Essential Oils for Gout Pain Relief

Let's look at using essential oils for gout pain relief.

Gout is a specific type of arthritis caused by hyperuricemia, a condition where your body has too much uric acid. Uric acid crystals (monosodium urate) collect in the body's joints, fluids, and tissues. Pain is your body’s natural anti-inflammatory response to the crystals.

Although gouty arthritis can occur in any joint, the most common location is the joint at the base of the big toe (metatarsophalangeal joint). The toe usually becomes red, inflamed, sometimes hot to the touch, with mild to excruciating pain.

Essential Oils for Gout Pain

Essential oils that may help relieve gout include angelica, sweet basil, benzoin, carrot seed, celery seed, coriander, juniper, nutmeg, scotch pine, plai, ravensara, rosemary, and thyme, according to The Encyclopedia of Essential Oils (Updated Edition).

Caution: If you have diabetes or another condition that affects the health of your feet, consult your healthcare professional before using essential oils.

Massage Blends for Gout

Here are some blends to help manage the pain of gout. Use your preferred massage blend on affected areas 2 or 3 times a day.

Massage blend 1:

• 4 drops juniper essential oil
• 3 drops rosemary essential oil
• 3 drops lemon essential oil
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons) Trauma oil

Source: Aromasense

Massage blend 2:

• 10 drops lemon essential oil
• 4 drops juniper essential oil
• 2 drops roman chamomile essential oil
• 3 drops tea tree essential oil
• 1 teaspoon carrier oil

Massage blend 3:

• 10 drops geranium essential oil
• 8 drops juniper essential oil
• 5 drops rosemary essential oil
• 3 drops roman chamomile essential oil
• 3 drops tea tree essential oil
• 1 teaspoon carrier oil

Foot Baths for Gout

Bath blend of essential oils for gout:

• 3 drops roman or german chamomile essential oil
• 3 drops lavender essential oil
• 2 drops ginger essential oil
• 2 drops bergamot essential oil
• 1 teaspoon carrier oil
  

Combine oils and stir into a warm foot bath.

Source: Massage & Aromatherapy: Simple Techniques to Use at Home

Contrast foot soak for gout:

• 5 drops roman chamomile essential oil
• 5 drops cajuput or Fragonia essential oil
• 2 drops peppermint or rosemary essential oil
• 1 teaspoon carrier oil

1. Blend the ingredients.
2. Fill two basins with water – one warm and one cool.
3. Add half the blend to each basin and stir in.
4. Soak you feet in the warm water for 10 minutes.
5. Soak you feet in the cool water for 10 minutes.
   

Adapted from The Complete Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness   

Gel for Gout Pain Relief

Keep the following blend in the refrigerator and use when you gout becomes inflamed:

• 2 ounces (1/4 cup) aloe vera gel
• 2 teaspoons arnica macerated oil
  
• 5 drops german chamomile essential oil
• 10 drops lavender essential oil
• 3 drops peppermint essential oil
• 5 drops juniper berry essential oil
• 5 drops roman chamomile essential oil

1. Blend the aloe vera gel and arnica oil.
2. Blend the essential oils.
3. Add the essential oil blend to the gel/oil mix and combine well.
   

Source: The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy

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Photo Credit: James Heilman, MD - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons