Essential Oils for Muscle Pain: Your Solution Guide to Every Type of Pain

Essential oils are not just fragrant products with fancy names but also very beneficial. With benefits of the different types of essential oils, here’s a complete guide to essential oils for muscle pain!

essential-oils-for-muscle-pain-lavender-ginger-benefits
What Are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are highly concentrated essences extracted from plants by distillation method. They are used for medicinal purposes, aromatherapy and many more!

Essential oils have become so popular nowadays. But they’ve been used since the 18th century. With many people turning towards fitness and wellness, it’s common to opt for something natural yet effective. From skincare to hair to nutrition, organic and natural products are on top of the list. The age-old mantra of using good herbal products is in the limelight! And essential oils are like a must-have now. With so many advantages, who wouldn’t want to grab ’em?

Types of Essential Oils for Muscle Pain

Essential oils are great for skin, hair and even muscle pain. Some of the oils are great for pain relief. While every type of muscle pain will require different oils (more on that later), these are a few popular essential oils you wanna discover:

A. Lavender Oil

It has a calming scent that relieves anxiety and stress. It also increases blood circulation and boosts immunity.

lavender-oil-essential-oils-for-muscle-pain-anti-inflammatoryB. Lemon Oil

It provides immune support and improves the mood. It also soothes the skin and increases energy.

lemon-oil-tret-wrinkles-best-essential-oils-for-muscle-painC. Rosemary Oil

It has antioxidants that help to fight infections. It also stimulates blood flow when the affected area is massaged and relieves the pain.

rosemary oil muscle pain essential oils bestD. Chamomile Oil

There are two types of chamomile oil:
– Roman Chamomile Oil
– German Chamomile Oil
Roman chamomile oil is the most popular essential oil and is one of the best essential oils for muscle pain. It serves as a natural allergy repellant. It helps to overcome arthritis as it penetrates deep into the skin layer.

chamomile-oil-best-essential-oils-for-muscle-pain-relievingE. Peppermint Oil

It is a natural pain killer and muscle relaxant. It’s helpful for backache, sore muscles and even for headache. It’s also beneficial for joint pain.

peppermint oil basic essential oils for muscle pain aromatherapyEssential Oils for Different Types of Muscle Pain

Muscle pain can be of many different kinds, depending on the cause, like stress, tension, illness or minor injuries. So essential oils act as natural muscle relaxers.

Essential oils help to soothe and relax the muscles but they cannot be used as a permanent solution. Like they are a good option when you have a pain after a workout but if you had an accident, using essential oil is not ideal. If you’ve been suffering from muscle pain for a long time, it is always better to see a doctor. Also, look out for safety instructions mentioned on the pack itself. Do not overuse as it may lead to skin irritation, rashes or side effects. So, choose what suits you best.

Also, different types of essential oils have different uses when it comes to pain. Let’s take a look:

1. Essential Oils for Inflammation

Inflammation is caused due to an injury, infection, bad posture or even PMS. A part of the body becomes swollen or reddened and it’s extremely painful. Here are a few essential oils to reduce inflammation.

Rosemary essential oil is effective for inflammation. It increases the blood flow and warms the body part when massaged and reduces inflammation and relieves pain. Eucalyptus oil is a strong smelling oil that has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties that are great for nerve and muscle pain.

2. Essential Oils for Back Pain

Back pain alone leads to many other problems like slip disc, arthritis and abdominal pain. Anti-inflammatory essential oils like eucalyptus oil are ideal to soothe the muscles. Also, ginger oil is perfect for tired sore muscles.

muscle-pain-basic-essential-oils-to-use3. Essential Oils for Swelling

Essential oils to reduce swelling are chamomile essential oil, which is effective for joint pain and inflammation. Chamomile oil consists of flavonoid that has antioxidant effects that help to heal swelling.  Frankincense oil is a pain relieving oil that has anti-inflammatory properties. It relaxes the muscles and heals the swelling.

4. Essential Oils for Sore Muscles

Camphor and cardamom essential oils are beneficial for sore muscles when applied topically. Camphor has a cooling sensation when applied to the skin and reduces bruising and swelling.

5. Essential Oils for Surgery Recovery

Clove and eucalyptus essential oils are effective for surgery recovery. Cloves kills the bacteria in the body as they have the greatest anti-microbial properties. And eucalyptus oil acts as an antiviral agent by treating muscle soreness.

best-essential-oils-for-muscle-pain6. Essential Oils for Joint Pain

Chamomile and peppermint oils relieve joint pain. Peppermint essential oil has anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties. It also reduces pain related to arthritis.

7. Essential Oils for Stomach Cramps

Bloating is a common problem when your cycle starts. It may be due to overeating, consuming junk food, eating too fast or smoking. Apart from drinking hot water, you can try aromatherapy with essential oils for stomach ache.

Peppermint, ginger, chamomile and cumin essential oils are beneficial for stomach cramps. Cumin oil helps to detox, too. You can apply it during night as it’s sun sensitizing. It will cause burning sensation and skin damage when exposed. Frankincense oil can be used for tender breasts during menstruation, too.

8. Essential Oils for Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is when the body is injured and not fully cured, so the pain still exists. It can affect your mental health, too! Marjoram essential oil works for chronic pains. It’s also effective to treat headaches. If chronic pain persists for longer than a week, it’s best to seek a doctor’s guidance.

