Millions of people suffer from knee injuries worldwide. There are a lot of factors that may cause knee injury and pain. [1]
Each kind of knee pain requires specific medications.
However, instead of taking chemical-infused medications, you can try some essential oils for a knee injury and the pain caused by it.
Our knee joints support our entire body weight. That makes the knee pain long-lasting. Knowing the cause of your knee pain is good to take precautions and prevent it early.
Essential oils are potent therapeutic agents with analgesic and anti-inflammatory qualities.
Research suggests that essential oil for knee injury may provide fast relief from the pain, swelling, and other symptoms. [2]
This article reviews the efficacy and uses of certain essential oils for knee injury and pain, plus the various causes of knee pain.
Why Use Essential Oils for Knee Injury and Joint Pain?
Essential Oils are analgesics or natural pain-relieving agents. The oils may numb the pain and relieve it gradually [3].
There are two types of essential analgesic oils.
The first types warm up the knee joint area and improve blood circulation. These oils work great for cold-induced knee pain.
The other kind creates a cooling sensation around the injured region. These essential oils are for cartilage repair, joint pain, and inflammation.
Essential oils may help to heal the swelling of the knees. Many of the essential oils discussed in the next part are Ayurvedic oils for knee pain.
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15 Essential Oils for Knee Injury-Fastest Relief
1. Lavender Oil
You will find Lavender Essential Oil as one of the most used remedies for pain relief. This aromatic oil works well for relieving pain from a knee injury.
Lavender Essential Oil has both analgesic and anti-inflammatory qualities. This is why it helps numb the pain and reduce swelling of the knee muscles. [4]
Lavender essential oil is mild, so you can apply a few drops and massage your knee. Clinical trials show that it works better than prescribed analgesics and anti-inflammatory medicines.
2. Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus Essential Oil has a strong pain-relieving property. It calms the nerves that carry pain sensations.
Aside from being an incredible inflammatory oil, it has antibacterial and antioxidant properties. It promotes better blood circulation around the knee region. [5]
Even using a small amount of eucalyptus oil can go a long way when relieving knee injury and joint pain. Massage your knee with eucalyptus oil.
3. Peppermint Oil
Peppermint Essential Oil is one of the oils that create a cooling sensation. So, you can feel your knee pain being relieved quite fast.
The menthol in peppermint essential oil helps relax stiff muscles and joints. Peppermint essential oil is also known for its incredible results for arthritis patients.
Peppermint Essential Oil has antispasmodic properties. This means that knee muscle spasms can also be relieved by using it. [6]
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4. Chamomile Oil
Chamomile Essential Oil has a soothing effect on knee pain. The skin surface absorbs it and helps to decrease inflammation caused by a knee injury.
Chamomile Essential Oil contains flavonoids. This is the chemical that gives it a fantastic anti-inflammatory effect. [13]
It is best to use a carrier oil when using Chamomile Essential Oil. Add a few drops of the oil to the carrier oil and apply it to the sore area for instant results.
5. Rosemary Oil
Rosemary Essential Oil works to heal the pain that keeps coming back. It helps with the chronic pain caused by a knee injury. [7]
A lot of the time, knee muscles spasm and cause pain. Applying Rosemary Essential Oil helps relieve these muscles.
Rosemary helps improve blood circulation around knee joints. You can massage it on your knees for surprising results.
6. Ginger Oil
Ginger Essential Oil works great to heal stiff knee muscles. It eases the muscles and even relieves joint pain.
Ginger Essential Oil contains Gingerol. This compound gives ginger essential oils its amazing anti-inflammatory property.
This oil is proven to work great with arthritis patients. It show
7. Juniper Oil
Professionals, for its versatile pain-relieving properties, often suggest Juniper Essential Oil.
It may work effectively against arthritis patients, swollen muscles, sprains, and knee injuries. [9]
The best part is you can use Juniper Essential Oil in many ways. You can either massage it with a carrier oil or apply it directly. Or you can use it in your bath as a bath oil.
8. Thyme Oil
Thyme Essential Oil relieves both acute and chronic knee pain.
Thyme Essential Oil can penetrate the skin surface. So knee pain due to friction between joints can be reduced by massaging it.
The antispasmodic properties of thyme essential oils also help to control muscle spasms. For example, cold-induced knee pain is worse because of muscle spasms. Hence thyme essential oil works as a great solution to that.
Thyme Essential Oil contains Carvacrol. Carvacrol helps kill enzymes called COX-2 that are linked with muscle inflammation. [10]
9. Sweet Marjoram Oil
Sweet Marjoram Essential Oil has soothing properties. This helps create a numbing effect over the pain of a knee injury.
