Symptoms Of Rheumatoid Arthritis
The symptoms shown up by patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis are
- Pain in the joints
- Swelling in the joints
- Loss of movement in joints
The swelling of joints is mostly seen in fingers of hands and legs although it can occur in various other parts like the joints of the elbow and rheumatoid arthritis in the knee, etc. too.
Arthritis has become a very commonly found disease among the people aging 40 to 60 years, and people suffering from diabetes mellitus are likely to become a victim of rheumatoid arthritis. Due to this disease sometimes, the body can experience rheumatoid arthritis rash. Here essential oils come into picture which can prove a gently and effortless solution to arthritis.
Natural Remedies For Arthritis
Several natural remedies work well for alleviating the symptoms of arthritis. Here are some of the best home remedies you can use for joint pain and arthritis:
- Essential oils
- Oil blends with herbal extracts
- Maintaining a healthy body weight
- A healthy diet with nutrients for joints health
- Regular exercises
- Massage with herbal oils and warm compress
Make A Ginger Poultice
Applying crushed ginger to a painful join works along the same lines as capsaicinelements in the plant can deplete the bodys stores of substance P, a brain chemical that carries pain messages to your central nervous system. One study of 56 people found that ginger eased symptoms in 55 percent of people with osteoarthritis and 74 percent of those with RA. To treat yourself, peel and finely mince a 3-inch piece of fresh ginger. Mix it with just enough olive oil to form a paste, then apply it to the painful joint. Depending on where the pain is, you may need to wrap the paste in place with a gauze or a length of ace bandage. Leave in place for 10-15 minutes to allow the ginger to penetrate.
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Peppermint Eucalyptus Oil Mixed
Peppermint and Eucalyptus are both effective cure for joint pain, arthritis. If you are having acute pain in your join you can try it. One of my friends has used this before when she was having pain in her hands.
It worked well for her. The cool things about Peppermint and Eucalyptus oils are that they reduce the circulatory pressure and provide cool feeling in the affected area, thereby ease arthritis pain.
How to apply it.
- Mix 4 7 drops eucalyptus and peppermint oil in 2- 3 teaspoonfuls of carrier oil in a small container /bottle.
- Mix them very well to have a perfect blend.
- Apply this mixture gently on your affected joint when they ache to have arthritis relief.
Use Essential Oils In Communal Areas With Care
Essential oils sprayed or diffused into the air can affect everyone who breathes that air. Remember that while you might consider the smell of peppermint oil to be invigorating, for example, it could agitate very young children and may present a problem for people who have a fast heartbeat. Some people with asthma report more problems breathing when certain oils are used in a diffuser.
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Natural Treatments For Arthritis Symptoms
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 50 million Americans now suffer from arthritis. That equates to one in five people over 18 having some form of arthritis! Arthritis is characterized by stiff, aching, hard to move joints and bones. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which affects about 33 million American adults.
Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage between bones and joints wears down, allowing bones to rub together rather than giving them the protection and cushion they need. Cartilage is made up of collagen and other substances that make connective tissue both flexible and strong. Cartilage covers the ends of bones where they meet the joints and deterioration over time can affect the shape and functionality of the joints, making it painful and difficult to carry out everyday tasks.
Apart from nagging pain and loss of mobility, arthritis can also cause various complications. And unfortunately, most conventional treatments for arthritis dont address its underlying causes plus they can cause dependency long term and pose many side effects. Natural treatments for arthritis include eating an anti-inflammatory arthritis diet, staying active and mobile, receiving chiropractic adjustments or massage therapy and using healing essential oils to help control pain.
Arthritis In Hands: Signs Complications And How Can You Manage It
More than likely, you know of at least one person who has arthritis. Its quite a common condition. Or even, you probably have it. Its common, yes, but not quite well understood. There are different types.
The pain you get from pain may not be frequent but it may cause reduced motion in your affected joint, some deformity and even in terms of function.
Arthritis affects almost any joint in your body but it mostly affects your hand and wrist. So, hand arthritis which is also known as rheumatoid arthritis is a disorder that affects the joints in your hands.
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How To Find Quality Essential Oils And Perhaps A Professional
Aromatherapy oils can be purchased in most health food stores or online.
Youll want to find good-quality oils for the best effect. Unfortunately, sometimes it can be difficult to tell, because terms like pure or therapeutic grade are not regulated, so any company can use them.
Poor quality products are a huge problem for the industry, Chesla says. So much that is marketed as essential oils are actually not from plants, but are man-made synthetic fragrances that are not good for us, she says. Or a company will identify one essential oil on their label, but inside they have substituted oil from a cheaper plant instead.
