Say Good Bye to Muscle & Joint Pain Massage Oil
You’ve been gardening or doing housework all day. Or maybe you’ve just returned from a long day of strenuous playtime. Your ankles, knees, hips, and maybe even your shoulders and elbows are aching. It’s time for a soothing, muscle and joint pain-relieving massage oil.
In this Post:
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⭐️So Long Muscle & Joint Pain Massage Oil Recipe
- PET disc-top bottle or glass bottle with treatment pump
- 15ml (1Tbs) Hemp seed oil
- 15ml (1Tbs) Trauma oil
- 5 drops Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
- 3 drops Spike Lavender essential oil (Lavandula latifolia)
- 3 drops Geranium essential oil (Pelargonium asperum/P. graveolens var roseum)
- 3 drops Peppermint essential oil (Mentha x piperita)
- 3 drops Thyme essential oil (Thymus vulgaris ct linalool)
💚Note: If desired, this massage oil can be made with Hemp seed oil or Trauma oil as the only base oil―use 30ml (2 Tablespoons).
🌺See my Recommended Suppliers below
Combine the Hemp seed and Trauma oils in the bottle. Add the essential oils to the base-oil blend, cap the bottle, and gently rock to mix.
To help prevent spillage, I prefer to dispense massage oils from either a PET disc-top bottle or a glass bottle with treatment pump. Because this is a low 3% essential oil dilution, it will not react with PET plastic.
Massage a small amount into painful muscles and joints to help soothe discomfort and release tension.
This blend can be used up to four times daily and can be combined with a warm or cold compress, if desired.
Why These Carrier Oils for a Muscle & Joint Pain Massage Oil?
Hemp Seed Oil (Cannabis sativa)
Hemp seed oil comes from the Cannabis family, but it does not contain the cannabinoid THC found in cannabis (“marijuana”).
Cold-pressed Hemp seed oil is, however, rich in the nourishing essential fatty acids linoleic and α-linolenic, which are known for their numerous health benefits. In fact, many doctors recommend massaging Hemp seed oil into arthritic joints to help relieve muscle and joint pain and inflammation.
Trauma Oil
Trauma oil is actually a base oil, like Olive or Sunflower oil, infused with three powerfully therapeutic herbs: Arnica (Arnica montana), Calendula (Calendula officinalis), and St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum).
- St John’s Wort has a very long history of use in medicine, dating back to the time of the Crusades. It has been used in traditional European folk medicine since then and is a significant evidence-based modern medicinal plant.(1)
- Arnica also has a long history of use in medicine, although it was often confused in some reference texts with water plantain. Although it may have been used as early as the 14th century, by the 16th century, Arnica was certainly well-known for its wound-healing properties.(1) Arnica is a common component in many modern day homeopathic remedies for muscle pain and bruising.
- Calendula‘s soothing properties are recorded as far back as the 12th century. Modern-day cosmetic companies take advantage of this long history, including it in after-sun skin care and sensitive skin products.
💚On its own, Trauma oil is a powerful therapeutic for painful muscles and joints. This, incidentally, makes it great for “growing pains” in children 5 through 12 years of age. For those over 12, we can add inflammation and pain relieving essential oils to boost it up a notch.
☀️Ingredient Spotlight: Arnica in Muscle & Joint Pain Management
We all know how soothing Chamomile is, right? Arnica, which comes from the same family as Chamomile (the daisy family, Asteraceae), has similar soothing attributes. Homeopathic remedies for pain, inflammation, and bruising rely heavily on the powerhouse herb in topical gels, creams, and salves, and in oral tablets and granules.
In this 2021 research review, the authors conclude that Arnica is as effective as standard pain-management medications provided for post-operative, arthritic, lower back, and sports-injury pain.(2)
Why These Essential Oils for Muscle & Joint Pain?
The Lavenders
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): One of the most valuable attributes of Lavender essential oil is its ability to facilitate calm. When we think of Lavender, we might first think of it in terms of sleep-support. However, in addition to calming the mind, the phytochemical linalool in Lavender essential oil is calming to muscle and joint pain and inflammation.
Spike Lavender (Lavandula latifolia): Spike Lavender, Lavender’s close relative, also contains significant linalool. But it also contains camphor and 1,8-cineole (sin-ee-ol), which give it a more penetrating aroma than true Lavender. It has the ability to deeply penetrate the tissues to reduce inflammation.
Geranium (Pelargonium asperum/P. graveolens var roseum)
The geraniol in Geranium essential oil contributes to the cooling aspect of this blend. Geranium essential oil stimulates the lymphatic system. This helps revitalize and remove inflammatory components from injured tissues which helps ease muscle and joint pain. Some may find this stimulating quality reflected in their own energy level. By pairing Geranium with Lavender, this energizing aspect is mellowed so that the blend can be used day or night.
