Essential oils can help broken bones heal faster.
Obviously essential oils will not heal a broken bone by themselves (Always go to the doctor and make sure the bone is properly set and put in a cast or other immobilizing device). Once the acute injury has been treated, essential oils can be used as a complimentary therapy to help improve circulation and reduce inflammation to speed up the healing process as well as relieve the pain and swelling.
Broken bones and fractures are generally caused by injury, like a fall, collision, automobile accident or excessive usage of the body, such as in the case of extreme athletes, when a force is applied to the bone and exceeds its endurance. Such endurance is affected by several factors, such as the bone’s age, size, hardness, as well as the activity intensity. Certain nutrient deficiencies in the body can cause our bones to become easily prone to breakage. Degenerative conditions, like osteoporosis can also contribute to broken bones and fractures.
How Do Essential Oils Heal Broken Bones Faster?
While essential oils cannot repair a broken bone on their own, they can help put the body into balance so to help speed up the healing process faster and reduce pain and discomfort. For example, essential oils can:
- Help improve blood flow and lymph flow to the affected area. Increased circulation helps carry nutrients to re-mineralize the bone so it can heal along with carrying away debris.
- Help repair the tissue around the bone fracture.
- Relieve the local swelling and inflammation.
- Relieve pain.
- Warm up the injured area. Heat is known to speed up the healing process.
Essential oils for bones have also been found to protect against bone loss – Studies have found that essential oils, especially those that are high in the monoterpenes borneol, thymol, and camphor can help prevent calcium loss from the bones and protect against osteoporosis and bone loss.
Essential Oils for Broken Bones
1. Helichrysum™
Helichrysum italicum: Renown for its pain relieving properties and ability to aid in bone repair, improved circulation, accelerated healing, and decreased muscle pain, Helichrysum™ helps to strengthen the nervous system, relieving nerve pain while regenerating and healing damaged nerves around broken bones. 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. As it helps rebuild cells, it may be beneficial in healing ligaments and tendons around the injured bone helping to reduce associated pain. We sell Helichrysum™ as both a single oil 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. Apply topically (over broken bone or bottom of the foot) 3x daily. To release pain and stress, you can also apply 1-2 drops on the base of your neck.
2. Anti Inflammatory™
Anti Inflammatory™: 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 inflammation. Anti Inflammatory™ contains Ylang-ylang which has healing properties that repair nerve damage. It also includes Frankincense™ which has been shown to improve accurate transmission and communication of messages between the nerves and the brain. Incorrect messages to the brain’s limbic system can result in nerve pain, so improving the accuracy of signals can eliminate pain.
Bones contain high amounts of collagen fibers. Frankincense™ boosts the production of collagen which helps the bones and the tissue around the fracture heal faster and reduce the risk of an infection. Frankincense™ can also help reduce inflammation and minimize scaring.
Anti Inflammatory™ also contains ginger, an excellent antioxidant that helps reduce inflammation, and kill bacteria to heal infectious areas. Ginger oil is ideal for fractures, internal bleeding, and tissue damaged by pieces of broken bones. It also helps to improve circulation and fight the joint and muscle pains related to broken bones. Apply 2-3 drops or Anti Inflammatory™ to any inflamed area of the body, or the bottom of the feet, 3x daily.
3. Nerve Repair™
Nerve Repair™ supports healing for the bones and ligaments and helps repair damaged nerves, relieve pain, stimulates circulation, ease inflammation and help regenerate new cells. It is a great pain reliever and helps in healing, regeneration, and repair of nerve cells and connective tissue that may have been damaged by broken bones. It is formulated from organic and/or wild-crafted essential oils known to assist in repairing damaged nerves, including Basil which is one of the best nerve tonics. 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. Characterized by its analgesic, antidepressant, antispasmodic and balancing properties, basil essential oil is simultaneously beneficial in calming nerve pain and offering stimulation to nerves, even helping to repair connective tissue. Basil oil was also found to produce painkilling effects on mice with chronic muscle pain leading researchers to suggest basil oil as a potential method of pain relief for those with fibromyalgia.
Nerve Repair™ also contains Helichrysum italicum and Marjoram, which acts as a natural pain reliever, an arterial vasodilator (helping to dilate blood vessels), and a tonic and stimulant for the entire nervous system. Research has shown that Marjoram helps to strengthen the nervous system and speed up the healing process of the injured nerves by strengthening the damaged area. Marjoram also supports the treatment of swelling and inflammation, contributing to its effectiveness in treating nerve pain. In addition, majoram has a mild sedative effect which provides relief from chronic pain. Massage 2 -3 drops around the injury or on the bottom of the feet as needed.
4. Parasympathetic®
Parasympathetic®: The Clove oil contained in the Parasympathetic® blend has been used throughout history to relieve pain. For example, dentists long used clove oil to help treat and relieve pain. Clove oil makes an ideal natural pain-killer due to its anti-inflammation, antispasmodic, and analgesic properties. It is thought to work by blocking nerve signals from sending the message of pain from the body to the brain, thus giving the user a break from pain. Research supports the pain relieving properties of clove essential oil, correlating the high concentration of eugenol, found in clove oil in levels upward of 88.58 percent, with clove’s pain reduction properties as Eugenol is commonly used as a local antiseptic and anesthetic.
An additional 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.
Parasympathetic® oil can also be used to reduce the body’s inflammatory response. 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.
5. Circulation™
Circulation™: Helps support the delivery of oxygen and nutrient rich blood to the site of injury. 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, Circulation™ blend may help open the vasculature to allow for optimal blood flow to both carry healing oxygen and nutrients to cells and allow the injured bone 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 proves the anti-inflammatory properties reduces pain and swelling. Ginger oil also significantly reduces inflammation, blocks pain, and increases antioxidant activity. Black pepper is known as one of the best oils for muscular aches and pains due to its ability to warm muscles and improve circulation. Apply 2- 3 drops of Circulation™ on the sides or back of the neck, over the left clavicle, on the wrists or ankles to help increase blood flow.
6. Lymph™
Supporting the movement of lymphatic fluid helps to stimulate healing in injured areas. The 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. 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 from 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 arm pits, and the groin.
7. Peppermint™
Peppermint™: Possesses analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic properties that relieve aches, pain and inflammation as well as calming the spasms that cause muscle cramps, making it an ideal natural treatment for pain associated with broken bones. The menthol contained in Peppermint™ oil naturally warms the skin and muscles to improve circulation in the area of injury. This improved blood circulation stimulates the nerves and helps to heal damaged and injured nerves. Peppermint™ also helps to reduce inflammation and ease pain and discomfort. It can also help reduce fluid retention, allowing you to recover full range of motion after your bone recovers. To apply, mix Peppermint™ with a carrier oil like coconut oil and massage into the painful area.
8. Lavender™
Lavender™: Helps support key physical and mental symptoms of broken bones, including reducing pain, improving mood and aiding with relaxation and sleep. Lavender™ possesses analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-convulsant and antispasmodic properties, making it a great choice for healing a broken bone. 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 massage with Lavender™ oil 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.
NEVER apply essential oils on open wounds! Apply on the bottom of feet or as directed.
Featured Oils:
Ready to get started? Click the links below to order today:
- Anti Inflammatory™ available here
- Circulation™ available here
- Frankincense™ available here
- Helichrysum™ available here
- Lavender™ available here
- Lymph™ available here
- Nerve Repair™ available here
- Parasympathetic® available here
- Peppermint™ available here