This oil is a pain reliever in sprains, fractures, and other painful knee injuries. [11]
Mix Sweet Marjoram Essential Oil with black pepper oil and peppermint oil to create a powerful mixture. The mixture helps relieve both acute and chronic pain.
10. Sandalwood Oil
Sandalwood Essential Oil is one of the best essential oils for a knee injury.
It has a combination of anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antispasmodic effects. So it works with relieving pain and spasms and reducing inflammation. [12]
You can mix sandalwood essential oil with a pain-relieving ointment. Then, apply it to the knee to get relief from a knee injury. When mixing with the ointment, it is best to use a carrier oil with sandalwood oil.
11. Clary Sage Oil
Clary sage or Salvia Sclarea Essential Oil can relieve muscle cramps. This helps release the tension and ease the stiffness in knee muscles after an injury. Clary sage oil works as a muscle relaxant. [13]
The effect of clary sage oil extends to the mind as well. It has a calming effect not only on the muscles but the mind as well. In addition, the analgesic properties of clary sage oil make it perfect as a painkiller for knee pain.
12. Wintergreen Oil
Wintergreen Essential Oil heals knee pain and muscle aches and eases stiff joints.
The intense dose of painkillers you take for knee pain has harmful effects on your liver. But, wintergreen oil is a safe treat. [14]
Studies show that wintergreen essential oil works like aspirin.
13. Helichrysum Oil
Helichrysum essential oil is a strong pain relieving oil. [15]
The best part about Helichrysum Oil is that it also prevents skin bruising. Often knee injuries leave skin bruised and prone to infection. This oil heals that bruise and stops it from appearing again.
In the case of muscle swelling, Helichrysum also helps kill enzymes that cause inflammation. It also helps calm nerves. In addition, studies show that this oil exhibits pain relieving and healing effects in just three days!
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14. Bergamot Oil
All you need to do to get relief using Bergamot Essential Oil is inhale it! It is that simple.
Bergamot has nerve-calming properties. It helps release hormones in your system that reduce your nerves’ sensitivity to pain.
Bergamot Essential Oil also helps with curing knee injuries due to sprains. All you have to do is apply the oil to the affected region, and you will start feeling a change. [16]
15. Lemongrass Oil
Lemongrass essential oil works particularly well for patients suffering from arthritis and rheumatism. [17]
Lemongrass oil helps kill the COX-2 enzyme in our system that causes inflammation. Thus, it works to heal swollen muscles after a knee injury.
The properties of lemongrass essential oil help to heal overstrained muscles. In addition, the calming sensation soothes sore muscles after a sprain.
Suppose you feel like you have worked out more than usual at the gym or jogged too much; massage lemongrass oil. It can help release the tension in your muscles.
READ MORE: 12 Useful Essential Oils for Arthritis & How to Use Them
Causes of a Knee Injury
Here is a list of some of the common causes of knee injury in both men and women:
Arthritis
Three kinds of arthritis cases are common in people.
Osteoarthritis erodes the joint cartilage, and it keeps getting worse with time. It injures the knee by the slow corrosion of the cartilage. [18] The other kind of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis. This injures the knee by causing inflammation.
Post-traumatic arthritis occurs after a knee injury takes place. [19]
Old Age
Old age is one of the most significant causes of a knee injury. The older you get, the more tear and wear your knee joints have undergone. Thus knee pain gets worse with old age. Unfortunately, older people are usually affected by arthritis, too, for that reason.
Fractures
Knee fractures are when you break the bones of your knees. Sometimes there are chances of re-injury after a knee fracture. In case of a fracture on your knee, ensure proper rest before putting any pressure on your knees. [20]
Cold Weather-Induced Knee Pain
Knee pain gets worse during cold weather for those who have arthritis. Cold weather causes knee joints to feel stiff and hard to move, which causes pain. Many people use a warm water bag to calm knee pain during the cold season. [21]
Sprains
Knee sprains occur when we overstrain or bend our knee muscles at a very unusual angle. Thus, it becomes stiff and hurt. In addition, a ligament injury in the knee causes swelling, inflammation, and inability to move. Essential oils may soothe sprains, ligament injury, and swelling effectively.
Lack of Movement
Lack of physical movement leads to the weakening of knee muscles. It also harms blood vessels in the knee area. This creates knee pain and might lead to a knee injury.
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When to See a Doctor
Every year, over a billion cases of knee pain are treated by doctors worldwide. [22]
Using essential oils for knee injury may relieve the pain, swelling, and other symptoms.
Essential oils can give you comfort whenever you have knee pain. But if the condition doesn’t improve after using these natural remedies, or you see the following symptoms, consult a doctor immediately:
- Redness with swelling
- Warmth and tenderness around the joint
- Excruciating pain
- Fever
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