Essential oils are concentrated extracts that are obtained from plants that are used for therapeutic benefits.
Aromatherapy is the utilization of these oils to provide health benefits. This therapy is known to be safe n effective in many diseases.
Arthritis is one such disease in which aromatherapy can play a vital role.
Arthritis patients mainly require relief from joint pain, inflammation, and joint stiffness. Reducing these symptoms can improve their movement and improve performing daily tasks.
Arthritis is a disease that also demands many other supportive therapies like weight control, diet modification, antioxidant therapy, and relaxation or anxiety relief.
Utilization of aromatherapy along with medications can help in better management of arthritis.
Before we discuss the benefits of lemongrass essential oil in arthritis let us go through some preliminary information of this oil.
What is Lemongrass Essential Oil?
Lemongrass is an aromatic herb that grows in warm and humid conditions.
It is native to India and Ceylon but is now cultivated in China, England, Southern and Central America, and many other parts of the world.
Lemongrass extract mainly finds use in soaps, perfumery, and cosmetic products.
It is also used in herbal teas, beverage, and baking.
Lemongrass essential oil is an extract obtained from the steam distillation of leaves of the herb.
Terpineol, limonene, citronellol, citral, myrcene, geraniol, and nerol are some of the main chemical constituents present in this oil.
Lemongrass extract has been utilized for ages in folk medicine including Ayurvedic medicines.
Medicinal benefits of lemongrass are found to be carminative (relieves flatulence), antimicrobial and antifungal. It is also used for its insect repellent activity.
Research data on lemongrass oil projects its anti-worm, anti-diarrheal, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant benefits.
Benefits of Lemongrass Essential Oil in Arthritis
Lemongrass oil can help in arthritis in several ways. Benefits of lemongrass essential oil in arthritis can due to its pain reducing and anti-inflammatory effects. It can help in reducing cell damage in arthritis due to its antioxidant properties. Lemongrass oil is also proven to help in relaxation and reducing anxiety which is one of the required therapies in arthritis. Obesity is a problem in arthritis patients and lemongrass is found to promote weight loss.
1. Soothes Painful Joints in Arthritis
Arthritis causes damage to the bone joints that leads to immense pain. Pain intensity can vary from one person to another. Thus, pain management is the mainstay therapy in arthritis treatment.
Citronellal content which is present in lemongrass oil has been studied to provide pain-relieving effects by interfering with the pain signals that reach the brain.
Citral is another compound present in lemongrass with analgesic properties.
Lemongrass oil reduces pain by various mechanisms which were demonstrated by an animal study .
Numerous other animal studies have also contributed to support this information.
The analgesic property of lemongrass oil has been well studied and proven by laboratory and animal research.
Although, information from human trials is not yet available. Therefore, it can be suggested as an essential oil with pain-relieving potential for arthritis.
What does this mean? Lemongrass essential oil has components that are proven to reduce pain which has a potential to relieve joint pain in arthritis.
2. Reduces Inflammation in Arthritis
Inflammation in arthritis results from the exaggerated action of the body’s immune system. It can cause damage to the joints and cell destruction.
Inflammation control is a mandated therapeutic goal in arthritis management.
A study conducted by Xuesheng Han et.al. studied the anti-inflammatory benefits of lemongrass oil in human skin cells. It was proven to reduce skin inflammation significantly.
The anti-inflammatory property of lemongrass oil is found to be effective in a swelling reduction in animal studies.
Aromatherapy with lemongrass oil can reduce inflammation of the skin by reducing the chemicals that are responsible for it.
This anti-inflammatory property of lemongrass oil can be exploited to reduce the inflammation related to arthritis. However, more studies in humans are necessary to consolidate this effect.
What does this mean? Lemongrass essential oil has compounds that contain anti-inflammatory properties that can soothe the inflamed joints in arthritis.
3. It is an Antioxidant That Can Help Arthritis Patients
Oxidation is a normal body process which produces toxic substances called free radicals. Antioxidants can neutralize these toxins and prevent cell damage.
