How you can use essential oil for joint pain relief in your hands is easy and simple.
Your hand pain can be caused by several things ranging from disease to repetitive injury like carpal tunnel. This is not meant to be a diagnosis-only to show that there are more than one reason you may have hand pain.
Five reasons you could have pain in your hands are arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, lupus, peripheral neuropathy, and traumatic injury. There are many other reasons which are why we suggest you see your physician for a proper diagnosis.
Before starting any treatment, you should see your physician. He or she will be able to diagnose the reason for the pain and then discuss options for treatment with you. You may wish to try a more natural therapy to reduce the need for prescription drugs such as anti-inflammatories and opioids.
Before seeing your doctor; write down all the symptoms you are experiencing-if you have cold fingers, tingling, or numbness in your hand tell the doctor so that he or she can make a proper diagnosis and treatment plan for your needs.
All of these issues cause hand pain, stiffness, and inflammation. It may last a few days, weeks, or longer. Depending on the issue and the severity, hot and cold therapy, physical therapy, and over the counter anti-inflammatory medicine such as Motrin may be prescribed.
If it is severe and chronic, then the doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatories and pain medication to help you. Essential oil therapy is a topical treatment that is massaged on to the area that is painful, stiff, and inflamed that can be used in combination with medications.
Essential oils can help with joint pain relief in hands
Nutmeg essential oil can relieve joint pain in your hands. Using nutmeg is a safe and effective way to provide relief without using dangerous opioids or prescription anti-inflammatory drugs.
What is nutmeg?
Nutmeg is a seasoning that can be used to add flavor to foods like pies, puddings, and drinks such as eggnog, cookies, cakes, and more. It is also packed with fiber, manganese, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, copper, and macelignan.
These nutrients, minerals, and vitamins make nutmeg very beneficial to your health. Manganese may reduce the risk of disease because it is an anti-oxidant. Magnesium is important to bone health and reduces the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
Best essential oils for hands
If you are looking to use essential oils for hand pain, give Meg Relief a try. Meg Relief is a nutmeg essential oil that can help reduce pain and inflammation.
The best essential oils for hands are Nutmeg, Peppermint, Turmeric, and Frankincense.
How to use essential oil on hands
To use essential oil on hands, place a few drops on the area and gently massage it in. Massaging the oil in will help soothe pain and improve circulation.
You can massage a couple drops of nutmeg essential oil on your hands 3 to 4 times a day without the worry of overdoing it.
It can be used for top of hand pain, pain in palm of hand, and even hand pain in the fingers to help alleviate pain and inflammation quickly.
Health benefits of nutmeg
Beyond being used for flavoring, nutmeg has medicinal uses and many health benefits.
Health benefits of nutmeg
- Reduces inflammation
- Reduces pain
- Treats insomnia
- Aids digestion
- Improves brain health
- Oral health
- Liver protection
- Helps blood pressure
- Anti-cancer properties
- Lowers LDL cholesterol
- Antidiarrheal
- Anticonvulsant
Nutmeg benefits are numerous. A word of caution- you can overdo nutmeg so be sure to follow the directions and only use the recommended dosage. If you are unsure of the dose, speak to an herbalist who is familiar with using nutmeg medicinally.
Along with Nutmeg essential oil for hand pain, there are exercises that can be effective for reducing stiffness, inflammation, and pain. Nutmeg oil can be used with prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications without interfering with those medications.
Hand exercises
The following exercises will help reduce stiffness and pain, and strengthen the muscles around the joints. They can be done several times at home or at work. These exercises can help promote flexibility and strength in your hands.
If your hands feel stiff before you are going to exercise, try warming them up by holding them in warm water for five to ten minutes or use a heating pad.
- Make a fist
First, hold your hand out with fingers straight, slowly curve fingers into a fist placing the thumb on the outside, open the fist and stretch the fingers straight. Repeat this 10 times for each hand. - Finger bends
With your hand held open bend the thumb toward the palm and hold for a couple of seconds, straighten your thumb, repeat with each finger on both hands. You can use this several times a day or anytime your fingers are feeling stiff. - Finger lift
Place your hand palm down on the table flat, raise the thumb, hold for a few seconds, put the thumb down, repeat for each finger and swap hands. This can be done several times a day - Wrist stretch
Hold your arm out with palm facing down, use the other hand to gently press down on the hand until you feel a stretch in your wrist and arm. Hold the position for a few seconds and then return hand to the former position. Repeat with the other hand. This can be done several times a day. - Claw stretch
Hold your hand out with your palm facing you; bend fingertips down to touch the base of each finger joint. Your hand should look a little like a claw, hold 30 seconds and relax, repeat several times for each hand. - Grip strength
Use a soft squishy ball, hold in your palm, and grip as hard as you can, hold for a few seconds. Repeat 10 times for each hand two to three times a week. Rest your hands for 48 hours between sessions - Clenched wrist bend
While sitting or standing, place your hand on the table with the outside of your hand on it, and your hand loosely clamped, bend your wrist and fingers towards you, hold for a few seconds then return to the starting position. Repeat several times for each hand.
Using these simple exercises and nutmeg essential oil can help manage and reduce your stiffness, inflammation and hand pain. This can also allow you to do things you may be having trouble doing such as holding on to things, picking things up, writing, opening doors, buttoning your shirt, or tying your shoes.