Today’s exploration will be through essential oils that work especially well for massage therapy.
Using essential oils for massage offers two-for-one benefits. The medicinal properties of the plant’s oils and extracts provide pain relief in different ways and the sweet fragrances of the oil provide aromatherapy as an additional bonus. The combination of the physical pain relief and the sensory effect from the fragrance seems to add a total body balance.
Top 7 Essential Oils For Massage
There are some essential oils that can be applied directly to the skin without any form of irritation. There are also some oils, like peppermint for example, that require combining with a soothing carrier oil due to the strength of the volatile essential oils. I highly recommend looking into your oils and testing them on a tiny part of your skin before jumping into the massage and applying oil all over.
- Juniper: This oil has the ability to numb pain, as well as to treat painful muscles and joints. You can make a compress and use it directly on the painful area or add some essential oil to a nice hot bath and soak.
- Peppermint: This oil is great for treating spasms due to the antispasmodic properties. It is also good for arthritic pain and inflammation. Peppermint has strong anti-inflammatory properties. Peppermint contains menthol, which is perfect for tension headaches and the pains that accompany them. Any mint oil should be used with a carrier oil. This makes for an incredible massage after a long hard day of physical activity and it’s also wonderful for head massages to ease a sinus headache.
- Chamomile: Chamomile just amazes me. It is great for adults and children both. Babies and kids deal with aches and pains, too. The gentle oil contains a sweet calming aroma that is relaxing but man, is it packed with power. The analgesic properties make it a natural pain reliever, especially when it comes to inflamed muscles and joints due to the flavonoids that cause anti-inflammatory properties. Chamomile also helps with nerve pain such as sciatica.
- Eucalyptus: Eucalyptus oil combined with wintergreen is often used at the chiropractor’s office. It is chock full of pain-relieving properties that are good for nerve-related pain. It is beneficial for joint and muscle pain, making it an awesome massage therapy oil.
- Sandalwood: This oil naturally relaxes our muscles, as well as prevents muscle spasms. Sandalwood contains anti-inflammatory properties that helps relieve joint and muscle pain. The oil helps to manage our pain by sedating our nervous system. Mix it with a carrier oil and make an ointment for tense muscles.
- Wintergreen: I mentioned that wintergreen combined with eucalyptus is used at the chiropractor’s office and for good reason: wintergreen is amazing for lower back pain, sore muscles, and stiff, achy joints. It has been used for its pain relieving properties for hundreds and thousands of years. Use with a carrier oil and enjoy your massage.
- Sage (Clary Sage): Sage is an incredible herb and medicine. The essential oil from this plant is perfect for women during their menstrual cycle. That’s right -- there is something natural for those aches, pains, and cramps. It works well for abdominal and lower back pain caused by menstrual cramps. The analgesic properties provide the pain relief. A combination of lavender and clary sage oil are definitely worth trying!
When it comes to carrier oils, almond oil, shea butter, and coconut oil are among some of my favorites to work with. All three of these oils provide their own elements of healing and they seem to bring out the fragrance of the essential oils in a special way. Mix and match your oils to get the right mix for you -- and have fun with it!
Massage therapy can be beneficial to our body as a whole. Adding essential oils to a massage provides numerous benefits such as the elimination of pain and bringing clarity to the mind. Essential oils are one of my many favorite things to work with when healing because of the aromatherapy that accompanies the medicinal properties. Sometimes healing can mean more than numbing the pain.
As always, I hope this walk through the medicine cabinet finds you well and I hope there was something that you find helps you in some way. Happy Healing!
