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Managing Pain with Essential Oils
Essential oils can be used for a wide array of pain ailments including migraine, muscle tension and arthritis. Find out which essential oils work best for pain management.
Juniper– Juniper is an essential oil that comes from the Cupressaceae family. Juniper oil is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 30 feet in height out in the wild. The shrub produces leaves that are blue-green in color with small yellow flowers. In the past, Juniper was used for women at the beginning stages of labor in Mongolia and for typhoid fever and the plague in Tibet. Juniper is extracted from the needles, wood and berries by steam distillation. Juniper oil is often used for pain from an enlarged prostate as well as menstrual cycle pain, arthritis, migraine, gout, muscle tension and rheumatism.
Marjoram– Marjoram essential oil is extracted from the Labiatae family and is also known by the name knotted marjoram. This essential oil ranges in color from clear to yellow-amber and has a scent that is warm and slightly spicy. Marjoram is a perennial herb that is bushy and grows up to two feet high. The herb produces small white or pink flowers and dark green leaves. The essential oil is extracted by steam distillation from the leaves and flowering tops. This oil has some great muscle relaxant properties as well as pain relieving properties so it is commonly used for muscle sprains, muscle spasms, sore muscles and swollen joints. Also, Marjoram oil is used for migraines, headaches and menstrual cramps.
Helichrysum– Helichrysum essential oil is extracted from the Asteraceae family and is often associated as an everlasting oil. This oil has a very strong scent, often called an herbal smell. Helichrysum oil can range in color from yellow to red. This evergreen herb can grow up to two feet high and produces silver-green leaves with dark yellow flowers. The oil is extracted by steam distillation from the flowering tops. Helichrysum essential oil is ideal for reducing the pain associated with arthritis and rheumatism.
Vetiver– Vetiver essential oil comes from the Gramineae family and is also known as khus khus and vetivert. This oil has a musty and earthy smell and ranges in color from olive to amber. Vetiver essential oil is a perennial grass that produces long leaves and white roots. The grass is mostly cultivated in Haiti, India, Java and Tahiti. The oil is extracted by steam distillation from the roots. The essential oil is commonly used for aches and pains including arthritis, rheumatism and muscle pain.