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Companies that take quality control seriously will hire an independent third-party to examine each batch of oil as it is made. Their test, known as gas chromatographymass spectrometry , reveals how much of each bioactive compound is present in the oil. Companies should release the results of these tests to you, either on their website or by phone if you call them.
Even if you dont understand the GC-MS results, the fact that the company does this testing is a positive sign. Plus, your physician is likely to recognize the chemical components if you bring the GC-MS tests to them, which can help determine any possible contraindications with medication you are taking.
So Whats The Bottom Line
How well many of these treatments work is still up for debate. The fact that so many people are using them or looking for another treatment for their RA is pushing researchers to keep studying.
So far, the research is promising. Itâs also continuing. But itâs not widely accepted science yet. Before you start using essential oils, talk with your doctor.
Show Sources
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Arthritis Isnt Just One Single Disease
Before we jump into the recipes themselves, I have to address an important point.
The fact is, this is not a single disease, and the term arthritis actually refers to over 100 various diseases with different causes.
A second important point is that some people respond to certain essential oils while others do not.
Because of these two reasons, there is not just one essential oil recipe to deal with arthritis.
And thats why, when you read the rest of this article, you are going to discover all the reliable research I could find on oils that help arthritis.
If you try one of these recipes and it doesnt work out for you, dont lose hope.
Try out one of the other recipes, and chances are, you will eventually find an essential oil that helps you relieve the pain and inflammation caused by arthritis.
Other Essential Oils For Arthritis
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint has menthol, as you probably already know. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the swelling in your joints, easing pressure and pain. It can also help relieve pain.
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender seems good at helping with nearly everything. It has a calming effect, which is always good for pain management. However, it also promotes good circulation and keeps the flow of oxygen moving as it should to help free your joints and muscles of pain.
Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus is a great natural pain reliever. It opens up the blood vessels in the body and improves circulation. It helps by allowing the body to heal naturally. It can also help with joint pain.
Rosemary Oil
Rosemary has an anti-inflammatory as well as antispasmodic and analgesic properties. This means it helps reduce inflammation but it also improves circulation and eases pain. That covers all the basics of arthritis relief.
Now that you know you can use essential oils for arthritis, youre ready to try them for yourself. Remember, that not every oil will work the same for every person. You may want to experiment with a few different oils and blends until you find one that suits your needs how you want. You should also remember that your arthritis pain will change over time so you may need to change whats working for something new in the future.
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Can Essential Oils Help Your Arthritis Pain
More than 50 million adults and 300,000 children have arthritis, which is often treated with medications and physical therapy. While these therapies are viewed as the gold standard when it comes to reducing the pain and swelling associated with arthritis, they arent the only weapons available.
Essential oils contain vitamins, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatories that may help ease arthritis pain and swelling.
The oils are extracted from plants, fruits, herbs, trees, and flowers. Certain parts are steamed or pressed to create the oil. By some estimates, it can take several pounds of plant material consisting of more than 30 ingredients to produce just one bottle of essential oil.
This article outlines six of the more common essential oils for arthritis, how to use them, and which potential side effects should get your attention.
Verywell / Ellen Lindner
Risks Of Essential Oils
Speak with a doctor before using essential oils to reduce symptoms of RA. While these oils have been used medicinally for thousands of years, some can be dangerous when misused. They can also have dangerous interactions with RA medications.
A person should never replace prescribed medication for RA with complementary therapies. The disease-modifying antirheumatic medications used to treat RA have been shown to reduce inflammation in the fluid that lines the joints.
Without proper treatment, RA can lead to serious, permanent complications, such as bone and cartilage damage.
A majority of the essentials oils used to treat chronic inflammation and pain are not known to cause adverse reactions. However, potential risks include:
- headaches, rashes, or gastrointestinal problems
- sun sensitivity when essential oils, particularly those derived from citrus fruits, are used on the skin
- enhanced activity of the female sex hormone and decreased activity of the male, with lavender and tea tree oils
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An Unusual Oil For Significant Anti
The final animal study I found looked at reducing the process of inflammation with essential oil.
It used a variety of basil called hairy basil , and found that the oil had significant anti-inflammatory effects in paw swelling.
The issue is that hairy basil is an unusual essential oil, and it isnt readily available from essential oil suppliers.
The good news is that the authors of the study did a GC-MS analysis of this oil, and found that its two major constituents were linalool and 1,8-cineole. The authors believe that the anti-inflammatory action was due to these main compounds.
But linalool and 1,8-cineole arent just found in hairy basil.
