Are essential oils for pain and inflammation a real thing?
Or is it just hype from essential oil fans (myself included)?
The short answer: it’s a real thing!
In this post we will look at 4 essential oils that can be used for incredible pain and inflammation relief.
And the best part of all this?
They don’t come with many of the side effects associated with traditional pain meds.
As a bonus, I’m also sharing an essential oil pain and inflammation blend that you can take advantage of whenever inflammation strikes!
Note: this post contains some affiliate links and I may earn a commission if you use them.
THE TRUTH ABOUT TRADITIONAL PAIN AND INFLAMMATION REMEDIES
Pain and inflammation are one of the top reasons why people go to a doctor.
This is understandable because physical pain, whether acute or chronic, can totally disrupt our lives.
The mainstream method for treating pain is to take either:
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen.
- acetaminophen which is commonly sold as Tylenol.
Even though these drugs can be quite effective at providing temporary relief, they also come with serious side effects for some people.
One of the most troubling side effects of NSAIDs in particular is that they increase the risk of heart failure.
In fact, a study published in the British Medical Journal, listed the following drugs as being the most dangerous when it comes to heart failure:
- Ibuprofen (aka Motrin®)
- Indomethacin
- Naproxen (aka Aleve®)
- Diclofenac
- Ketorolac
- Nimesulide
- Piroxicam
Aside from heart failure, NSAIDs are also been linked to:
- Ulcers
- Internal Bleeding
- Damage to the digestive tract
- Kidney failure
- Allergic reactions
- High blood pressure
Given the risk associated with traditional inflammation remedies, it’s worth exploring other alternatives.
That’s why I’m a fan of using essential oils for pain and inflammation.
By the end of this article I think you’ll be a fan too (or at least, curious)!
4 POWERFUL ESSENTIAL OILS FOR PAIN AND INFLAMMATION
When it comes to essential oils for pain and inflammation, my top picks are:
- Copaiba Oil
- Hemp Oil
- Black Pepper Oil
- Clove Oil
Now, you might be wondering “why should I use these 4 essential oils for pain and inflammation?”
Well, the answer lies in one amazing compound: beta-caryophyllene (BCP).
BCP is found in hemp and it is said to be the reason why hemp is powerful at fighting pain.
As it turns out, BCP is also present in other plants like copaiba, black pepper and clove!
In fact, the copaiba tree produces an essential oil that can have up to 60% BCP.
What’s really interesting is that this is significantly more BCP than hemp essential oil (which contain about 30% BCP).
But that’s not all!
Black pepper and clove essential oils also provide good BCP concentrations at approximately 24% and 6% respectively.
So you will probably agree with me that combining these four oils would result in a powerful pain and inflammation remedy!
Aside from their ability to relieve pain, what else makes these 4 oils so effective?
Well, let’s take a closer look.
1. COPAIBA ESSENTIAL OIL
BCP content: approximately 60%
General benefits: relieves congestion, relieves inflammation, boosts mood, fights infection and lowers blood pressure.
Where to get it: Plant Therapy’s copaiba oil (from Amazon).
2. HEMP ESSENTIAL OIL
BCP content: approximately 30%.
General benefits: reduces pain, relieves anxiety, reduces glaucoma, prevents cancer, relieves PMS symptoms.
Where to get it: Eden’s Garden hemp essential oil from Amazon.
3. BLACK PEPPER ESSENTIAL OIL
BCP content: approximately 24%.
General benefits: improves digestion, anti-viral, relieves inflammation, improves circulation.
Where to get it: Plant Therapy’s black pepper essential oil from Amazon.
4. CLOVE ESSENTIAL OIL
BCP content: approximately 6%.
General benefits: aphrodisiac, boosts immune system, anti-inflammatory, eliminates headaches, controls diabetes.
Where to get it: Plant Therapy’s clove bud essential oil from Amazon.
ESSENTIAL OIL BLEND FOR PAIN AND INFLAMMATION
Combining copaiba, hemp, black pepper and clove will give you a very powerful pain and inflammation remedy.
However, keep in mind that in order to fully address the root cause of the pain lifestyle and/or dietary changes are often necessary.
Essential oils alone may not always get to the root cause.
Nonetheless, essential oils are a non-invasive solution that you can try at home to see if they help.
NOTE: this recipe has been updated as of August 2022. It is a 3% dilution.
Ingredients
12 drops copaiba essential oil
11 drops black pepper essential oil
2 drops hemp essential oil
2 drops clove essential oil
1 oz glass bottle
Carrier oil (jojoba, almond, grapeseed or olive oil)
Instructions
- Fill the glass bottle with carrier oil (almost all the way full).
- Add in the essential oils.
- Seal the bottle and shake to blend ingredients.
CONCLUSION
And there you have it.
Your very own homemade, essential oil blend for pain and inflammation!
If you try this recipe, or have any questions/feedback about essential oils for pain, just drop a comment below 🙂
Related Content:
Which Frankincense Is Best for Inflammation (+ how to use it) – Extract and Essential Oil
How to Dilute Essential Oils: A Simple Essential Oil Dilution Guide and Chart
Essential Oils For Sore Throat: Top Oils You Should Be Using (and Recipes!)
Essential Oils for Hormone Support: Top Oils to Use, How to Use and Blends for Relief
Top 10 Essential Oils for Nausea That Are Proven To Work Fast
Thank you for this recipe! How big of a bottle or how much carrier oil do you recommend?
Hi, you’re very welcome! A 1 ounce bottle is what the recipe calls for. Just fill it up most of the way and add the drops of oils 🙂
Just have to say: Tylenol is NOT an NSAID. Thanks for the oil tips tho! I’m looking for help with inflammation since I had a disc fusion surgery and cannot take NSAIDs for a year!
Thanks for pointing that out. Updated to make sure it’s clear and I hope the oils help also!
Where can I find hemp essential oil? Thank you.
Hi Linda, you can get hemp essential oil from Eden’s Garden, which is the brand I recommend. Every brand doesn’t make this particular oil 🙂 They’re available on Amazon. I’ve also included the link in the article. Hope that helps!
Hi, this may be a silly question but do you always rub it on your belly or do you rub it where the pain is? What about for general inflammation in the body?
Not a silly question at all 🙂 If the pain is in one area, rub over that area. For something like menstrual cramps over the belly (and lower back) are generally what’s best. If the pain tends to move around (if that’s what you mean by general inflammation), then use as a post-shower body oil. Another option is to diffuse the oils and see how that works for you. In that case you can do 1 drop of each oil to start. Keep in mind that another aspect of general inflammation is tied to food/lifestyle. This post gives more details on eating an anti-inflammatory diet.
What will be the time does it take to act up on osteoarthritis kind of pain in elderly and how often do we need to ask them to use it ?
Any other tips and tricks to deal with inflammation and pain
Since pain varies a lot from one person to another, it’s hard to say how long it will take to feel improvements. I wrote this as a general pain blend, not exclusively for osteoarthritis. Also, the quality of the essential oils can impact how well the blend works. So you’ll have to try it to see how it actually works.
Hi- I have a 20 month old needing this kind of relief. Would you recommend this recipe, or any essential oils at all, for someone so young? I’ve never used essential oils but I’m weary of so many meds. He has type 1 diabetes, hypothyroidism, food allergies, eczema, and something going on causing inflammation in his knees.
Not all oils are safe for kids. Also dilution levels for kids are much lower so you’d need to make a different recipe for a child. Please read my article on how to dilute essential oils. There’s a section with resources for children.