Did you know you can use essential oils to help heal minor injuries?  This is especially helpful knowledge in winter, when slips and falls on the ice are very common.  Pulled and torn ligaments, sprains, and bruises are rampant this time of year.  Essential oils can help ease the pain and speed the healing process.  Here’s how to use them.

1.  Pulled or torn ligaments

Ligaments are the connective tissue that holds bones together and are found at the joints. There is a limited blood flow to ligaments so healing any injuries in these tissues take time. Essential oils can be very helpful in speeding the process. The best oil to use for healing torn ligaments is lemongrass. You can also use essential oils such as marjoram, helichrysum, lavender, wintergreen, birch, cypress, peppermint, rosemary and eucalyptus. Blend 5 to 10 drops of your chosen oil in a carrier oil, such as almond or olive, and rub into the affected area 2 to 3 times a day until healing occurs.

2.  Bruising

Essential oils can help speed the healing of bruises and relieve the soreness that comes with them. Use oils like cypress help to strengthen capillary walls, or helichrysum help speed the re-absorption of the blood that has collected in the tissue. Other essential oils that help heal bruising include white fir, lavender, Roman chamomile and geranium.

3.  Aches and Pains

Any kind of fall can throw our spines out of alignment, as well as misalign our hips, knees, ankles, shoulders and necks. Inflammation will also set in pretty quickly.  Essential oils can act as anti-inflammatories, and can also relieve pain.  The best ones to use are marjoram, wintergreen, birch, lavender, German chamomile, peppermint, geranium or elemi. Before applying essential oils, use an ice pack for 10 minutes to help reduce swelling and inflammation in the affected area. Once you’re sure it’s not a serious injury requiring medical intervention, you can use essential oils to speed the healing of virtually any kind of ache and pain.