For people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the potential of aromatherapy to help with pain, per the Cleveland Clinic, as well with as sleep, depression, and more, means you might want to take a new look at this ancient complementary approach. “Aromatherapy can support people with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, both in terms of specific pain symptoms and overall lifestyle issues,” says Heidi Chesla, a medical aromatherapy specialist and an instructor to physicians at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. Aromatherapy “can be a helpful tool for generating a sense of well-being in a person,” agrees Elizabeth Ochoa, PhD, chief psychologist at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital in New York City. “I see it as a self-care, a way to enhance calm, reduce irritability, improve sleep, and encourage a quiet mind.”
Small Studies Show Value of Essential Oils for Pain
When 36 adults with RA or other inflammatory conditions had their hands massaged twice a day for five straight days, using either a blend of essential oils or basic coconut oil, the aromatherapy group reported less pain and more strength in their fingers, according to results published in November 2018 in the journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. And a review of 42 small studies on aromatherapy’s use with all kinds of pain, published in November 2016 in the journal Pain Research and Treatment, concluded that “aromatherapy can successfully treat pain when combined with conventional treatments.”
Other RA-Linked Conditions May Be Helped Too
In addition to pain, many people with RA also have problems with sleep and mood. Aromatherapy seems to help here, too. One study of sleep involved 50 Taiwanese nurses who worked rotating night shifts. One-half of them were given weekly aromatherapy massages, while the other half received a regular massage. After a month, the nurses receiving aromatherapy reported better sleep quality, fewer sleep disturbances, and less daytime dysfunction, according to results published in July 2017 in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. And Iranian researchers examined four studies of the psychological effects of aromatherapy in older women and concluded that symptoms like anxiety and depression improved when aromatherapy was used alongside conventional treatments. This study was published in February 2018 in the journal Medicine.
How Might Essential Oils Work to Ease Joint Pain
One way aromatherapy works its magic is that our sense of smell is directly linked to the limbic system in our brain, which is responsible for emotions and our stress response. This is why when you smell intense smoke your body immediately launches into a fight-or-flight response, Chesla says, or why when you sniff a rose bush your whole body relaxes. One study of women tied aromatherapy directly to our sympathetic nervous system, which is controlled by the limbic system. This research, published in the Japanese Journal of Pharmacology, found that levels of stress hormones like adrenalin dropped when the women smelled rose oil but they became elevated when sniffing more agitating pepper oil. Some experts are also starting to link aromatherapy to the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), which seems to play a role in pain relief. Brazilian researchers pointed to the ECS as the reason mice had less post-surgical pain after aromatherapy according to a report published in January 2018 in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology.
How to Use Essential Oils
Aromatherapy oils can be massaged into the skin, but most need to be diluted in a carrier oil, like almond oil, avocado oil, or, Chesla’s favorite for its long shelf life, fractionated coconut oil. Alternatively, drops of essential oils can be added to your bath water, sprayed onto your pillow or into the air, or inhaled via an aromatherapy diffuser. Or you can simply smell the oil from the bottle. Remove the lid and waft it under your nose while you take a few deep inhalations.
Essential Oils for Relief From Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms
Chesla has a number of go-to scents she recommends people with RA gently massage into areas of discomfort, which are said to be calming and cooling — exactly what a person with hot and inflamed joints would desire. Her top choices for supporting someone dealing with RA inflammation and pain: Copaiba (obtained from the trunk of a tree of the same name) and vetiver (from the root of a grass grown in Haiti and other countries). You can use them separately, or better yet, mix them together, she says. Once symptoms are under control, aromatherapy can be used to benefit your overall health. “Managing stress, decreasing toxic load, supporting the immune system, and helping with sleep — essential oils are good for supporting these too,” Chesla says. To enhance sleep and relaxation, Chesla suggests lavender, cedarwood, sandalwood, and frankincense oils. Here again, use them individually or combined, or even mix them together with your vetiver-copaiba blend. Oils to lift you when you need a pick-me-up include wild orange and peppermint, which can also be added to your vetiver-copaiba blend.
Why Not? There’s Little Downside to Trying Aromatherapy for RA Pain
Because this therapy is considered safe — the main side effect from properly administered aromatherapy being a potential rash on the skin, according to the Mayo Clinic — there is little downside to trying it. Of course, you’ll want to check with your physician if you have any concerns. To use essential oils safely, you should not swallow them. (This is why it’s important to keep them from young children and pets.) The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) also recommends using oils in a well-ventilated area, avoiding contact with your eyes, storing them away from light or heat (which can damage the fragile oils), and not using them if you experience irritation. Remember that no complementary therapies, including aromatherapy, should replace medication prescribed for you by your physician. If you have moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, the best way to relieve symptoms and alter the course of the disease is to take disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). No other treatment can prevent joint damage and reduce the risk of long-term complications that are associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
How to Find Quality Essential Oils and Perhaps a Professional
Aromatherapy oils can be purchased in most health food stores or online. You’ll want to find good-quality oils for the best effect. Unfortunately, sometimes it can be difficult to tell, because terms like “pure” or “therapeutic grade” are not regulated, so any company can use them. Poor quality products are a huge problem for the industry, Chesla says. “So much that is marketed as essential oils are actually not from plants, but are man-made synthetic fragrances that are not good for us,” she says. Or a company will identify one essential oil on their label, but inside they have substituted oil from a cheaper plant instead. Companies that take quality control seriously will hire an independent third-party to examine each batch of oil as it is made. Their test, known as gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), reveals how much of each bioactive compound is present in the oil. Companies should release the results of these tests to you, either on their website or by phone if you call them. Even if you don’t understand the GC-MS results, the fact that the company does this testing is a positive sign. Plus, your physician is likely to recognize the chemical components if you bring the GC-MS tests to them, which can help determine any possible contraindications with medication you are taking. Because there are so many essential oils, each with different effects, it’s ideal to work with a professional aromatherapist who can customize oils for your specific situation. Find one on the websites of NAHA or the Alliance of International Aromatherapists.
