Summary of how oils can help
Overview: Like many pain conditions, the
root cause of back pain can stem from a multitude of
conditions (see article below). Assuming the cause is from physical stress or
strain and is related to muscles or connecting tissue, then
relief from essential oils can be very effective. If the
condition is chronic, it is very important to identify the
root cause of the pain even as the immediate pain is
addressed. As with other muscle pain, both analgesic (pain
relief) and anti-inflammatory oils should be used. Increased
local blood circulation will help and if muscle spasms are
involved use antispasmodic and relaxing oils. Pain relief:
lavender, peppermint, and wintergreen. A pain blend is
effective when applied topically. Anti-inflammatory:
eucalyptus and myrrh with a citrus oil like lemon. Improved
circulation: lemon and rosemary. Muscle spasm relief and
relaxant: lavender and marjoram.
Application: For maximum relief use
topical and massage application of the selected oils in a
carrier oil. Use self massage for areas that can be reached.
A full back massage with long strokes along the back muscles
is even more beneficial. Compresses and baths are also
helpful. Diffusion of a relaxant while resting will increase
relief from spasms and associated stress. Use of a carrier
is recommended with stronger oils like wintergreen or
peppermint.
Identifying back pain problems:
The following are excerpts from an article in AOL Health by
Stephanie Jacob with information from Reza Ghorbani, M.D. (a board-certified
pain management specialist and president and medical
director for the Advanced Pain Medicine Institute in the
greater Washington, D.C., area) that give some helpful
insights into various forms of back pain.
Muscle Strain
Dull, aching pain usually signals, which is one of the
most common causes of back pain, says Ghorbani. It can occur
anywhere you have a muscle, which means the neck and upper
and lower back are all at risk. Twisting the neck or torso,
lifting something, exercising without stretching properly
first or working behind a desk or computer are frequent
causes of strained or in the back and neck, says Ghorbani.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Dull, aching pain could also signal degenerative disc
disease if you're over 30 years of age. As we age, the discs
between the vertebrae in our spine naturally start to ,
placing more pressure on the spine. While not everyone will
develop symptoms (genetics can in whether you will),
that increased stress can mean dull, aching pain on a daily
basis, at the end of the day for some. And, depending on how
worn the disc is, the pain can turn from dull and achy to
sharp, shooting and burning if the disc tears or becomes
herniated. DDD commonly occurs in the low back, but it can
affect the upper back or neck, too.
Herniated Disc
A sharp, burning pain is often a sign of a herniated
disc. Intense pressure on the discs between the vertebrae
can cause them to rupture or herniate. Herniated discs often
occur in the lower part of the back and tend to be
accompanied by a stinging sensation that travels from the
low back to the buttocks, says Ghorbani. Pain from
herniation in the upper part of the spine can coincide with
discomfort in the front of the thigh, while neck herniation
often means pain or a burning sensation down the
shoulders and arms, too.
Sciatica
A sharp, shooting pain indicates a nerve is being
affected, says Ghorbani. The most common cause of sciatica
pain is a herniated disc in the low back pressing into the
sciatic nerve, causing pain to shoot from the lower back to
your buttock and all the way down to your toes. If pain is
projecting from the neck to the shoulders, elbows and
fingers, you may have a herniated disc in your neck (the
term sciatica does not apply to the neck). If you develop
numbness or weakness in your legs, see your doctor right
away. It could be a sign of nerve damage, says Ghorbani.
Facet
Facet joint disease is a common cause of low back pain,
says Ghorbani, although the upper and middle spine is not
exempt. When the facet joints between each vertebra in the
spine degenerate -- either from or age -- the joints
can become inflamed and painful. The dull, achy symptoms
tend to be concentrated in one area (not shooting down a
leg), and spasms can occur as an attempt to stabilize the
back. Standing or moving around can ease the pain associated
with facet joint disease, while sitting or resting for too
long can make it worse. If getting out of bed in the morning
is difficult because of a stiff back, facet joint disease
may be to blame, says Ghorbani.
Failed Back Syndrome
Between 15 and 40 percent of people who have had back
surgery have failed back syndrome, a condition that leaves
you in either more or the same amount of pain as you were in
prior to surgery, says Ghorbani. The pain is usually
constant.
“You don't have to stand up, walk or twist. It comes from
a malfunction of your nerves,” he says.
Symptoms can be a dull, achy pain that radiates into the
hips, buttocks and thighs or sharp stabs of pain in the back
and legs.
Spinal Stenosis
Stenosis is a narrowing of one or more areas in the
spinal canal, which causes pressure on the spinal cord or
nerves. It's often a condition that follows other such
as herniated disc, arthritis or degenerative disc disease,
says Ghorbani, and it can cause cramping, pain and numbness
in the legs, back, neck, arms or shoulders; a loss of
feeling in the extremities and sometimes problems with
bladder or bowel function. The symptoms tend to get worse
with walking or with activities and somewhat better with
rest. If you develop numbness or weakness in your legs, see
your doctor right away.
Procedures (protocols) other folks
recommend
Submissions directly to
EverythingEssential.me.
Our thanks to:
Debbie Huckstep
dhuckstep@comcast.net
Debbie - My sweet daughter rags on me
quite a bit because I���m always sharing some kind of
testimony about the oils - she loves to roll her eyes
because these oils “just can’t POSSIBLY do all the things I
say they are doing!” She injured her back today and came to
me quite nervous that she was really in trouble. She
actually wanted me to use the oils on her. We only had
a quick minute so I didn’t have time to do the complete
AromaTouch Technique so
I just grabbed the strongest oil I felt I had for her
problem. This was birch. I quickly put a few
drops on her lower back where the pain was so intense.
