Essential Oils for Sore Muscles / Muscle Pain

 

Essential Oils for Sore Muscles / Muscle Pain

Are you or someone you know dealing with sore muscles or painful muscles at times or even all the time?

Muscular aches and pains can affect any part of the body or the body as a whole (in chronic issues). Many people bring tension in their necks and shoulders by sitting to long at a computer or maybe by lifting something too heavy, which causes the muscles to become tight and painful.

Muscular aches and pain can also be caused by over exertion, poor
posture, cold or damp, injury, stress and tension. It can also be related to a multitude of other issues such as rheumatism, arthritis, lower back pain.

Let’s talk about the oils now! Below you’ll find a list of essential oils that are perfect for soothing your sore and aching muscles.

Essential Oils & Oil Blends for Sore Muscles & Muscle Pain

1. Lavender– this is probably the most famous essential oil for pain relief and relaxation. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and sedative properties and it helps to relieve muscle tension and spasms, joint pain and headache.

2. Thyme– antispasmodic, antirheumatic. Is good for joint and muscle pain as well as backache.

3. Sweet marjoram– This oil is analgesic and antispasmodic it also has sedative properties. Helps to relieve muscle pain and spasms, stiffness, rheumatism, osteoarthritis and migraine.

4. Peppermint– good for muscle and joint pain, headache and nerve pain.

5. Juniper– has antispasmodic and antirheumatic properties. Relieves nerve pain, joint and muscle aches and spasms.

6. Ginger– can ease back pain and improves mobility. Can be used to treat arthritic and rheumatic pain, muscle pain and sprains. Also can elevate headaches and migraines.

7. Frankincense– has anti-inflammatory properties and also acts as a mild sedative. It’s also used to alleviate stress and relieve pain. This oil is an all-around go to if you have nothing else.

8. Helichrysum– It has anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and analgesic properties. It helps to relieve arthritis pain and supports the nervous system. Pain relief reported by most users happens nearly instantly – certainly within minutes of application.

9. Orange – This oil not only smells divine but is full of healing power, it is antispasmodic, a sedative, and anti- inflammatory just what your body needs when it’s in pain.

10. Rosemary– has analgesic and antispasmodic properties. Good for relieving back pain, muscle and joint pain and headaches.

Essential Oil Based Recipes and Application Methods for Sore & Painful Muscles

If your muscles are extremely sore don’t expect the pain to subside after a single essential oil massage application. You might have to give yourself two to three days’ rest and massage / bath treatment before you completely recover.

Rest is the best medicine for sore muscles, followed by hot baths and massage! Muscular aches and pains respond well to local massage. Below you’ll find some muscle soothing massage blends to apply. Massages are best applied after a warm shower or bath.

1.) Muscle tiredness massage formula

Ingredients:

• 10 drops rosemary
• 10 drops lavender
• 5 drops orange
• 5 dropsthyme
• 3 oz carrier oil (argan, coconut, sesame, sweet almond, jojoba, grapeseed, macadamia)

2.) Muscle reprieve massage oil

Ingredients:

• 15 drops juniper
• 15 drops marjoram
• 10 drops rosemary
• 5 drops ginger
• 3 oz carrier oil (argan, coconut, sesame, sweet almond, jojoba, grapeseed, macadamia)

3.) Over- used muscles massage formula

Ingredients:

• 5 drops eucalyptus
• 5 drops ginger
• 5 drops peppermint
• 1 oz carrier oil (argan, coconut, sesame, sweet almond, jojoba, grapeseed, macadamia)

4.) Muscle pain massage oil

Ingredients:

• 15 drops lavender
• 15 drops rosemary
• 10 drops marjoram
• 5 drops peppermint

• 3 oz carrier oil (argan, coconut, sesame, sweet almond, jojoba, grapeseed, macadamia)

Alternate blend:

• 5 drops marjoram
• 5 drops rosemary
• 5 drops lavender
• 3 drops ginger
• 2 oz carrier oil (argan, coconut, sesame, sweet almond, jojoba, grapeseed, macadamia)

Directions:

1. In a glass bottle combine your oils.
2. Shake to blend.
3. Massage a little of this blend into the affected muscles. (Walking and stretching the muscles will also help.)

Baths

5.) Sore Muscle Marjoram Peppermint Bath

Ingredients:

• 3 drops marjoram
• 2 drops peppermint
• 1 tsp of castile soap

Directions:

Simply add the essential oils to the castile soap (Mix) and add to  your bath and enjoy. Be sure to massage your sore muscles while bathing.

6.) Aching Muscle Soak

Ingredients:

• 1 cup epsom salt
• 3 drops lavender
• 3 drops juniper
• 2 drops peppermint
• 2 drops ginger

Directions:

1. Fill tub with warm water
2. While tub fills pour your epsom salts into a small glass bowl
3. Next add 1 drop of a time of your essential oils, stirring as you go
4. Once oils and salts are thoroughly mixed add to your tub
5. Agitate and disperse oils
6. Soak in the tub for 30 minutes, gently massaging your sore muscles as you soak

7.) Rheumatism blend for bath or massage

Sometimes our sore muscles can come from inflammatory disorders of the joints and connective tissues (between tend and bone, or between muscle and muscle).

If you believe that you are dealing more with what you think could be an inflammatory bout of sore muscles, give this blend a try.

Ingredients:

• 24 drops rosemary
• 16 drops marjoram
• 12 drops juniper
• 12 drops helichrysum

Directions:

• In a 5ml bottle combine your essential oils
• Shake to blend

In the bath

• Fill your tub with warm water.
• While the tub is filling combine 1 tsp milk and 4 to 6 drops of your oil blend in a glass bowl
• Add mixture to tub and agitate and disperse oil
• Soak for 30 minutes, massaging any floating droplets of oil into your sore muscles

Massage

• In a small non-reactive bowl combine 1/2oz sweet almond or grapeseed oil and 12 drops of your rheumatism blend
• Mix well and massage into sore muscles

 Preventative Essential oil blend to tone muscles and lessen pain following strenuous effort

As a preventative treatment apply this massage oil before you head out on a workout.

Ingredients:

• 10 drops rosemary
• 10 drops helichrysum
• 5 drops juniper
• 5 drops ginger
• 2 oz carrier oil (argan, coconut, sesame, sweet almond, jojoba, grapeseed, macadamia)

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients in a 2 oz glass bottle
2. Apply by rubbing gently onto the whole body, focusing on the muscles that will have to work the most

Avoid overexertion

If you are getting extreme muscle soreness right after a workout, and not a delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) that shows up the next day, that may be a sign that you are pushing yourself too hard. In other words, you might actually be damaging your body, and not in a “ooh, feel the burn!” good kind of way.