Arthritis patients are more prone to cell damage caused by free radicals. Therefore, antioxidant supplementation is crucial in arthritis patients.
Lemongrass extract is proven to reduce toxins generated from oxidation in human cells which can otherwise damage the cells.
‘Citral’ is the main component in lemongrass oil that acts as a powerful antioxidant and detoxifies the body.
Various studies on animals have proven this effect of lemongrass essential oil.
By analyzing the research data on the antioxidant properties of lemongrass oil, it can be said that this oil can be used in detoxification by arthritis patients.
Nevertheless, more human trials are necessary to validate the efficacy and dose of this oil.
What does this mean? Lemongrass essential oil has been proven to possess antioxidant benefits that can help in detoxification in arthritis patients.
4. Provides Relaxation in Arthritis
Anxiety is found to be common in arthritis patients. It can even cause depression. Relaxation and anti-anxiety therapy are essential in arthritis management.
Lemongrass has been long used in folk medicine to reduce anxiety. This benefit is now confirmed by research trials.
A clinical trial involving forty volunteers administered lemongrass oil by inhalation to reveal the anxiety and stress-reducing benefits of lemongrass essential oil.
Animal studies shave also proven the relaxing effect of lemongrass essential oil.
It reduces anxiety by acting on the chemicals in the brain that is responsible for mood regulation.
What does this mean? Lemongrass essential oil has been used since olden times to reduce anxiety. Current research proves this effect and it can be used to produce relaxation in arthritis patients.
5. Can Help in Weight Loss in Arthritis Patients
Obesity increases the chances of developing arthritis and it is also necessary to reduce weight to manage arthritis better.
Lemongrass oil contains lipid reducing and blood glucose lowering effects that can be utilized for reducing the weight in obese patients and limiting weight gain in non-obese.
Animal studies have shown that lemongrass oil can reduce body weight by reducing appetite.
The capacity of lemongrass oil in reducing the fat cells by increasing energy expenditure has been described by another animal study.
Lemongrass oil could prove to be efficacious in reducing weight among arthritis sufferers. However, this effect needs to be consolidated by studies in humans as well as arthritis patients.
What does this mean? Lemongrass essential oil can benefit arthritis patients by reducing their weight. This can make the management of disease easier.
How to Use Lemongrass Essential Oil - Dosage
Lemongrass essential oil is regarded as safe for oral intake.
It can also be applied to the skin to reduce pain and inflammation. Apply 2-3 drops of diluted oil to the skin and massage for a few minutes.
To relieve stress and anxiety take three drops of oil on a towel and inhale the aroma for few minutes.
It can also be inhaled by placing the diluted oil on a diffuser.
Precautions
Lemongrass essential oil is generally regarded as safe for oral use and topical use. Although some caution must be undertaken.
Lemongrass oil can irritate the eyes. Therefore, must be kept away from eyes. Lemongrass is a potent oil that may require more dilution before use.
Kindly read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully before using this oil.
Prior to skin application, perform a patch test by applying 2-3 drops of diluted oil to a small area of the forearm skin.
Cover the area with a bandage. If no reaction occurs the after 48 hours the oil is safe to be used on the skin.
Summary
Lemongrass is an aromatic herb that is native to India which has been long used for health-related benefits in Ayurvedic medicine. Lemongrass essential oil is an extract from the leaves of this herb.
Lemongrass essential oil can benefit arthritis by providing anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-anxiety, antioxidant, and weight reducing effects.
The benefits of lemongrass oil have been widely studied by scientists in isolated human cells and in animal studies to prove the therapeutic potential in humans. This effect can be translated to gain advantages in arthritis sufferers.
Nevertheless, clinical trials in humans and arthritis patients could be more beneficial in establishing the dosage and the efficacy levels of these effects in patients.
Lemongrass essential oil can be regarded as the safe and effective choice of complementary therapy in arthritis patients.