Last Updated on October 20, 2024
Sore muscles could mean different things. It could be the delayed onset pain felt after exercising, or the strain of being in a bad posture for an extended period of time. Stress and tension may even be one of its main causes. Still, the discomfort it causes could reduce your productivity, or worse, keep you bedridden for the rest of the day.
There are a couple of remedies for the soreness, but one of the prominent ones is essential oils. However, there are so many available oils in the market. If you’re wondering what will work best to soothe the aching, read on because we’re breaking down the best essential oils for your muscles.
Table of Contents
Starting with the “Why?”
There are a few reasons why your muscles are feeling sore, and you may not even be aware of it. Here are the three main reasons behind the ache:
DOMS or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
This is caused by sudden strenuous physical efforts that the body is not used to. This is normal and usually goes away after a day or two. You can read more about it in Flexed.
CFS or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
This means too much stress that your immune system is weakening and thus, affecting your entire body. It can cause more discomfort by how it affects your sleep and rest.
Claudication
Also known as cramping due to poor circulation, this condition is particularly painful but maybe eased by massaging the area with ointments or oils.
What Essential Oils to Use for Sore Muscles?
The top essential oil picks to soothe the muscle soreness are Lavender, Eucalyptus, Chamomile, Ginger, and Peppermint. Given that they all have calming properties, they have distinct aromas that can ease the discomfort as they are massage onto your skin and body.
- Lavender – this is the most commonly known essential oil for relaxation and calming. It is featured in Healthline’s Best Essential Oils for Back Pain, and it is as well used for its anti-depressant, antibacterial, and detoxifying properties. Work with Majestic Pure’s Natural Lavender oil for the best results.
- Eucalyptus – this essential oil presents numerous health benefits as stated by Medical News Today, which may be the reason why Eucalyptus is a usual ingredient in soothing creams and ointments for joint and muscle pain. Try the Premium Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oil for your body massage.
- Chamomile – Healthline features 8 more benefits of using Chamomile oil in day-to-day living, and a few of which is how it can relieve pain for back pain, arthritis, and neuralgia with its anti-inflammatory properties. It also helps promote sleep and ease anxiety. If you prefer the Roman Chamomile strain, you can get the Sun Essential Oils Roman Chamomile.
- Ginger – In Healthline, they also discuss a number of remedies that include Ginger as one of the essential oils that relieve pain by warming the skin and the body. This warmth will encourage blood flow, help muscles relax and improve overall circulation. You can try Artizen’s Undiluted 1oz bottle of Ginger oil for great results!
- Peppermint – this contains menthol, anti-spasmodic, and anti-inflammatory properties that can ease the cramps and spasms. According to an article in Mighty Nest, there are 6 more ways Peppermint can relieve your body, so it can be considered a practical remedy. If you’re looking to try it, get yourself Artizen’s Undiluted Therapeutic Grade essential oil, as it can surely last you a long time.
If you’re looking for more essential choices to choose from, watch this video from Agnistoka for a new set of options, or read a bit more about it in Refinery29’s article, How Essential Oils Can Heal Your Sore and Achy Body. You may also head over to Healthline for more articles.
How to Apply Essential Oils?
This should go without saying, but for those who aren’t aware, you shouldn’t put undiluted essential oils directly into your skin. Remember that these are concentrated plant extracts that are used as ingredients and not as products in and of itself. If you’re clueless how to do it, we have this video on the ready on 5 Ways to Dilute Essential Oils Safely and Effectively by Tara Wagner. Here, she discusses the basics in a way that even beginners will find achievable, and she also includes myths on essential oil and emulsion blending.
If you prefer reading instead of watching a video, we recommend this book, The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils. In this book, it also discusses a safety tip where you should first dab the essential oil on your skin, especially on the pressure points in order to find out if you have allergies to the oil.
Benefits of Dilution
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- Avoid sensitization, both short and long term
Some skin types don’t respond negatively upon the application but will show results over time. This may deteriorate your skin with continued use, and you may be forever banned from using the oil ever again. - Reducing the evaporation
Diluting the oils allows it to remain on your skin, thus giving the skin more time to absorb it and allowing optimum moisture in your skin.
- Avoid sensitization, both short and long term
- Wider Coverage
Blending a few drops of oil into a cream or a lotion could go a long way instead of rubbing those few drops on their own. This will save you time, money, and is more effective.
So there you have it! A couple of remedies that are not only soothing but also pleasant-smelling! You see, essential oils aren’t just fancy perfume drops for the hip and cool. It’s actually a product of nature, and it’s here, so we can enjoy life at its fullest. Now that you know that it can also soothe your sore muscles, you won’t have to take all those painkillers that could harm your liver. Rubbing these oils onto your skin will help it get into your bloodstream and eventually help your blood circulation and breathing.
Relaxation has never been this simple and glam! You can take your pick from all the various scents of these essential oils, and you might even look forward to your next post-workout massage session.
Lacey is an environmental enthusiast and passionate advocate for living green and sustainable. She believes that everyone can make a difference, no matter how small. Lacey is dedicated to reducing her own carbon footprint and educating others on the importance of living greener. She is an advocate for green energy and sustainable practices. She is an active member of her local community, volunteering with local conservation efforts, and taking part in sustainability initiatives. Lacey is a firm believer that the only way to ensure a sustainable future is to work together and make small, but important changes.