The Top 10 Essential Oils to Soothe Sore, Painful Muscles
Key takeaways:
People use essential oils for many reasons, including to relieve joint and muscle pain.
It’s important to dilute concentrated essential oils before applying them to your skin.
You can massage diluted oil directly onto painful muscles or joints, add it to your bathwater, or drop some onto a warm compress and apply it to sore body parts.
When used correctly, essential oils are generally safe.
Table of contents
Essential oils are extracted from fruit, flowers, and other parts of plants. And for thousands of years, people have used them to help with health conditions from stress to insomnia.
Some people use essential oils to help with muscle aches and pain. You can dilute essential oils and massage them directly onto sore muscles. You can also add them to your bathwater, or add a few drops to a warm compress. Even aromatherapy (inhaling essential oils) may help reduce pain.
Read on to learn what the research says about the best essential oils for pain.
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1. Arnica oil
Arnica oil is known for its pain-relieving properties. There’s some evidence that it may have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Arnica is often used to help with healing after surgery, particularly when it comes to swelling and bruising.
But be cautious with arnica. It’s toxic if ingested, and some people experience skin irritation when they use it topically (on the skin).
2. Bergamot oil
Bergamot oil comes from the peel of a bergamot orange. Bergamot has pain-relieving properties and may help with muscle pain or soreness. It may also have a positive effect on mood and help improve sleep quality.
3. Chamomile oil
There are several types of chamomile flowers. But two types –– Roman and German –– are commonly used in herbal teas and essential oils. They have different scents, but both forms may help with pain, inflammation, and mood.
One review found that chamomile may improve joint function and osteoarthritis symptoms in the knee. Another study suggests that chamomile oil may reduce symptoms and improve function for people with mild and moderate carpal tunnel syndrome.
4. Clove oil
Clove oil comes from the clove plant, and may help muscular pain and inflammation. Clove oil also has a soothing, warming sensation on the skin. For this reason, it’s often used in massage therapy. Some people use clove oil to help with toothaches or other dental issues, but there isn’t evidence to support these uses.
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5. Eucalyptus oil
Eucalyptus oil has a cooling sensation on the skin. This is one reason some people use it as an after-sun spray to soothe sunburns. Animal studies suggest that eucalyptus oil may help soothe deep, throbbing muscle, joint, and skin pain. In one human study, adults who had knee replacement surgery reported reduced pain after eucalyptus oil aromatherapy. They breathed it in for 30 minutes a day for 3 consecutive days.
6. Ginger oil
Many people associate ginger with nausea relief. But ginger may have more health benefits than that. When used topically, ginger oil creates a warming sensation that may help ease muscle soreness. In one study, researchers examined the effects of two different treatments for lower back pain in older adults — Swedish massage using ginger oil and Thai massage. The massage with ginger oil was more effective in reducing participants’ pain and improved their movement.
7. Lavender oil
Studies suggest that lavender oil has pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory, and stress-reducing effects. In one small study, eight sessions of acupressure with lavender oil aromatherapy helped relieve low back pain in older adults.
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8. Marjoram oil
Marjoram, part of the mint family, doubles as a cooking ingredient and wellness tool. It may help relax tense muscles, and also has antioxidant and antibacterial properties.
9. Peppermint oil
Like eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil has a cooling effect on the skin. This is because it contains menthol, which may numb pain. In addition to easing muscle aches and joint pain, peppermint oil may help with digestive problems, headaches, and itchy skin.
10. Rosemary oil
Maybe you’ve only used rosemary in the kitchen. But the herb isn’t just for cooking. Rosemary oil can also help with everything from muscle and joint pain and swelling to hair growth and wound healing.
Other essential oils that may help with pain
In addition to the essential oils listed above, there are others that may also have some benefits for muscle pain. These include:
Basil oil
Black pepper oil
Clary sage oil
Juniper oil
Lemongrass oil
Sandalwood oil
Yarrow oil
Consider trying out a sampler of essential oils to find the right oil — or combination of oils — that’s right for you.
