Taken alone or combined, these three essential oils can act as powerful painkillers according to aromatherapists.
Aromatherapy is developing, like new alternative medicines, at great speed. And certain essential oils can prove to be powerful allies in cases of persistent pain. According to aromatologist Sandrine Mille, who published an article on the Passeport Santé website, three of them, certainly little known, can even relieve and calm inflammation. Enough to greatly improve the daily lives of the French who, according to data from the National Institute of Health and medical research (Inserm), 93% have already complained of joint pain.
Wintergreen is used for its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. In essential oil, it is highly prized by physiotherapists and even more so by athletes who are subject to intense and repeated joint or muscle pain. An excellent painkiller, this shrub from the woods and marshes is very rich in natural methyl salicylate (almost 100%), a precursor component of aspirin. Wintergreen also has rubefacient and antispasmodic properties that promote muscle relaxation.
Lemon eucalyptus is the star of the summer, known for its insect repellent effect, this essential oil is the number one enemy of mosquitoes when used in diffusion. However, this is not its only super power, in cutaneous application this essential oil, whose lemongrass-scented tree grows in Australia, is particularly recommended to combat tendonitis, sciatica, aches and pains or even lumbago. It also has effects on itching and skin mycoses.
Lavandin is, as its name suggests, a natural hybrid of two types of lavender (fine lavender and spike lavender). It also works as a painkiller. This essential oil that is extracted from the flower is particularly effective in cases of cramps since it acts as a muscle relaxant. Highly prized for its fragrance, lavender also acts on the quality of sleep and brings calm and serenity. Traditionally, lavender essential oil also has anti-infectious and antifungal properties and can be used as a complement to anti-lice treatments.
Be careful though, essential oils concentrate potentially irritating substances and must therefore be used with caution and in a certain dosage, which is why some of them are only available in pharmacies. In all cases, a doctor’s advice is recommended. It is also strongly recommended not to apply them directly to the skin, but rather to dilute them with vegetable oils such as arnica or calophyllum inophyllum. Finally, their use is not suitable for pregnant women and children. It is therefore better to find out in advance about the benefits and risks of these oils.