Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds that come from plants.
These organic compounds can be used for medicinal purposes, as fragrances, and in alternative medicine. Plants release essential oils into the air to attract pollinators like bees.
However, essential oils also possess antimicrobial properties that protect the plant against bacteria, fungi, insects, and viruses.
Today, essential oils are used to create medical-grade essential oil to treat both severe and mild conditions in humans.
There are many different ways that one can use essential oil. You can add a few drops into your bathwater, diffuse it into the air using an aromatherapy diffuser machine, or apply topically onto your skin.
However, when you have a bunion, the big toe points outward to form an arc. This puts pressure on the smaller toes, which begin to pull inwards.
Over time, this leads to skin irritation that can become infected. A shoe will also put pressure on your big toe joints further aggravating the condition.
Essential oils may be effective in treating bunions because they contain anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce pain and swelling.
1. Essential Oil Helps Relieve Pain
One of the main benefits of essential oils is that they are effective in reducing inflammation, fever, and pain.
The anti-inflammatory properties help eliminate bunion pain fast. In addition, analgesic compounds derived from plants help reduce nerve irritation.
Related Video – How To Naturally Cure Bunions At Homes
2. Essential Oils Increases Circulation
Essential oils boost circulation which increases the supply of blood to both muscles and joints. This helps reduce stiffness and other side effects associated with bunions.
3. Essential Oils Ease Swelling
Swelling around your bunion can cause a lot of discomfort as well as limit movement within your foot and toe area.
Emollient fats contained in essential oils act as moisturizers that improve the flexibility of skin cells by enveloping them with lipids. This eases the pressure on the bunion area to reduce pain and swelling.
4. Essentials Oils Soothe Irritation And Itching
Most essential oils help soothe skin irritations by providing temporary relief from the discomfort associated with bunions.
This is because essential oils contain antiseptic properties that prevent fungal infections around the nail fold.
Lavender, GSE, peppermint, cedarwood, grapefruit seed extract (GSE), cypress, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), German chamomile, ginger root oil (Zingiber officinale), frankincense resinoid acetate (Boswellia carterii) leaf are some of the essential oils that may help soothe irritation and itching.
5. Essential Oil Helps Fight Infections
Lavender, German chamomile, marjoram, cedarwood, helichrysum italicum flower oil sclerosis planters leaves, peppermint, tea tree oil (TTO), tea tree oil (TTO), and ginger root oil (Zingiber officinale) are effective in fighting infections due to their strong antibacterial properties.
They also stimulate skin cells to promote healthy skin tissue.
They also contain vitamins E and A that relieve pain in the area and reduce skin irritation.
8. Essential Oil Gives Relief From Swelling And Soreness
You can use essential oils to help cure the swelling and soreness of the bunion area.
Peppermint, marjoram, lavender, ginger root oil (Zingiber officinale), German chamomile, ylang-ylang oil (Cananga odorata) are some of the most effective essential oils that will help you relieve swelling and soreness around the bunion area.
9. Essential Oil Help Increase Mobility
Essential oils promote the flow of blood which helps increase mobility in your joints.
You can use essential oils that have been shown to help increase mobility such as sweet birch oil (Betula lenta), black pepper oil, German chamomile oil (Matricaria recutita), ginger root oil (Zingiber officinale), and marjoram oil (Origanum majorana).
10. Essential Oil Help Reduce Arthritic Pain
Arthritis is a joint condition characterized by pain, stiffness, swelling, and inflammation. You can use essential oils to help reduce the pain associated with arthritis in your bunion.
Peppermint oil (Mentha x Piperita), sweet birch oil (Betula lenta), wintergreen oil, lavender oil (Lavandula angustifolia), German chamomile oil (Matricaria recutita), ginger root oil (Zingiber officinale) are some of the most effective essential oils that will help you reduce arthritic pain.
How To Use Essential Oil For Bunions
1. Clean Area Around The Bunion Gently
It is best to clean the area around your bunion using a gentle cleanser or mild soap and warm water. Dry the area with a soft towel before applying essential oil for bunions.