How do you apply essential oils to relieve pain and inflammation?
It’s crucial to dilute essential oils with a carrier oil before applying them to your skin, according to Ashley Allen, a certified nurse practitioner who specializes in functional medicine. As its name implies, a carrier oil is a plant-based oil used to dilute essential oils and help “carry” them onto your skin safely. Many carrier oils also moisturize your skin.
“This is a critical step because direct contact with highly concentrated essential oils can irritate your skin,” Allen said.
Steps for using essential oils for pain
To safely use essential oils for pain, follow these steps:
Pick a carrier oil. Examples include olive, coconut, or avocado oil.
Mix your essential oil in the carrier oil. The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy recommends a dilution rate of 2.5% for adults. That’s about 15 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil. But it’s best to ease into it, especially if you’ve never used essential oils, or if you have sensitive skin. Try starting with a 1% dilution rate. This is roughly 6 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil.
Do a patch test. Apply a drop of your diluted oil mixture onto your forearm. Cover the spot with a bandage and wait for 24 hours. If you don’t have any irritation –– like redness, itching, or burning –– you’re ready to start using your diluted essential oil.
Experiment with different ways of using essential oils. There are several ways to use the diluted essential oil mixture, including:
Massaging it directly onto painful muscles or joints
Adding a few drops to your bathwater
Adding it to a warm compress and applying it to sore body parts
Allen advises using essential oils regularly for maximum benefit. “You will want to check with the manufacturer. But typically, you can reapply essential oils every 4 to 6 hours,” she said.
What are the risks of essential oils?
Essential oils are generally safe when you use them as directed. But in some people, essential oils can cause reactions including:
Skin irritation
Headaches
Worsened asthma symptoms
When you’re using essential oils, be sure to avoid:
Contact with your eyes
Applying them to mucous membranes, like your lips or genital region
Swallowing them
How do you choose the best essential oil brand?
The FDA doesn’t regulate essential oils. So it’s important to read labels carefully.
When buying essential oils, experts recommend keeping an eye out for a few things:
The plant’s scientific name in Latin should be printed on the bottle so you know the exact type of oil.
The label should have specific information about where the plant was grown.
The label should state “100% essential oil” to indicate the oil’s purity.
The price of the product should be comparable to that of other similar products. Beware of significantly cheaper products — it may be a sign that the product isn’t high quality.
The scent should be as expected. So do a scent test, when possible. For example, if lavender oil doesn’t smell floral and herbal as it typically does, the product might not be the real thing.
And it’s best to buy directly from the manufacturer instead of a marketplace. If you do order from a marketplace like Amazon, there are certain precautions to take.
Frequently asked questions
Some essential oils may help with inflammation, including:
Chamomile oil: You may best know chamomile as a tea that can help you sleep. But chamomile oil also has anti-inflammatory properties.
Lavender oil: Research suggests that lavender oil may help with inflammation. But note that lavender contains linalool, a known skin allergen. For this reason, you should use lavender with caution, especially for skin conditions.
Oregano oil: The research is mixed on oregano oil. Some lab research shows that it may help lower inflammation. But another review that looked at 17 studies found that oregano oil was only effective against certain inflammation markers. More research is needed to learn about the extent of oregano oil’s anti-inflammatory properties.
Research suggests that the following oils may help in migraine and/or tension-type headaches:
To use essential oil for headaches, try adding a few drops of diluted essential oil to the upper lip or temple area.
The bottom line
Essential oils are a generally safe and easy-to-use natural remedy for sore muscles. But the powerful oils can irritate your skin. So it’s important to take some basic safety precautions before you use them. This includes diluting them with a carrier oil. Although essential oils may work for some people, they might not work for you. But if you use essential oils safely, the risks are low enough that they are worth a try, if you’re curious. After all, essential oils just might make you feel better.
Why trust our experts?
References
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