Whether you’re a weekend sports warrior, become overzealous while exercising or overdo it in the garden or while cleaning your home your muscles can take a beating. They also can talk back to you with pain and inflammation!
It can happen at any time, your walking or playing a sport and you twist your ankle. It begins to swell and you can hardly bear weight on it, you have a sprained ankle. A sprain is an injury to a ligament that holds 2 bones together, it can also happen to other parts of your body such as wrist, knee, etc.
One of the best oils to use for all these issues is Helichrysum italicum (Everlasting oil). It helps to decrease swelling, ease pain and regenerate tissue.
Another option is Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) it also has anti-inflammatory and ligament regenerative properties. However, this oil can be very irritating to the skin so apply it as a 2% dilution (3 drops essential oil in 5ml carrier oil) in adults. Not recommended to be applied to damaged skin or for children under 2 years old. Elemi can be blended with it to help with muscle spasms and pain.
Muscle spasms require oils that are antispasmodic and perhaps analgesic. Here is a partial list of possibilities:
- Sweet basil, marjoram,
- cypress
- Wintergreen Note this oil is contraindicated for children or if you take anticoagulant medication, have hemophilia, are pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Single oil possibilities for muscle soreness:
- Peppermint
- Marjoram
- Rosemary
- Black pepper
- Roman chamomile
- Spruce
- Nutmeg
For all conditions, it is best to apply the oils topically in a 5% solution (in order to prevent sensitization) except as noted in lemongrass.
Which oil should you use? Well, what one(s) do you have on hand? Try what you have first. Also blending 2 to 4 oils will have a synergistic effect.
If you do not get the response you desire then try different oils or see an Aromatherapist to determine what oils your body needs at this time.
If you are experiencing acute or chronic pain and want to alleviate it with less or no medication let’s have a conversation, click here to schedule a 30-minute call.