2. Apply A Few Drops Of Essential Oil Around And On The Bunion Area
Before you apply essential oils on your skin, do a patch test by applying one drop of essential oil on a small area to check if you are allergic or sensitive to it.
Also, make sure that the essential oil does not cause any negative reaction after you apply it to your skin. Another way is to apply a few drops of essential oil on the inside of your elbow or wrist.
If there is any redness, irritation, warmth, tingling sensation, or itching within 24 hours of applying it on your skin, do not use that particular oil.
3. Apply Twice Daily For Fast And Lasting Relief
It is recommended to utilize topical application twice daily for fast relief from the pain associated with bunions.
You can also mix several drops of essential oils in carrier oils such as olive oil and coconut oil for better relief from bunion pain.
Lavender essential oil – This essential oil has soothing properties which help reduce inflammation and pain associated with bunions.
Grapefruit seed extract (GSE) – This is a popular antiseptic that helps fight fungi and infections. It also stimulates skin cells to promote healing and relieve pain by increasing circulation around the bunion area.
Lemon Essential Oil – This is an antiseptic that has analgesic properties. Since it also contains antibacterial properties, it helps prevent fungal infection around the area of the bunion.
Cedarwood essential oil – This oil helps reduce swelling and pain associated with bunions. Its anti-inflammatory components help in relieving pain by reducing excessive fluid buildup.
Cypress essential oil – This oil contains anti-inflammatory properties that help in reducing pain and swelling. It also has analgesic properties that help relieve inflammation associated with bunion pain.
Peppermint essential oil – Peppermint has strong antiseptic and antiviral components that reduce inflammation, treat infection around the toe area, reduce pain, and generally speed up the healing process.
Tea Tree essential oil – This oil is used to treat fungal infections in bunions by eliminating fungus and bacteria.
Ginger root (Zingiber officinale) – Ginger helps reduce inflammation, swelling, and pain associated with bunions by increasing circulation around the bunion area so that fluid buildup can be reduced.
Rosemary Essential Oil – This oil has analgesic and anti-inflammatory components which help in relieving pain associated with bunions.
Oregano Essential Oil – This oil stimulates blood circulation, eliminates swelling, and reduces pain associated with the bunion.
Wintergreen essential oil – This is a potent anti-inflammatory agent suitable for treating various types of inflammation including that caused by bunions. It also has analgesic and antiseptic components which help in reducing pain and relieving infection around the bunion area.
Eucalyptus Essential Oil – The antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties of eucalyptus oil are beneficial for treating bunions.
Clove Essential Oil – The antiseptic, analgesic, and anesthetic properties of clove oil help to reduce pain associated with the bunion. It is also used to prevent fungal or bacterial infections around the toe area.
Lavender essential oil for bunions should be applied topically onto the affected area, ideally twice a day.
It may also be added to warm bath water or mixed with carrier oils that are non-comedogenic before applying it onto your feet.
The following are some of the ingredients you can use when making lavender foot soaks:
Coarse sea salt 2 tbsp Epsom salts 1/4 cup Baking soda 1 tsp Lavender essential oil 10-15 drops
Alternatively, you can add 6-10 drops of lavender essential oil in two tablespoons of grapeseed oil, almond oil, or olive oil before rubbing gently on your bunion for several minutes.
Essential Oil For Bunions – Conclusion
Essential oils have become popular remedies for many ailments including inflammation, infections, migraines, stress levels reduction, anxiety, and depression.
Essential oils are also effective in treating symptoms of bunion such as pain and swelling.
Essential oils for bunions include those from lavender, German chamomile, marjoram, cedarwood, grapefruit seed extract (GSE), cypress, tea tree oil (TTO), peppermint, frankincense resinoid (Boswellia carterii) acetate (BCA), helichrysum italicum flower oil.
The anti-inflammatory properties help eliminate bunion pain fast; analgesic compounds derived from plants help reduce nerve irritation; essential oils boost circulation which increases the supply of blood to both muscles and joints; essential oils ease swelling around your bunion; essential oils soothe irritation and itching.
