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7 Essential Oils for Back Pain

By Jodi Cohen

One of the joys of aging and remaining physically active is that sometimes my back lets me know that it needs a break.

I see this as a constant opportunity to test different essential oil blends to see what helps and better understand why it works.  

When it comes to back pain, I have noticed that there are often a number of contributing factors that combine to create the experience of pain. When I address those underlying factors with the supporting essential oil blend, my discomfort seems to disappear.  

In today’s post, I am excited to share the different oils I use for different situations. All can be combined to support the optimal protocol for your personal needs.

Back pain is defined as pain in the back or the rear portion of the body that extends from the shoulders to the hips. Back pain or discomfort can feel like a dull ache, a sharp pain, a muscle ache, or a burning or stabbing sensation. Pain may also radiate down the leg and may worsen when bending, twisting, lifting, standing, or walking. 

Pain can come on suddenly – from over-exercise or injury – or develop slowly. The duration of pain determines whether it is defined as acute (happens suddenly and usually lasts a few days to a few weeks), subacute (pain that lasts between four and 12 weeks), or chronic (pain that persists for 12 weeks or longer). 

Back pain can be extremely varied and affects different people differently, with pain or soreness presenting in different areas of the upper and lower back. Some of the more common symptoms include:

  • Back pain that comes and goes.
  • Pain that can feel dull, burning, sharp, shooting, stabbing, or aching.
  • Discomfort that can include stiffness, muscle spasms, numbness, tingling, weakness, or pins and needles.
  • Increasing pain with lifting and bending.
  • Worsening pain when resting, sitting, or standing.
  • Pain that radiates away from the back into the buttocks, leg, or hip.
  • Numbness or weakness in your legs or feet.
  • Morning stiffness, difficulty bending, walking, or standing up straight.
  • Worse when bending, twisting, lifting, standing, walking, sitting, or resting, or when you cough, sneeze, or laugh.
  • Localized back pain, in the middle or shifted to the side.
  • Restricted movement or reduced range of motion.
  • Difficulty lying, sitting, standing, or walking for long periods of time.
  • Emerging fear-avoidance behavior (you no longer do certain things because you are afraid that they might trigger or aggravate your back problems).
  • Pain when sleeping or once standing up in the morning.
  • Inability to stand up for long periods or worsened pain when you do.
  • Discomfort near the tailbone while sitting, especially when sitting for long periods, such as at work or when driving.

Back pain can be the result of a sports injury, strain from lifting, a car accident, or too much twisting or bending. It can also be caused by irritation/inflammation of tissues in the musculoskeletal system, including bones, nerves, muscle, fascia, or lymph, along with:

  • Postural problems
  • Muscular strains and/or weakness, or possibly fractures, that cause compensations and added pressure on the back (such as a weak core, tight hamstrings, or weak glutes)
  • Fascia adhesions 
  • Stagnation in the lymphatic system
  • Poor form when exercising
  • Overtraining (over-exercising without enough rest between, especially when stretching is overlooked)
  • Exercise or sports-related injuries or accidents, including pulls or strains
  • Inflexibility and stiffness 
  • Emotional/psychological stress
  • Lack of sleep or sleeping in an uncomfortable sleep position
  • Constipation, which can add pressure to the abdomen and cause muscle spasms
  • Infections of the internal organs (such as kidney stones, kidney infections, blood clots, or bone loss)

Essential oils can be powerful remedies for relief from pain and inflammation.

Topically applied essential oils can easily penetrate layers of the skin, helping to release restricted fascia, creating warmth to break up congestion, increasing circulation, lymphatic drainage, and mobilizing adhered or painful tissue.

Essential oils soften the myofascial tissue, allowing the deep and constrained tissue to stretch and move as it is designed to function. They also have an analgesic effect, relaxing the muscles and reducing pain. Essential oils can be used to revitalize and de-stress the fascia and muscles, working quickly to break down inflamed, fibrous tissue, and remove toxins from the painful area.

As you may know, your experience of pain can be triggered by pain receptors – a group of sensory neurons with specialized nerve endings in your skin, deep tissues, like muscles and joints, and most of your organs – which send a message via nerve fibers to your spinal cord and brain stem and then onto your brain where the sensation of pain is registered and pain is perceived. The chemical constituents of essential oils can help modulate your perception and experience of pain.

