Bunions are those painful and sometimes not-so-nice big bumps that pop up near your big toe’s base. They can make your life uncomfortable by causing swelling, soreness, and making it hard to move your big toe. They might even bring on ongoing pain or make calluses. If you’re dealing with bunions, you’re probably looking for ways to feel better without taking medicines.
That’s where essential oils come in. They’re strong plant extracts known for reducing inflammation and pain. This guide will help you discover the power of essential oils and how they can help you deal with bunions. We’ll talk about seven types, each with its special powers, like soothing lavender, inflammation-fighting ginger, and pain-relieving peppermint. If you want to find natural ways to feel better when you have bunions, keep reading to learn about the helpfulness of essential oils.
What Are Bunions?
Bunions are an enlarged bony bump that forms on the joint at the base of the big toe. A bunion will develop when the first metatarsal bone of the foot turns outward while the big toe points inward.
This causes the joint to stick out, and because most shoes don’t accommodate this protrusion, pressure is constantly being put on the misaligned joint. Wearing tight, narrow shoes can make the bunion worse, but they are not typically the bunion’s underlying cause.
Over time, this buildup of pressure will create a bursa, or a fluid-filled sac surrounding the joint, that becomes inflamed and affects the joint causing pain and stiffness.
Smaller bunions, known as bunionettes, can develop on the little toe joint, another common area affected by the rubbing and pressure of shoes.
Signs And Symptoms That You Might Experience
- A bulging bump on the outside of the base of the big toe
- Swelling, redness, or soreness around the big toe joint
- Limited movement of your big toe caused by stiffness and soreness
- Ongoing pain or pain that comes and goes
- Corns or calluses that appear from the continuous rubbing between the first and second toe
Medical experts state that women are 10 times as likely to form bunions than men.
Not to mention that high heels can make the problem worse by restricting blood flow, tipping body weight forward, and cutting off the big toe’s range of motion.
Those whose professions require them to be on their feet all day, such as nurses, teachers, etc., are also more likely to develop bunions.
As the bunion gets larger, it can be harder to walk and move like you would normally. At this point, treating the bunion and learning to naturally manage the pain becomes imperative.
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Are Essential Oils Good For Treating Bunions?
There’s a good reason why so many people turn to essential oils as natural, alternative approaches to treating their aches, pains, and other conditions.
Essential oils are extremely powerful, plant-based sources of natural anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving compounds that can be of significant benefit to you. Essential oils can absolutely be used to treat and manage bunion pain.
Because a bunion is surrounded by fluid, massaging that sac could help move out fluid and break up excess calcium, causing the bunion to shrink in size. Essential oils can be used during these massages to further relieve pain, stress, tension, and swelling.
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Essential Oils For Bunion Pain
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil can be used to treat bunions by reducing pain and discomfort. It also targets the inflammation surrounding the joints, a quality that is especially beneficial for treating bunions.
How to Use: Add five drops of lemon to one tablespoon of carrier oil, such as jojoba or grapeseed oil, and massage it onto the foot, toes, and bunion using circular motions. A few drops of lavender can also be added to a calming foot bath for additional pain relief.
Ginger Essential Oil
Ginger is a fabulous anti-inflammatory compound due to its high levels of zingibain, which works to increase mobility, ease pain, and reduce swelling and discomfort.
How to Use: Add five drops of ginger to one tablespoon of carrier oil, such as jojoba or grapeseed oil, and massage it onto the foot, toes, and bunion using circular motions. A few drops of ginger can also be added to a wet, hot towel for a warm compress.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint is one of the best analgesic and essential anti-inflammatory oils. It can calm, cool, and reduce arthritic pain. Peppermint essential oil is a potent remedy for triggering finger discomfort and inflammation. It boasts menthol, a natural analgesic capable of swiftly relieving pain and discomfort. Additionally, the refreshing scent of peppermint oil can uplift your mood and enhance alertness, making it a versatile choice for effectively addressing trigger finger symptoms.
How to Use: Add four drops of peppermint to one tablespoon of carrier oil, such as jojoba or coconut oil, and massage it onto the foot, toes, and bunion using circular motions.
Always do a patch test before applying essential oils to a larger area of your skin to ensure you don’t have any adverse reactions.
Helichrysum Essential Oil
Helichrysum is a great essential oil for targeting the joint due to its high levels of linalool. This analgesic compound reduces pain and inflammation.
How to Use: Add five drops of helichrysum to one tablespoon of carrier oil, such as jojoba or grapeseed oil, and massage it onto the foot, toes, and bunion using circular motions. A few drops of helichrysum can also be added to a calming foot bath for additional pain relief.
