis rats. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3168704/
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Effect of aromatherapy massage with lavender essential oil on pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: A randomized controlled clinical trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27863613/
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Effects of a ginger extract on knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11710709/
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Effects of a massage-like essential oil application procedure using Copaiba and Deep Blue oils in individuals with hand arthritis. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30396617/
Grab The Essentials Here:
About the Author, Jenna Jones
Jenna Jones is the Chief Marketing Officer of Edens Garden. Jenna’s background in journalism led her to investigate the world of essential oils, and what she discovered inspired her. She joined the team in 2016, spurring Edens Garden into a leading source for aromatherapy education.
This article was reviewed by our Lead Aromatherapist,
Bella Martinez is a Certified Aromatherapist, Natural Skincare Formulator and Edens Garden’s lead aromatherapist. An industry expert, Bella has spent years training and learning in the aromatherapy field, which she continues annually. Her passion is taking evidence-based aromatherapy and making it approachable for all.
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10 comments
Alice
I love what you folks are doing! Does blending oils at home require dedicated equipment? How do you measure the exact number of drops? I never know how many drops will fall from the bottle.
Edens Garden
Hi Nicola! Our aromatherapists are happy to assist! Please contact them for more info: aaa@edensgarden.com
Nicola Wood
I would like to know if you have specific oils for serious fibromyalgia pain???
Edens Garden
Hi Marci! Contact our aromatherapists, they’ll help you narrow down some options that fit your needs: aaa@edensgarden.com
You can also opt for our expertly formulated synergy blends such as Yuzu Cannabliss, Circu-Touch and Massage Therapy.
Edens Garden
Hi Jocelyn! Yes, we always recommend diluting. In Step #1, we recommend choosing your blend and in Step #2, we instruct on how to use your blend in a way that’s diluted for topical use. You can also choose your blend and dilute it with your preferred carrier oil between 1-5%.
Marci Souther
Thank you for your article on arthritis. It was encouraging and hopeful. My question is: you offer several different combinations of so many different oils and I have no idea which ones to use or start with. I have osteoarthritis all
Over my body. Have had 2 hip replacements, a shoulder replacement and have severe arthritis in my hands and fingers. I really dont know where to start. There are so many oils and so many options. Can you help? Thank you
Jocelyn Mallory
In your discussion of essential oils for inflammation and arthritis, you give several recipes but make no mention of carrier oils. I assume these blends are to be diluted following usual dilution rates. This is correct, isn’t it?
Denise Nichols
I want to thank you for all your hard work! Your Essential Oils are fantastic! Your recipes have inspired me to use your oils in many ways for different things! Keep those recipes coming! You all are amazing & I appreciate what you’ve brought to my life! Wonderful information, Wonderful products! ❤️
Annie Spencer
Hi. Good article, but I’m a little surprised that Copaiba and Tumeric oils were not mentioned on the list as excellent anti-inflammatory joint pain relief oils. They are my “go to” oils after a long day of gardening (working with my hands and kneeling down on my knees). Both give joint pain relief in just a few minutes. 😉
Edens Garden
December 13, 2021 at 12:05 pm
Hi Alice! You don’t necessarily need dedicated equipment to blend oils. Each of our 5, 10 & 30 ml bottles contains a euro dropper which allows you to accurately measure drops.