Peppermint (Mentha x piperita)
Peppermint essential oil works along with Spike Lavender to enhance the penetration of this blend to ease muscle cramping and stimulate blood flow. With its high menthol content, Peppermint essential oil provides a pleasant cooling effect.
Use Peppermint essential oil with care. It will be cooling at just the right amount and a single drop more can tip the blend into a very warming one!
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris ct linalool)
Thyme essential oil is available in several chemotypes (chemical types). In this blend we are using the linalool chemotype which is gentle to the skin. Like Lavender essential oil, Thyme ct linalool is rich (nearly half!) in that soothing, muscle and joint pain-relieving, inflammation-reducing phytochemical linalool.
Some of its other chemical constituents, tepinen-4-ol, γ-terpinene, α-pinene, and β-myrcene, contribute their anti-inflammatory or pain relieving attributes to the role Thyme essential oil plays in this massage oil.
References
Heinrich, M., Pieroni, A., Bremner, P. (2005). Plants as medicines. In Mark Nesbitt & Sir Ghillean Prance (Ed.), The Cultural History of Plants (pp. 205-38). Routledge.
Smith, A.G., Miles, V.N., Holmes, D.T., Chen, X., Lei, W. (2021). Clinical trials, potential mechanisms, and adverse effect of arnica as an adjunct medication for pain management. Medicines (Basel), 8(10):58. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicines8100058
Mom’s Recommended Suppliers
If you want to shop on Amazon for ease of delivery, I’ve assembled my favorites for Overwork in one list (you may need to scroll to the list). This list includes the essential oils and lipid carrier oils I use for muscles aches and joint pain.
For basic supplies, like containers, Amazon is my general go-to. To make it easy, I’ve assembled my favorite Bottles & Containers and some of the fine Carrier Oils I use for skin care.
I also rely on my preferred suppliers for the sustainably sourced ingredients in this blend.
- Hemp Seed Oil (Cannabis sativa):
- Plant Therapy, organic, for skin care (Direct or Amazon)
- Manitoba Harvest, organic, for lip balms & culinary use (on Amazon).
- Trauma Oil:
- Aromatics International, organic, artisan crafted.
- Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia):
- Aromatics International, organic artisan (grown and distilled in Montana)
- Plant Therapy, organic (Direct and Amazon)
- TIP: Plant Therapy’s Lavender Hydrosol (Direct and Amazon) is lovely for skin care and general aromatherapy.
- Geranium essential oil (Pelargonium asperum):
- Aromatics International, organic Rose Geranium
- Plant Therapy, organic Egyptian Geranium (Direct and Amazon)💛
- Plant Therapy, sustainable Bourbon Geranium (Direct and Amazon).
- Peppermint essential oil (Mentha x piperita):
- Aromatics International, organic
- Plant Therapy, organic (Direct and Amazon).
- Thyme essential oil (Thymus vulgaris) – both chemotypes:
- Aromatics International, ct linalool (gentle), organic
- Plant Therapy, ct linalool (gentle), sustainable (Direct and Amazon)
- Aromatics International, ct thymol (powerful), organic
- Plant Therapy, ct thymol (powerful), organic (Direct and Amazon).
Preferred Suppliers for Lipid Carrier Oils
- Renewalize (on Amazon) – my favorite source for specialty facial oils
- Plant Therapy for lipid oils, butters, and hydrosols
- also at Plant Therapy on Amazon
- Cliganic for Vitamin E, Squalane, lipid oils, and some harder to find oils
- also at Cliganic on Amazon
- Aromatics International for organic lipid oils, butters, and hydrosols (especially for hard-to-find hydrosols and those that can be used internally)
- 3CayG (on Amazon) for all natural butters from around the world.
Preferred Essential Oil Suppliers
Each one of these favorite suppliers provides a wide selection of sustainable, therapeutic, beautifully aromatic, pure essential oils. Browse their inventory and imagine the aromatic possibilities!
- Aromatics International for ethically wildcrafted, organically sourced, and Certified Organic essential oils (Mom’s AI favorites)
- Plant Therapy for Certified Organic and sustainably sourced, conventional essential oils (Mom’s PT favorites)
- Also at Plant Therapy on Amazon
- Edens Garden (on Amazon) for sustainably sourced, conventional essential oils (Mom’s EG favorites)
This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is for educational purposes only.
All recipes provided are for personal use and are not designed for re-sale or large-scale manufacturing.
Please consult your doctor, naturopath, herbal practitioner, or other qualified health professional for medical advice and before starting any herbal regimen, particularly if you are pregnant or nursing, have any existing medical conditions, or are taking any medications.
Chris P | Author, Certified Aromatherapist, Natural Skin Care Formulator
Chris (“Mom”) enjoys formulating bespoke aromatherapy, skin care, and herbal products to support her family, pets, friends, and clients. She also loves experimenting with recipes in the kitchen. An avid reader, writer, and lifetime learner, Chris enthusiastically explores research rabbit holes and then writes about her discoveries.💚 (Learn more >>)