In less than five minutes she came to me, biting her tongue
I know, and told me the pain was gone!
Debbie - My brother -in -law was flat in
bed for three solid weeks with a back injury. He is 52 years
old. His wife was so scared, she enrolled in nursing
school worrying that he could possibly be disabled.
He called me desperate. I sent Balance, lemongrass,
and peppermint. He could not afford much. His
wife was debilitated with hot flashes. They were so
bad she didn’t even want to go to church and she is
president of a church organization and needs to be there! I
also sent clary sage for her. They called me within
one day after having received and used the oils. They
were all but in tears. My brother -in -law was out of
bed, working and lifting. Her hot flashes were
completely gone after one day's use.
Pat -
AromaTouch Technique. You do the technique using the
oils exactly in the order as given. Balance, Oregano, Thyme,
Basil, Wintergreen, Marjoram, Cypress, and Peppermint.
Just a drop or two of each. It should be done before
bedtime when the ailing person is relaxed and ready for bed.
In the morning when they gets up you will rub Helichrysum on
the specific area of the back that is bothering them.
AFTER EACH MASSAGE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO DRINK A LOT OF
WATER. This enables the toxins that were released during the
massage to be flushed from the body .
Pat - Back Pain Formula: White Fir and Frankincense
applied topically. Specifically on the arch of the foot, and
the back of the foot.
Rex - An experience with back pain.
Mid April of this year, out of nowhere, I developed a severe
pain on the right back side near my shoulder blade.
Since we were about to travel from Arizona to Idaho I first
went to a chiropractor (very little relief), then to a
medical doctor. Both found no structural problem but
could see there were severe muscle spasms. The pain
was intense and continued. I was using cold compresses
and was sporadic with my oils use. The medical doctor
gave me pain meds that I tried off and on but they had their
usual bad side effects (out of it, sluggish and
constipated). Finally, after making it to Idaho, I
started getting serious about using oils. My wife
(after consulting with Robert James) did something similar
to the AromaTouch Technique
(the ATT had not yet been made public) on my spine a couple of times
the first day and then daily for about a week. This
helped the pain a lot. But without the oils, the pain
was still very intense and now included pain in my right arm
with numbness down to my fingers. By then we were in
Boise and I was seeing a chiropractor friend and also my
regular doctor. Both confirmed it was the 3rd or 4th
vertebrae area (I forget which) and was a protruding
(slipped) disc coupled with some arthritis putting pressure
on the nerves. The chiropractor recommended and the
doctor prescribed a 5 day regiment of Prednisone to get
ahead of the ongoing severe pain. I did this but also
continued the ATT. The chiropractor helped
with stretching and relaxing the muscles and also provided a
traction device that I could use at home.
At this point the pain was under control but still a 5 or
6 on a 10 point scale and the strength in my right hand/arm
was quite diminished (could not write well or zip my pants).
Further it wasn’t getting better any faster. So again
we reviewed the oils more seriously and decided on the
following regiment. Use AromaTouch and Deep Blue on
the areas of pain from the muscle spasms (shoulder blade
area and arm) and apply helichrysum (for tissue repair and
nerve damage) directly on
the disc and frankincense (for inflammation) directly on
the spinal column as well. A standard “treat both the
symptoms and the root cause” strategy. At first it was
three times a day on the AromaTouch and Deep Blue (4 or 5
drops each with a carrier) and morning with helichrysum (2
drops, no carrier) and evening with frankincense (2 drops,
no carrier). During this time I continued using the
traction device a couple of times a day. After a week
I continued the helichrysum and frankincense but only
applied Deep Blue once or twice a day with just 2 or 3 drops
directly on the spinal area (the spasms had gone away and
this helped with the remaining pain). Now after two
weeks of the well thought out strategy, I am 95% and have
almost all strength back in my arm and hand. I have
not used Deep Blue for a couple days but will continue the
helichrysum and frankincense for another week.
After a week a was pretty good and stopped using the
oils. A couple of weeks later I still had some
weakness in my arm and hand and restarted using the
helichrysum until all was normal in another 2 weeks.
Jan - What a great story. I have often
tried to teach people that oils work differently for
everyone. What may be something that works for you, may not
be the ideal protocol for others. Your story is a perfect
example. Your pain and discomfort was the motivator, Your
protocol, although based on advice from someone else, in the
end seemed to be a method that you refined to fit you based
on experience and intuition. That is the way it should be!
To get deeper, in my opinion... Your sub-conscience is all
knowing when it comes to your bodies needs, and when you can
access that information, you will know the exact oils you
need and how to use them! Than is where, intuition,
inspiration, higher power, whatever you choose to call it
comes in.
I am happy for your success, and hope it will be a
valuable education as you help others to trust and enjoy the
oils.
PS. Isn't it funny how when you have a medical issue,
and go to the doctor, he gives you a pill. Seems simple,
but they are only effective with the issue less than half
the time (statistically) and they come with side effects that
are often as bad or worse than the original problem. Some
doctors think nothing of prescribing extra medications that
work on symptoms of side effects!!
Unfortunately, its all about $$. And the doctors get a
kick back from big pharma for prescribing there pills, so
why not prescribe!! When you use God's gifts for
healing, it requires some effort, faith, hard work and
doesn't come suspended in a syrupy glob of high fructose
sugar and alcohol.
