Jo's Health Corner: bruising

Anti-Inflammatory Essential Oils

Inflammation can be caused by conditions such as poor diet, bacteria, physical injury, hormonal imbalance or chemicals. Certain oils have shown to be excellent for reducing inflammation. German Chamomile for example, contains the blue compound azulene, a compound with high anti-inflammatory properties.

Certain oils are better for certain types of inflammation,according to the "Essential Oils Integrative Guide":

Roman Chamomile and lavender are best suited for inflammation caused by bacterial infection.
Myrrh and helichrysum are better suited for inflammation caused by tissue/capillary damage, bruising.
Ravensara, hyssop, and thyme are best for inflammation caused by viral infection.

Some essential oils with anti-inflammatory properties:
German chamomile, Roman chamomile, clove, palo santo, peppermint, nutmeg, lavender, tea tree, basil, geranium, bay, bergamot, Dorado Azul, ginger and wintergreen.

Not sure how to apply the oils? Visit these pages to learn how to apply the oils:

If you're new to essential oils you might want to check out my Getting Started Guide.

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Johanna is an aromatherapist and she is passionate about educating people about health, essential oils, real food, natural remedies, and nutrition so they make healthier choices in their lives.
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5:18 PM | Read more...

Aromatic Compress for Bruising

My daughter fell last summer and bruised her shoulder. She was out running in the backyard and tripped over a rock. When she came in and said that she fell and she was hurt, I immediately grabbed for my oils. My husband looked at it and made sure nothing was broken.

I like to use aromatic compresses for minor things at home. According to Battaglia, some of the benefits of using a compress are:

that it may relieve lymphatic and fluid congestion.
may clear heat, fever, and inflammation.
may improve circulation and reduce pain.
may relieve tiredness.

Aromatic compresses are essential oils mixed with water, and applied to the skin with aid of a strip of gauze. Compresses can be either hot or cold.

Hot compresses are made with water that is as hot as can be tolerated. The hot compresses has historically been used to reduce muscular and rheumatic pain. It has also been used to draw out boils and splinters.

Cold compresses are made with ice water. According to Battaglia, its uses include treating sprains, swelling, fever, and to relieve stress.

The adult formula calls for 8-10 drops of oils, so for my 10 year old daughter I used half the amount oils.

4-8 oz. warm or cold water
5 drops essential oils

I decided to use a cold compress for my daughter, but first I applied an ice pack while I was fixing the water for the compress. After the third day I will switch to a hot compress. In between using the compresses 3 times a day,I add massage oil blend to the area.

I decided to use my favorite Pain Relieving blend that includes oils historically used for bruises. The ingredients in the blend are wintergreen, helichrysum, clove, and peppermint. This is a powerful blend of anti-inflammatory and analgesic essential oils historically used for reducing pain and inflammation. I would not use these oils on infants and very young children. It may cause skin sensitivity, so don't forget to perform a skin patch test before you need to use it.

If I didn't use the Pain Relieving Blend then I would have considered using oils such as peppermint, geranium, eucalyptus, lavender, fennel , rosemary and cypress. They have historically been used for bruising. These can be used as singles or mixed in a blend. The oils mentioned are oils that I would use on my 9 and 10 year old. The dilution chart will give you also give you information what oils to use for what age group.

My oldest son is playing football, and if there's severe bruising involved I add oils that stimulate the spleen, such as black pepper, chamomile and lavender as recommended by Battaglia. He also suggest other things to consider in bruising, like increase my son's intake of Vitamin C bioflavonoids, to make sure he avoids aspirin, and increases dark green leafy vegetables and fresh fruit high in vitamin C.

As always when it comes to aromatherapy, check the dilution page and the safety page.