How To Use Essential Oils To Relieve Back Pain
by Charlie Berry
If you have any type of back pain, you may be nervous about the cause and apprehensive about treatments. This is because most back pain is difficult to diagnose and falls under the category of nonspecific back pain, meaning that the physical cause of the pain cannot be determined by your doctor. However, if you understand how to describe your pain to your doctor, and work towards treating the most common causes of back pain, it is possible to find relief from the pain you are suffering. In fact, you may even be able to treat your back pain naturally, using topical and oral essential oils.
Types of Back Pain
There are many different causes of back pain, which can make it difficult to figure out what exactly is causing your pain. These include muscle spasms, muscle and ligament strain, slipped disks, and pinched nerves. While all of these have slightly different symptoms, it may be difficult to tell what type of pain you have.
When your back begins to hurt, you should try to determine whether you have sharp pain that comes and goes, a dull, achy pain, or a deep, radiating pain. Sharp pain is usually due to muscle spams or strains. Dull, achy pain is caused by slipped discs and irritated nerves. Deep, radiating pain, that may continue down your legs, is usually a sign of your nerve root being pinched or inflamed.
To better describe your pain to your doctor, you should keep a journal of your pain. Any time you notice the pain getting stronger or weaker, make a quick note of how it feels. This may help your doctor determine how to treat your pain.
Functions of Essential Oils
Just like modern medicine, essential oils have several different functions. To treat back pain, you will use oils that are analgesics, anti-inflammatories, and antispasmodics.
Analgesics prevent your nerves from sending pain signals to your brain. These include thyme, chamomile, eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary, and peppermint, to name a few. These can be used for both nerve and muscle pain.
Anti-inflammatories reduce the inflammation of muscles and nerves and are most effective for nerve pain in the back. These include thyme, rose, eucalyptus, bergamot, clove, and fennel.
Antispasmodics prevent your muscles from spasming and are only useful for muscular pain. Common ones include chamomile, lavender, Clary sage, and peppermint.
Each essential oil has many uses, so it is possible to fin one that can help relieve pain with multiple causes. However, it is important to let your doctor know which essential oils you intend to use because they can react negatively with certain types of medication.
How to Use Essential Oils
Generally, essential oils for back pain are applied topically. You can mix 10-15 drops of the oils of your choice in a carrier oil, such as olive oil or coconut oil, and then massage into your skin. Your skin should quickly absorb the oils and you should feel relief within 2-3 minutes of application.
Some essential oils can also be ingested. The two most common ways to take essential oils orally are as part of a tonic or in a capsule. Tonics are small amounts of essential oil dissolved in water. You can mix 2-3 drops in a tablespoon of water an swallow. Alternatively, you can make a tincture by mixing essential oils in alcohol, but you should only take 2-3 milliliters of a tincture. If you want to ingest the oil without a carrier, place 2-3 drops in a capsule and swallow it. However, before taking any essential oils orally you should click here for more information to make sure they are safe for consumption.
Essential oils are a non-habit forming way to treat your back pain, but it is important to work with your doctor to determine the best course of treatment for your specific pain.
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About Me
I used to be skeptical about chiropractic healing. However, that was before I tried it for myself. I was in an accident that did serious damage to my back. I followed all of the doctor’s recommendations, did my physical therapy, and still didn’t feel any better. That was when I finally decided to try going to my friend’s chiropractor. It was such a relief when I finally started to feel better thanks to the great chiropractic care I received. That’s when I decided to start researching chiropractic care and how it could be used to treat different conditions. This blog contains the results of that research. If you’re looking for a way to feel better, you too may benefit from chiropractic healing. These articles will help you learn how.