Gout can be very painful and take a toll on your body. Using essential oils for gout is a valuable natural way to minimize the pain & inflammation as well as reduce the severity of gout attacks.
What is Gout?
A form of inflammatory arthritis, gout is a painful and recurrent condition that is characterized by attacks of a red, hot, tender, swollen and inflamed joint, usually on the foot at the joint in the base of the big toe. Other joints such as the heels, wrists, knees and fingers may also be affected.
The cause of gout is due to increased level of uric acid in the blood, which crystalizes at the joints, tendons and surrounding tissues forming crystal deposits that bring about a sudden sharp painful attack of gout. Gout is common among people who eat a lot of meat, drink high amounts of alcohol and those who are generally overweight.
Some of the causes of gout include:
- Eating high amounts of meat, sea food, drinks sweetened with fructose
- Over consumption of alcohol
- Genetics
- Medical problems such as metabolic syndrome which is a combination of hypertension, abdominal obesity, insulin resistance and abnormal lipid levels
- Certain medications such as diuretics, aspirin, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (except losartan), beta blockers, ritonavir, and pyrazinamide.
How Do Essential Oils Help Gout?
Potent plant extracts obtained through steam distillation or cold compressing of aromatic plant material such as the leaves, tree bark, fruit rinds, flowers, roots and resin of plants, essential oils are powerful antioxidants and contain a myriad of therapeutic properties including anti – inflammatory and analgesic antispasmodic properties, among others. What makes them helpful for gout is their abilities to:
- Reduce inflammation
- Cool down hot and swollen areas
- Numb and relieve pain fast
- Stimulate blood circulation
- And more
Top 10 Essential Oils for Gout
Below the top 10 best essential oils for gout and further below, find 4 valuable essential oil recipes for gout:
1. Juniper berry (where to get it)
2. Lemongrass (where to get it)
3. Chamomile (where to get it)
4. Fennel (where to get it)
5. Lemon (where to get it)
6. Peppermint (where to get it)
7. Geranium (where to get it)
8. Wintergreen (where to get it)
9. Thyme (where to get it)
10. Turmeric (where to get it)
4 Essential Oil Recipes for Gout
Discover how to naturally treat gout using these 4 essential oil recipes you can easily follow and make in the comfort of your own home:
1. Pain Relieving Massage Formula
What you need
- 12 drops juniper berry
- 12 drops lemon
- 6 drops fennel
- 2 tbsp grapeseed oil (where to get it)
- 2 oz amber glass dropper bottle (where to get it)
Method
- Mix up all the oils in a glass dropper bottle. Store in a cool dry place.
To use, place 5 – 7 drops on one palm, rub both palms together then massage the painful area for at least 3 minutes. - Let the oils penetrate for 15 minutes or leave it on overnight.
2. Gout Attack Blend
What you need
- 10 drops juniper berry
- 10 drops tea tree
- 12 drops geranium
- 7 drops rosemary
- 7 drops roman chamomile
- 7 drops lemon
- Fractionated coconut oil (where to get it)
- 10 ml roll – on bottle (where to get it)
Method
- Combine the essential oils drop by drop in a roller bottle.
- Top with fractionated coconut oil.
- Roll onto the affected area as soon as you feel an attack coming.
3. Gout Relief Pain Cream
What you need
- ¼ cup shea butter (where to get it)
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (where to get it)
- 10 drops peppermint oil
- 10 drops juniper berry oil
- 10 drops roman chamomile oil
- 5 drops lemon oil
- Double boiler (where to get it)
- Hand mixer (where to get it)
- 4 oz amber glass jar (where to get it)
Method
- Melt the shea butter and coconut oil together in a double boiler.
- Once melted, pour into a large bowl and leave it to set in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
- Then get the bowl out and add all the essential oils.
- Mix well with a non – plastic cutlery or popsicle stick.
- Using the hand mixer, beat the ingredients until they form a creamy mix.
- That’s your pain cream! Use liberally on painful areas for relief. This cream has a long shelf life – over a year so keep it away from contaminants like water and dirty fingers.
4. Foot Soak for Gout
What you need
- A foot soak tub (where to get it) filled with hot water
- 10 drops peppermint or wintergreen
- 10 drops lemon
- ¼ cup Epsom salts (where to get it)
Method
- Fill your foot soak tub with hot water and while the water is running, add the Epsom salts and allow them to disperse.
- Now add the essential oils then place your feet in and stir the water so the essential oils get mixed in.
- Soak your feet for 15 minutes or more until relief is experienced.
With essential oils for gout, you can get relief the natural way. What essential oils are you going to use for gout relief? Share your thoughts below!
