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Aromatherapy for Arthritis
I
have the sweetest elderly neighbor living near me. Each summer,
we chat it up every time we see each other working outside, and
as each new season begins, I progressively see his sadness as he
cannot do as much as the year before. A strong man with a fun-loving
and active spirit, it saddens me beyond words to see him discretly
try to hide the tears that well up in his eyes when he talks about
the pain he experiences from his arthritis. Arthritis has robbed
him of his ability to golf, bowl, cater to his garden like he used
to and most all of his other passions. And arthritis doesn't just
afflict the aging. It can be instigated by other illnesses, diseases
or injuries at any age. A foot injury has lead to arthritis in my
foot. And from my personal experience, poor diet and a sedentary
lifestyle had directly contributed to arthritis in my knees.
Aromatherapy can't cure arthritis,
but it can help significantly, depending on the form of arthritis.
I am not a medical professional and my knowledge of the various
forms of arthritis is quite limited. But... my successful experience
in using an anti-inflammatory blend of essential and carrier oils
for my own personal situation is one of the largest reasons that
I became passionately involved in aromatherapy.
When I turned 28, I experienced severe
pain in my knees that resembled the symptoms of arthritis. My doctor
at the time was not thorough and did not believe it was arthritis,
so I was faced with dealing with my pain on my own. At the time
the situation occurred, I was living a sedentary life due to long
working hours. I had also gained quite a bit of weight. The symptoms
would last for several years until I began a rigorous exercise program,
lost weight and significantly reduced processed foods from my diet.
It would take me several years to
begin to eat better, increase my activity and shed the weight because
the pain limited my mobility so severely. I discovered aromatherapy
around this time, and began to make anti-inflammatory blends to
use to gently massage my knees. This reduced the inflammation, brought
comfort during the actual massage process and brought significant
but temporary relief from my discomfort. Frequent massages gave
me what I needed to be able to increase my mobility and begin to
significantly increase my activity level.
I'm now 42 as I write this. The crippling
pain I had is a distant memory. Though I can still predict rain.
;) My new doctor believes I indeed have arthritis but that my lifestyle
changes drastically improved my situation. I attribute my use of
anti-inflammatory essential oils and gentle massage for having dramatically
contributed to my ability to make the long term lifestyle changes
that have now virtually eliminated the pain I previously experienced.
Essential Oils and Aromatherapy Recipes for Arthritis
Roman
Chamomile, German
Chamomile, Helichrysum
and Black Pepper
are essential oils that have personally helped me. Visit AromaWeb's
Aromatherapy Blends for Arthritis
page for two blends that utilize anti-inflammatory oils that may
also help reduce your arthritic pain. It is strongly recommended
that you first talk with your doctor about your planned aromatherapy
routine and also about proper massage techniques for your particular
form of arthritis. Depending on your situation, your doctor may
advise you not to massage your joints. If you experience any discomfort,
discontinue use and consult your medical practitioner.
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