DR NARESH ARORA tells you easy and effective ways to take care of the niggling joint pain through alternative medicinal oils

It is not just the elderly who have joint pains. Off late, even the youth and middle-aged people have increasingly reported joint pain issues. The movement of muscles and bones does not mean increasing wear and tear of joints. The pain may be caused by deficient supply of vital nutrients and lax nervous tissues.

Deficient absorption of calcium and magnesium depends on Vitamin D in our body. If Vitamin D is deficient, even medicines we take for it might not get absorbed into the blood and, thus, not provide a cure or relief.

The human skeleton is supported by 206 bones. With those bones, a human body moves. Some bones in our body have joints. Joints help us move our body freely. Joints are the most important body part which connect the bones.

There are five main joint connections in our body: Shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips and knees. Joints connect one bone to another and help us support our body. So, even a small harm to a joint can cause a lot of pain if any joint meets an injury.

“Joint pain can happen for many reasons. Today, this is one of the most talked about diseases in India. People get affected by joint pain just after crossing 35-40 years. The severity of joint pain entirely depends on the injury caused by affected ligaments or atriums neighboring the joint. It can harm the ligaments, cartilage and the bones surrounding the joint.

Usually, winters is the time when joint pain aggravates. The basic tool for treatment is to change your lifestyle: Early morning sunbath is essential to make up for the Vitamin D deficiency in the body. A liquid diet with lots of unprocessed salads and fruits helps. Aloe vera juice taken in the morning increases lubrication of joints and flexibility of tendons by improving glucosamine levels.

Always go for hot and cold fomentation treatment by pouring hot and cold water on the joints or by providing hot and cold compress wraps alternatively every two to five minutes three times per session and twice a day.

You may dip your feet in lukewarm water containing a teaspoon of epsom salt and two-three drops of any aroma essential oil like basil, eucalyptus, lavender, ginger, lemon grass, juniper berry or rosemary.

And how do essential oils work in Aroma Therapy? Aroma oil is most effective for pain relief. It can be used as hot and cold both. These oils have peppermint and camphor in them which react on the nerves of the skin and the brain index simultaneously. One of the most important roles of these oils is, they get warmth faster and stay on the skin for a prolonged period.

The oils are made from the aroma found in petals, stems, roots, and other parts of plants. Essential oils can work miracles, enhance blood circulation of the affected area and decrease swelling. Some of the aroma oils which can be used for joint pain are:

Peppermint Oil: Mix 5-8 drops of peppermint oil with 2 tbsp warmed coconut oil to make a ready-to-use solution, you can use other oils too instead of coconut oil.

Eucalyptus Oil: Mix this oil with carrier oil and rub the solution to the affected area.

Ginger Oil: Make a mixture of this and carrier oil and apply it to the affected area. You can mix this oil with lavender and lemon grass oils too.

Lavender Oil, use lavender oil directly to the affected area, its high aromatic feeling helps to reduce the pain. Always rub this oil in circular motion.

Cayenne Pepper Oil: Use this oil a few drops mixed with coconut oil and use 2-3 times a day for few weeks.

Lemon grass Oil: This oil can be used in different way to get more relief. All you will have to do is boil water, put some lemon grass oil drops into the boiled water and apply the steam to the affected area.

Myrrh Oil: Mix this oil with olive oil and apply the mixture to the inflammable area.

Rosemary Oil: Apply this oil to the affected area, this oil enrich with Rosmarinic acid which reduces the pain mainly.

Juniper Oil: Apply this oil few drops in a lotion or cream that you use every day.

Clove Essential Oil: Make a mixture of this oil and jojoba oil and massage the mixture in the affected area.

Aroma oils are way too effective for joint pain. They contain such herbal and natural components which help reduce the pain. A study says, the traditional treatment of joint pains stays temporary — you will get relief by that common medicine for a few days only. After the effect of the medicine wears off, you will face the pain again. But in case of aroma oils, you get relief forever. But it is essential to use aroma oil the right way.

The writer is founder, Chase Aromatherapy Cosmetics

Aroma for pain