Essential oils work as analgesics, which means they relieve pain, relax muscles, reduce inflammation and calm your nerves when topically applied. The chemical composition of essential oils – super small and fat soluble – allows them to bind to and inhibit prostaglandin synthesis (the process that creates/signals pain and inflammation). This is the same channel by which nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) work. This might be one reason that essential oils consistently test as effective as over-the-counter pain medications and pharmacological and clinical studies have demonstrated the profile of essential oil compounds as drug candidates.

Topically applied essential oils may also help to vasodilate your blood and lymphatic vessels which may help improve the flow of fluid that can contribute to swelling and inflammation. Essential oils may also help release facial adhesions, improve circulation, stimulate healthy lymphatic flow, and support regulation of your nervous system.

In addition, smelling essential oils – through your olfactory channel – can also help modulate the perception of pain.

Your sense of smell is directly connected with your perception of pain.

When you inhale essential oils, the odor molecules travel to the part of the limbic system known as the amygdala. Your amygdala is both an important mediator for pain reception and the part of your brain most often linked to the emotional aspects of olfaction perception.

Olfactory stimulation can directly activate your amygdala and modulate the perception of chronic pain processing pathways. “This direct connection may be important for survival due to the urgency of interrupting pain reception and danger signals,” according to Sarah A. LoBisco, ND in her Townsend Letter article Olfaction’s Complex Connections of Emotions, Memory, and Pain Perception.

In other words, pain is a perceived signal that is either passed on through descending pain pathways with an associated emotional response or modulated, which can calm pain perception. Research shows that “pain may result from signaling disturbances in the amygdala… Therefore, it has been suggested that the amygdala may serve as a “hot spot” in supraspinal descending pain control, switching on and off chronic pain.”

“Furthermore, it has been shown that corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) upregulated in the limbic structures is associated with neuropathic pain as well as mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression. This is likely to be independent of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis stimulation. Therefore, olfaction could potentially impact central pain response through modulation of physiological feedback.”

Your sense of smell, and the use of essential oils, is a powerful tool to help switch off the perception of pain.

The following 7 essential oil blends may help both alleviate symptoms and address the underlying root cause of your back pain.

Fascial tension may result in pain and loss of mobility in and around your back. Fascia contains more pain receptors than muscles, is closely linked to your autonomic nervous system, and forwards continuous signals to the brain.

Your fascia surrounds the tissues in your body, encasing nerves, muscles, tendons, joints, blood vessels, lymph, and bones and in many cases is a key factor in all physical pain, muscle tension, or even chronic pain.

Fascia can help with functional movement by reducing friction between structures. The collagen that makes up fascia is organized in a wavy pattern. Healthy fascia layers are flexible and can slide over one another. When pulled, these lines of tissue resist tensile and shear loads, helping to keep your body parts together.

Stress and tension can limit flexibility and the fascia can become matted and form hardened areas, called adhesions. Fascial adhesions or hardened and adhered fascia – which can no longer slide smoothly – lead to restricted movement and back pain, especially if the fascia becomes so thick that nerves constrict. Fascial compartments may also become tight and not allow for normal movement of lymph and blood into and out of the compartment, contributing to pain and swelling.

As you may know, fascia lies just below the skin, so topically applying essential oils to the skin allows for easy and immediate access to the fascia. The skin is your largest organ and is relatively permeable to fat-soluble substances like essential oils that can permeate the tissue and may help release adhesions and fascial restriction, increase circulation, and decrease swelling in the tissue around the back.

The essential oils in the Fascia Release™ blend are uniquely formulated to unravel deeply held tensions, constrictions, and energetic blockages in your tissues to reduce pain, improve blood and lymphatic circulation, and release fear, repressed emotions, and tension held in the body (organs, muscles, tendons, bones, and joints) or the mind.

Fascia Release™ contains Lavender™ oil which possesses analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsant, and antispasmodic properties, making it a great choice for calming pain. It is known to increase blood circulation, reduce inflammation, and calm nervous tension and nerve pain. Lavender™ also helps to soothe other symptoms associated with physical injuries, such as headaches, migraines, nausea, and depression. 

Research backs this up, finding that applying Lavender™ oil topically for pain relief was just as effective as some pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories and analgesics. Research found that Lavender™ effectively reduced pain immediately after the treatment, and remained lowered at 1 week post-treatment. Lavender™ also helps calm anxiety and relieve nervous tension to make pain from the injury more manageable. Inhaling lavender also had a morphine-like effect in patients recovering from surgery. The study also found that lavender was effective in reducing migraine pain and relieving lower back pain and neck pain.