9. Essential Oils for Nerve Pain

Eucalyptus oil is one of the best essential oils for pain. It is effective for nerve pain, reducing inflammation and swelling.

best-essential-oils-for-back-pain-relieving-muscle-pain10. Essential Oils for Aches

Thyme essential oil cures any kind of aches due to its antiseptic, antimicrobial and antioxidative properties.

essential-oils-for-muscle-pain-food-grade11. Young Living Oils for Arthritis

Eucalyptus oil is one of the best essential oils for muscle pain. Inhale the steam by boiling a few drops of water and this reduces arthritis. Frankincense essential oil is also effective due to its anti-inflammatory and warming effects.

12. Essential Oils for Leg Cramps

Lavender oil is beneficial for leg cramps. Other essential oils for muscle pain include wintergreen that improves blood circulation and rosemary for reducing swelling and provides a warming sensation.

13. Essential Oils for Shoulder Pain

Roman chamomile, lavender, rose, sandalwood, sweet marjoram and thyme essential oils for muscle pain can be used to ease shoulder pain. You can try aromatherapy and baths to reduce the pain.

rose-essential-oil-chronic-pain-aromatherapy14. Essential Oils for Neck Pain

The best essential oils for sore muscles are ginger, lavender and rosemary essential oils are effective when massaged on the neck, which encourages the contracted muscles to expand and relax. Ginger oil is effective for aches and pains. It is also one of the best essential oils for a stiff neck.

15. Essential Oils for Knee Pain

Lemon oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties that help to reduce knee pain.

16. Essential Oils for Pulled Muscle




Muscular pain can be too hard sometimes. This may be caused due to playing a sport. Wintergreen essential oil is a natural remedy and when applied to the affected area topically, it acts as a natural muscle relaxer.

17. Essential Oils for Sore Feet

Instead of spending a bomb on a foot massage or spa, you can try soaking your feet in lukewarm water mixed with a few drops of German chamomile oil to reduce swelling. Due to its antifungal, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, it works the best for swollen foot.

18. Essential Oils for Tendon Pain

Repetitive movement is one of the reasons for tendon pain like typing, running, sitting at the desk for long hours. The essential oils for muscle strain are peppermintcypress and frankincense oil is effective for the blood flow that reduces the pain.

best-essential-oils-for-muscle-pain-massage-relaxing19. Essential Oils for Muscle Spasms

Sore muscles are responsible for muscle spasms. If you’re wondering, how to relieve muscle tension, combine basil, lavender, and peppermint oil and rub it on the muscles.

20. Essential Oils for Numbness

Wintergreen oil has cooling analgesic effects that is effective for numbness.

21. Essential Oils for Hip Pain

Hip pain leads to difficulty in walking as the blood flow is reduced. To increase blood flow and reduce inflammation, try combining frankincense, wintergreen, and lavender for pain relief.

How to Use Essential Oils?

Essential oils can be applied externally, used in food or for aromatic purposes. One can use single oil at a time or blend two to three oils together and use them. Here’s how to use essential oils for muscle pain:

how toapply essential oils for muscle pain

  1. For external application, always apply a small amount and rub on your skin. Avoid applying it on scars, damaged or injured skin, sensitive areas such as skin around the eyes, inner eyes and ears.
  2. You can also wet a towel in hot water mixed with essential oils and apply it on skin slowly. This reduces irritation and also soothes the muscle pain.
  3. If you have sensitive skin like me, you can mix a few drops of the oil in your body lotion and apply it to the skin or massage it.
  4. You can try having them with your milkshakes, tea or milk daily. They have many health benefits. But make sure you add no more than a drop for one glass. Also check if they are edible (or food grade essential oils).
  5. Aromatherapy heals your mind and this, in turn, soothes your body, too. So you can add a few drops to candles, or mix it with water and spray it on your furniture and carpet.

best essential oils for muscle pain aromatherapy How to Choose Essential Oils?

When choosing essential oils for muscle pain, here’s what to keep in mind:

a. Look at the list of ingredients to check whether they are pure or not. Also, check if they’re organic and extracted from organically grown plants.
b. There are chances the oil being extracted from plants that are grown with pesticides. Look out for best brands that use organic products.
c. Also, be particular about the oil you choose as they all have different purposes. For example, there are two types of chamomile oils German chamomile and Roman chamomile, but their uses are different.
d. Not all essential oils are meant for consumption. If you’re planning on consuming, make sure to look for food grade essential oils.

food grade essential oils fo muscle pain
e. If the essential oils are irritating to skin or if you notice a rash, always consult a doctor. And do a patch test before applying.

Additional Point:

While choosing an essential oil, always check how it’s extracted. There are three methods of extraction, cold pressed, steam distilled and solvent extracted. Cold-pressed essential oils are the best as they retain the natural properties and color, steam distilled being the next best. It’s better to avoid solvent extracted as there are chances that these solvents might leave behind a certain amount of toxins, which leaves a doubt about the purity and safety.

Where to Buy Essential Oils?

Nowadays essential oils are available in drugstores and, online shopping sites very easily. There are a number of brands to choose from. But it depends on what you’re looking for! If you are a beginner and want to explore essential oils, you can start off with lavender, lemon, rosemary, tea tree, eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils.

where-to-buy-essential-oils-brands-bestBest Brands for Essential Oils for Muscle Pain

I have listed a few of the best brands that you can try. Of these, the top 3 are Indian brands, I have used myself, and the rest are the best rated and most popular companies the people of the internet trust (read, Amazon!)

a. Kama Ayurveda
b. Khadi Natural
c. Soulflower
d. Edens Garden Essential Oil
e. Aromatherapy
f. Mountain Rose Herb
g. Plant Therapy
h. Now Foods
i. Art Naturals
j. Young Living

Read next: Best Essential Oils You Have to Try!

So, these were different types of essential oils for muscle pain. Have you used any of them? Which is your favorite? Tweet us @shilpa1ahuja!