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Eucalyptus Essential Oil can be a helpful aid for bunions due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Eucalyptus is among the top essential oils for pain relief due to its anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, antiseptic, and cooling properties that soothe joint and muscle pain.
How to Use: To use Eucalyptus Essential Oil for bunions, dilute 5 drops of the oil in 1 tablespoon of carrier oil, such as coconut or jojoba oil. Gently massage this mixture onto the affected bunion area using circular motions. This massage can help boost blood circulation and reduce the bunion’s size, offering relief from discomfort associated with bunions.
Basil Essential Oil
Basil essential oil is an excellent oil for reducing swelling, aching, tenderness, and joint stiffness due to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
How to Use: Add five drops of basil to one tablespoon of carrier oil, such as jojoba or grapeseed oil, and massage it onto the foot, toes, and bunion using circular motions. A few drops of basil can also be added to a calming foot bath for additional pain relief.
Chamomile Essential Oil
Chamomile essential oil is one of the best oils for calming inflammation on and below the surface of the skin. It relieves pain, calms the nervous system, and may even help break down hard deposits surrounding the joint.
How to Use: Add five drops of chamomile to one tablespoon of carrier oil, such as jojoba or grapeseed oil, and massage it onto the foot, toes, and bunion using circular motions. A few drops of chamomile can also be added to a calming foot bath for additional pain relief.
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Essential Oils For Dissolving Bunions
Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Eucalyptus oil is terrific for relieving bunion pain and swelling. It could also help treat the size and severity of a bunion by stimulating the joints, muscles and reducing overall inflammation.
How to Use: Dilute five drops of eucalyptus with one tablespoon of carrier oil, such as coconut or jojoba oil, and massage your feet, toes, and bunion using circular motions to increase blood flow and reduce the size of the bunion.
Lemon Essential Oil
Lemon essential oil may help dissolve bunions due to its analgesic and detoxification properties.
When used in massage, lemon oil can stimulate the lymphatic system and promote the drainage of excess fluid. Lemon can also soothe inflammation.
How to Use: Dilute five drops of lemon essential oil with one tablespoon of carrier oil, such as coconut or jojoba oil, and massage your feet, toes, and bunion using circular motions to increase blood flow and reduce the size of the bunion.
Frankincense Essential Oil
Frankincense is a healing essential oil that can help relieve the pain and tension caused by bunions.
In addition to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, frankincense encourages healthy cells and tissues and could thus benefit the bunion’s healing process.
How to Use: Dilute five drops of frankincense with one tablespoon of carrier oil, such as coconut or jojoba oil, and massage your feet, toes, and bunion using circular motions to increase blood flow and reduce the size of the bunion.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you’re one of the many people dealing with the discomfort and frustration of bunions, these essential oils could become your natural allies in finding relief. Bunions can be a real pain, but the powerful properties of essential oils like lavender, ginger, peppermint, helichrysum, eucalyptus, basil, chamomile, lemon, and frankincense offer you a holistic approach to managing the symptoms and possibly even reducing the size of these bothersome bumps.
By harnessing the soothing, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relieving benefits of these essential oils, you can incorporate them into your daily routine, whether through massages, foot baths, or compresses, to ease the discomfort and enhance your overall well-being. While bunions may be a common issue, these natural remedies present a personalized and comforting way to tackle the pain, redness, and limited movement associated with them. So, take a step towards a more comfortable and bunion-free life by exploring the potential of these essential oils, and rediscover the joy of pain-free mobility. Your feet will thank you!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Essential Oils Are Good for Bunions?
When treating bunions with essential oils, you want to use oils that have pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as those that can stimulate circulation and fluid drainage.
Some great essential oils for bunions include peppermint, chamomile, eucalyptus, basil, frankincense, lemon, ginger, lavender, and more.
Do Bunions Go Away?
Bunions do not typically go away without treatment and tend to worsen over time if left untreated. However, you don’t need to get surgery to treat your bunion.
A visit to your doctor as well as natural treatments and exercises can slow the progression of the bunion and reduce pain.
Does Epsom Salt Help Bunions?
Epsom salt baths can absolutely help bunions by relieving pain and soreness, improving circulation, and reducing inflammation. Essential oils can be used in an Epsom salt bath to boost up the effectiveness.
Does Massage Help Treat Bunions?
Massages are beneficial for treating bunions and are a common natural therapy recommended by doctors and physical therapists alike.
Massaging the foot relieves pain, swelling, and discomfort, tones the muscles, mobilizes the joint, relieves stiffness, and corrects foot and toe alignment.