You are probably familiar with aroma therapy for anxiety, stress, and depression, but did you know that aroma therapy can be used as part of a successful pain management routine as well?
Whether it’s your favorite scent carrying you away to your mental happy place or a more medicinal and holistic approach aroma therapy has aided many chronic pain suffers in finding the relief they need. You also don’t have to worry about medication prescription mistakes that could harm you long-term, since these aromas are all natural.
Aromatherapy hacks our brain and nervous system to bring about positive changes. If you suffer from chronic pain and haven’t found relief anywhere else or are just looking for something to brighten up your days a bit more aroma therapy is a good place to start.
With the mountainous lists of available options, you might feel overwhelmed and not know where to start! Here are the top five aroma therapy scents to aid in pain relief naturally.
1. Sage
Sage is probably the best-known scent in most spiritual communities. It is earthy green aroma evokes clear mind and puts the mind, body, and soul at ease. Since sage is an ancient cleansing herb possess the quality of cleansing painful energy and rejuvenating your personal energy supplies.
Pain, like all emotions is energy. Sage transforms and cleanses negative energies into useful positive ones. If you’re pain makes it hard to see the silver lining sage might be the perfect scent for you.
Sage also promotes a clear mind which can help chronic pain suffers through difficult situations and choices. Every sufferer is familiar with the foggy feeling that comes with most chronic pain sage is a natural antidote to clear the fog.
2. Lavender
Lavender’s sweet scent is often used to help patients and practitioners to relax. It naturally relieves muscle tension by reducing spasms and cramps. For some chronic pain suffers, use of lavender over time and prevent some types of pain by hacking into the feel-good centers of our brain to help alleviate pain.
Evoking scents of gardens and fields, lavender taps into our mind and body’s primal connection with the earth and reminds us that everything is temporary. This naturally relaxes the body and a relaxed body experiences less pain.
Learning to relax after the onset of pain is a valuable skill, but it’s not always the easiest to learn. If you’re struggling with other relaxation methods adding aroma therapy with lavender in the background of your other activities may improve your pain relief.
3.Sandalwood
Sandalwood’s light woodsy floral scent is popular to help patients and practitioners relax. Many practitioners find sandalwood to have a slightly sedative effect and many use it to help them relax before bed.
Sleep is a vital part of any chronic pain management routine. Though, quality sleep isn’t always easy to come by for sufferers. Poor sleep due to pain only perpetuates an ugly negative cycle. The more exhausted you are, the more pain you’re in. Being exhausted also limits our energy for seeking help and healing for our pain.
Sandalwood used shortly before bedtime aids many sufferers in getting a more restful sleep allowing them to devote precious time and energy to their healing.
4. Ginger
As one of the oldest herbs used for holistic medicine ginger still has a place in pain relief today. It’s warm spicy smell often reminds users of the holidays or their favorite meal, but did you know ginger helps with inflammation which is one the leading causes of pain?
Since ancient times ginger has been used to treat poor circulation, inflammation, and a great number of other ailments. Many consider ginger to be a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to treating pain. It blends well with many other oils boosting their natural healing abilities too.
If you’re new to aroma therapy and don’t know where to start ginger might be a good scent to look into.
5. Your Favorite Scent
As cheesy as it sounds when we’re happy and relaxed we experience less pain. Some scents may remind you of your childhood, a vacation you went on years ago, a special person, or just generally fill you with joy.
Don’t write off your favorite scent because isn’t listed here or isn’t used for your specific situation. Everyone’s healing journey is different and what works for some won’t work for all. If a scent boosts your mood and your energy or helps you relax to sleep at night, use it.
Experiment with different scents and how you experience them. Be sure to take not of the ones that lift your spirits. It’s easy to get bogged down by pain and forget to enjoy the little happy things in life, but you don’t have to make that standard practice.
Use your favorite scents as often as you like and don’t limit your happiness seeking to aroma therapy. If a practice makes you happy pursue it. Successful pain management and relief comes in the form of having more good moments than bad.
