In today’s crazy, modern world, tendonitis is quite commonly experienced. A painful, inflammatory condition often caused by repetitive motion that affects the tendons, it’s often a result of playing sports, heavy lifting – or even from hours using our smartphones.
Late last year, I found myself struggling with tendonitis in my foot after a summer of flip flops (and a quick change to high heels for a wedding!) – which left me unable to walk to the point I was on crutches. I’m a huge advocate for being able to heal ourselves, but eventually it became unbearable, so I went to see a foot specialist to gather more data about the pain.
When I saw the doctor, I was advised to have a steroid injection. I didn’t want to turn to steroids and their potential side effects, so I decided to trust my body’s ability to heal itself. When I refused them because I favour more natural alternatives, I was asked “if nothing else, please just take anti-inflammatories?”, before he laughed and asked me to humour him. (Note: I couldn’t understand at the time why he was chuckling – until I came out, looked down at my jumper and realised I was wearing my jumper that reads “we are the granddaughters of the witches you could not burn!”- which caused me to giggle!).
And whilst it’s quite a radical worldview (and one that I always caveat with: I’m not ‘anti-medicine’, it does life-saving things), I’m pleased to say that I trusted my wisdom to heal myself more naturally. A few months later, I have healed without any other medication (not even anti-inflammatories!). Instead, I turned to essential oils – a natural and holistic approach I have always trusted and harnessed – because they provide a natural alternative to support our innate self-healing capacity.
Whether we decide to go down the medical route, or not, the point here is this: essential oils are complementary support (along with rest and a supportive diet!) that can help us heal the pain of tendonitis. So which oils can help?
Top 5 essential oils to heal tendonitis
Given tendonitis is a painful condition with swelling, the following top 5 oils are known for their healing, analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, making them effective tools to alleviate symptoms and aid recovery:
- Turmeric – a warm, spicy oil – and one of my favourite oils for its potent anti-inflammatory properties – turmeric can help reduce inflammation that accompanies tendonitis. It has antioxidant properties, too, which support the body’s healing.
- Cajeput – a sweet, camphorous aroma, this essential oil is one I actually came across after a fall in Bali – and it was a miracle oil that has been a lifesaver as an analgesic for many things and helped my own tendonitis!
- Ginger – an earthy, warm, spicy aroma, Ginger essential oil has excellent anti-inflammatory properties, and is also circulatory increasing – aiding in the healing process. It’s particularly effective for stiffness and pain from tendonitis.
- Frankincense – a woody resin, Frankincense is known for its support in tissue repair and reducing inflammation. It can help promote healing and regeneration of cells, making it a great choice for tendonitis.
- Rosemary – this fresh, herby oil has been used for centuries to alleviate pain and inflammation. Its stimulating properties can improve circulation, helping reduce swelling in tendons.
Three aromatherapy blends to soothe tendonitis
Healing Massage Oil
One of the best methods I found for curing my tendonitis was that of directly applying a massage blend to the affected area. Each day, night and morning, I made sure to apply my oil as a healing balm. Here’s a blend:
Massage Blend: Mix 2 drops Turmeric, 2 drops Cajeput and 2 drops Frankincense into 15ml Castor Oil (which is also analgesic and helps the body release pain and inflammation), and blend well in a small bottle. Each morning, massage gently into the affected area, in a direction towards the heart.
Keep going with this night and morning – for months, if needed.
Compress
Another way of harnessing plant healing is by using a cool or warm compress infused with essential oils. To decide which temperature of compress, it’s usually recommended to use a ‘cool’ compress when an injury is ‘acute’ and swollen – i.e. immediately upon the first instance of noticing it – and then switching to a ‘warm’ compress once the inflammation has subsided and become more ongoing.
For a Cool Compress: Mix 3 drops Rosemary and 3 drops Frankincense essential oils into a 100ml bowl of ice-cold water. Soak a clean cloth or flannel in the water and let it soak up the oils and water. Wring out the excess water and apply to the affected area until it begins to get warm – dipping the cloth back into the water as needed to refresh the flannel with coolness (for a maximum of 10 minutes).
For a Warm Compress: Mix 3 drops Ginger and 3 drops Turmeric essential oils into a 100ml bowl of hot water (as warm as you can take). Soak a clean cloth or flannel and let it soak up the oils and water. Wring out the excess water and apply to the affected area until it begins to feel warm – you could cover it with cling-film and a towel to keep the heat in. Replace it with a new compress as needed as soon as it has cooled to body temperature.
Soothing Bath for Pain Relief
A final way to harness natural healing is to take a warm bath with essential oils to relax your muscles and ease tendonitis pain.
Bath Blend: Mix 3 drops Frankincense, 2 drops Rosemary and 1 drop Lavender essential oil into 15ml of Bath Oil and pour it into the hot, running water of your bath. Ease your way in and relax your muscles, soaking in the healing water.
It’s important to remember that whilst essential oils can be incredibly effective in reducing the symptoms of tendonitis, we also need to combine them with other healing practices, like rest, gentle stretching, and avoiding overuse of the affected tendon. I even combined in red light therapy and turmeric supplements. We have to be willing to give our bodies the time, rest and natural support they need to heal and recover.
If tendonitis persists or worsens, it may be wise to consult a specialist for treatment – however, incorporating essential oil remedies into your healing routine can help speed up the healing process – and support with alleviating pain in a natural, holistic way.
So often we are used to seeking ‘quick fixes’ – which can be what has us lean away from the ‘natural approach’ – but healing with essential oils isn’t the ‘easy route’ – it does often take longer, but it’s natural and it helps! With a bit of care, rest, and essential oil support, you’ll be on your way to recovery in no time! As I learned from my own journey, it may be slow, but by trusting in our body’s innate capacity to heal – and harnessing nature’s remedies – the body can heal. It’s well worth the patience.
Nicole Barton
Consultant Aromatherapist
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