They are present in large amounts in many other oils, including some weve already seen, such as lavender, eucalyptus, and marjoram.
And they are also present in regular basil essential oil , which is what Im using for this final recipe:
Rub this blend into your aching joints, or use it in an aromatherapy massage .
The Quality Of The Essential Oils You Use Matters
After looking closely at the quality, purity, and ethics of so many companies, I’ve fallen in love with both the company and their oils. They have a large line of organic oils and are serious about safety. Every single batch is tested to ensure purity!
Read my full Plant Therapy Review for why they are my go-to company.
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Tips For Choosing The Best Aromatherapy Products
Use these tips to be sure youre getting a quality product thats right for you:
Look for pure oils. The oils should be the only ingredients listed on the label.
Let cost be your guide. It takes a great deal of work and plant material to produce a tiny amount of essential oil. For example, 60,000 rose blossoms are required to produce one ounce of rose oil. The essential oil in the lavender plant is more abundant, but it still takes 220 pounds to yield one pound of oil. If the price is really low, you may be getting an oil thats diluted with synthetic ingredients.
Patch test. Before purchasing an oil, ask if you can try a small amount on your skin and watch for a reaction. Some oils contain high concentrations of sensitizing ingredients, such as linalool in lavender.
Tips To Use Essential Oils For Arthritis
No matter which oil you use for arthritis, there are certain steps you need to follow:
To every 12 drops of essential oil, add 1 ounce of a carrier oil, such as olive, jojoba, or coconut oil.
Most treatment options for arthritis look into managing the symptoms and not the actual issue in itself. So, if theres a natural option for arthritis, its all the more welcome.
References
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Add Cloves To Your Diet
Cloves contain an anti-inflammatory chemical called eugenol that interferes with a bodily process that triggers arthritis. In one animal study, eugenol prevented the release of COX-2, a protein that spurs inflammation . Cloves also contain antioxidants, which are important in slowing the cartilage and bone damage caused by arthritis. Aim for ½ to 1 teaspoon a day for joint pain relief.
Chronic Pain & Inflammation
What actually causes chronic pain?
There are a huge number of possible causes. For some people, its activated by an illness such as diabetes, arthritis, or cancer for others, it turns up after an injury or accident. Sometimes chronic pain can erupt for no obvious reason. Medical tests and scans cant always determine the source.
But one common denominator exists: The genesis of pain is inflammation, regardless of the factors producing the pain.
Inflammation is not necessarily bad and can be a part of your bodys healing system. When you injure a muscle , for example, your immune system initiates an inflammatory response by sending blood and immune cells to the affected area, which can result in redness, heat, and swelling. Otherwise, why would God design our immune system to function this way? The problem is when our bodies become chronically inflamed due to preventable risks such as food choices, stress, anxiety, and overuse of harmful medications.
Thankfully, a growing number of physicians are looking into root causes of disease and helping their patients get off unnecessary drugs, discover unknown food allergies , detoxify heavy metal poisoning, and address other chronic inflammation triggers.
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Small Studies Show Value Of Essential Oils For Pain
When 36 adults with RA or other inflammatory conditions had their hands massaged twice a day for five straight days, using either a blend of essential oils or basic coconut oil, the aromatherapy group reported less pain and more strength in their fingers, according to results published in November 2018 in the journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.
And a review of 42 small studies on aromatherapys use with all kinds of pain, published in November 2016 in the journal Pain Research and Treatment, concluded that aromatherapy can successfully treat pain when combined with conventional treatments.
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Why People Are Turning To Essential Oils To Relieve The Signs & symptoms Of Arthritis
Arthritis refers to an inflammatory response of the various joints in the body causing swelling, chronic pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion.
Not properly managing inflammation and arthritis pain can result in a reduced quality of life and mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
There are different types of arthritis such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that results in the body attacking its own joint tissues.
Because arthritis is typically a chronic condition many people also turn to natural and home remedies to manage symptoms and improve long-term quality of life.
The use of essential oils may be an effective addition to your arthritis care regimen.
Essential oils are highly concentrated plant compounds extracted from different parts of trees, plants, flowers, nuts, seeds, and even fruit.
The therapeutic application of these oils is called aromatherapy and has been shown to offer many health benefits and can help aid a wide variety of ailments, symptoms, and conditions such as:
According to Mary Margaret Chappell and Jennifer Davis from theArthritis Foundation:
Research corroborates the use of aromatherapy for pain relief.
In fact, a study from the Catholic University of Korea in Seoul showed that people with arthritis who sniffed a fragrant blend that included lavender, eucalyptus, and rosemary experienced less pain and better moods than those who didnt.
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