One of the most well-known essential oils for pain relief is clove oil contained in the Parasympathetic® blend. Clove has been used throughout history to relieve pain. For example, the strong local anesthetic effect of clove oil has been used in dental practices for centuries to numb the gums, teeth, and nerves and relieve pain like toothaches.

Clove oil makes an ideal natural pain-killer due to its anti-inflammation, antispasmodic and analgesic properties. It can be applied topically to warm muscles and increase circulation which helps reduce pain and ease tension to sore muscles and sprains.

What’s more, clove’s high eugenol content is thought to block nerve signals that send the message of pain from the body to the brain, thus giving the user a break from pain. Parasympathetic® oil can be used to reduce the body’s inflammatory response (Read More HERE).

Similarly, the warming characteristic of clove oil is thought to provide numbing relief from pain, and the antioxidants found in this oil assist in the protection of body cells. Further, a rat study conducted by the Journal of Planta Medica discovered that a chemical compound present in clove essential oil was successful at recovering nerve functions of rats with diabetic neuropathy.

Thirty-one pairs of nerves are rooted in the spinal cord, which can cause radiating pain downward or outward. Fortunately, the Nerve Repair™ blend may help repair damaged nerves, relieve pain, stimulate circulation, ease inflammation, and regenerate new cells.   

Nerve Repair™ is formulated from organic and/or wild-crafted essential oils known for relieving pain and repairing and regenerating damaged nerve cells and connective tissue. For example, basil essential oil is a known nerve tonic, characterized by its analgesic, antidepressant, antispasmodic, and balancing properties. Deemed a divine plant by Hindus in India, basil is a significant ingredient in the treatments used to combat nerve pain and nerve damage.

In a research study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Basil oil was concluded as being particularly helpful in reducing nerve damage symptoms and increasing nerve receptivity. Simultaneously beneficial in calming nerve pain and offering stimulation to nerves, it is regularly used to treat skin conditions, indigestion, stress levels, blood circulation issues, respiratory problems, and certain infections. It also helps repair connective tissue.

Peppermint™ essential oils are known to possess analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-spasmodic properties that relieve aches, pain, and inflammation as well as calm the spasms that cause muscle cramps, making it an ideal natural treatment for nerve pain. In fact, a 2002 study attributed Peppermint™ oil’s dramatic analgesic influence to the relief of neuropathic pain in a 76-year-old woman.

Peppermint™ contains menthol, a cooling phenol that has powerful pain-blocking, anti-inflammatory, and antispasmodic properties. Menthol naturally warms the skin and muscles to improve circulation in the area of numbness or discomfort. This improved blood circulation stimulates the nerves and helps to heal damaged and injured nerves. Although other mints have a cooling analgesic effect, peppermint has by far the highest concentration. Peppermint™ can be purchased as both a single oil and as part of the Nerve Repair™ blend.

Renowned for its pain-relieving properties and ability to accelerate healing, Helichrysum™ helps to strengthen the nervous system, relieving nerve pain while regenerating and healing damaged nerves. Known for its antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, and mild sedative properties, Helichrysum™ has been used historically as a treatment for muscle spasms, decreasing nerve pain, helping repair connective tissue, and reducing swelling and inflammation both inside and outside the body.

You can even apply Helichrysum™ oil directly to an injury to reduce muscle pain and prevent bruising.

The Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology found that the pain-relieving power of helichrysum works by reducing inflammatory enzymes and reduce swelling. As it helps rebuild cells, it may be beneficial in nerve regeneration following injury or in the treatment of peripheral neuropathy, shingles, nerve pain related to burns and even hearing damage caused by nerves. We sell Helichrysum™ as both a single oil (my mother swears by it) and as part of our Nerve Repair™ blend. As we only work with the highest quality oil from Corsica, our single oil is a very expensive oil.

Anti-Inflammatory™ is designed to reduce inflammation and encourage regeneration of damaged or stressed connective tissues. Anti-Inflammatory™ is especially helpful for calming inflammation in protective tissues around nerves, reducing the inflammatory compression that contributes to nerve pain. Anti-Inflammatory™ contains Ylang-ylang which has healing properties that repair nerve damage.  

It also includes Frankincense™ which is known for its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and sedative properties. Frankincense™ has been shown to improve the accurate transmission and communication of messages between the nerves and the brain. Incorrect sensory messages can result in nerve pain, so improving the accuracy of signals can eliminate pain.

The Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2016 published a study showing how Frankincense™ has pain-reducing qualities. The oil works to block COX-2 (an enzyme connected with inflammation) and “exhibits significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.”

In a 2003 study, patients with osteoarthritis knee pain were given either frankincense essential oil or a placebo. The group that was given the frankincense essential oil reported improved knee movement, better range of motion, increased ability to walk for longer distances, and an overall significant decrease in knee pain.

Anti-Inflammatory™ also contains ginger, an excellent antioxidant that helps reduce inflammation and kill bacteria to heal infectious areas. Ginger oil is a rubefacient which means it is warming in nature, which helps dilate your capillaries and increase blood circulation.

It’s particularly good for chronic joint pain, stiff muscles, and tendons and ligaments that need softening. Ginger works by directly inhibiting vanilloid receptors to soothe nerve pain, increase blood flow, bring down inflammation, and relieve achy types of pain when applied topically. Apply 2-3 drops of Anti-Inflammatory™ to any inflamed area of the body, or the bottom of the feet, 3x daily.

Your adrenal glands produce several hormones, including cortisol which is released to help the body manage stress and pain. High cortisol levels raise prolactin levels, increasing the body’s sensitivity to pain, such as backaches.

Research has shown that elevated levels of cortisol increase visceral pain sensitivity in healthy individuals. Adrenal® blend is designed to help balance the adrenals so they don’t release too much or too little cortisol, which can help manage pain.

What’s more, your Adrenal glands directly impact some of the muscles that manage the lower back and hip, including your Sartorius muscle, which is a major pelvic stabilizer. High levels of stress can create tension in the muscles causing them to stiffen or lock up resulting in back pain.

You can topically apply 1- 2 drops of Adrenal® on the adrenal glands (on the lower mid-back, one fist above the 12th rib on each side).

Circulation™ helps support the delivery of oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the site of injury to help speed healing and pain relief.  Formulated to support healthy circulation to deliver oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the body and the brain, while simultaneously carrying toxins and waste away from the cells to be eliminated, the Circulation™ blend may help open the vasculature to allow for optimal blood flow to both carry healing oxygen and nutrients to cells and allow a painful and inflamed area to heal faster.

Circulation™ contains powerful oils known to support bone repair, including Cypress oil which is an anti-spasmodic known to improve circulation and reduce fatigue and stress. Similarly, Nutmeg oil soothes pain, and research has proved its anti-inflammatory properties in reducing pain and swelling.

Black pepper is known as one of the best oils for alleviating deep tissue pain by warming muscles and increasing blood flow to the injury while reducing inflammation and pain. Black Pepper in combination with ginger essential oil in the Circulation™ blend helps enhance circulation, reduces inflammation and blocks pain. The heat of these oils is known to speed up the healing process.

Apply 2-3 drops of Circulation™ on the sides or back of the neck, over the left clavicle, and on the wrists or ankles to help increase blood flow.

Supporting the movement of lymphatic fluid helps to stimulate healing in injured areas. It helps supply the tissues with oxygen and nutrients. It also helps purge used tissue water, along with its metabolic waste products, that can contribute to inflammation and swelling.

Your lymphatic system is critical for moving metabolic waste, toxins, and infections out of the cells via the lymphatic fluid. It serves a dual role as a detoxification pathway and an important part of the immune system to help heal injuries. Interstitial lymph fluid permeates every part of the body and flows through the lymph nodes where toxins are filtered out, acting as a pre-filter for the liver to prevent clogging and liver overload. The lymphatic system also helps carry nutrients, oxygen, hormones, and other healing substances into every cell.

Unfortunately, the lymphatic system doesn’t have a pump, and lymphatic fluid can accumulate and stagnate (learn more about the Lymphatic System here). This stagnation can be due to an overload of acidity, animal protein, gluten, infection, toxins, or adhesions of the connective tissue, such as scars.

The more you can help the lymph fluid flow, the more quickly you can heal injuries and remove toxins that contribute to pain and inflammation in the body. To support lymphatic drainage and movement, generously apply Lymph™ around the sides of the neck, under the left clavicle, in the armpits, and in the groin. For more tips to improve lymphatic function, read this article.

Jodi Cohen

Jodi Sternoff Cohen is the founder of Vibrant Blue Oils. An author, speaker, nutritional therapist, and a leading international authority on essential oils, Jodi has helped over 50,000 individuals support their health with essential oils.