For much of mankind's history, many people have used herbal treatments to reduce pain and inflammation in joints and muscles. The bark of the Willow tree has actually given us 'the wonder drug' for pain removal, which in fact occurs on account of a reduction of inflammation. Now, many professional therapists lay-practitioners are usually turning to essential oils for inflammation reduction and pain relief.

Essential oils give a very simple method of reaping the anti-inflammatory, analgesic potency of natural medicine, as virtually all one need to do is put a few drops of essential oil into a base oil and massage in to get quick, sometimes long-lasting relief.

A look at the latest research provides a long list of abstracts in which scientists have confirmed the inflammation reducing potential of essential oils. These oils used in today's therapies have been carefully distilled to maintain their curative capability. This indicates that they can have very complex natural chemical structures, and depending on the plant, an effective inflammation-reducing action. Some obvious oils are distilled from plants that they themselves have always been used for this particular purpose -- especially ginger and turmeric essential oil.

Carbon-dioxide distillations (the latest, cold-process method of making essential oils) of both these plants have been included in patented inflammation-reducing formulation. These CO2 distillations are readily available for any practitioner to employ in their formulation.

Recently published in the Journal of Lipid Research are the outcome of a research in Japan confirming the anti-inflammation activity in several essential oils. This supports the choice of many essential oils used in pain relief and anti-inflammation formulas. These oils shown to lessen inflammation by means of suppression of the COX-2 pro-inflammatory enzyme integrated herbs, like thyme, clove and fennel; rose; eucalyptus; and even the citrus bergamot.

The oils considered to have the most powerful anti-inflammation activity used in aromatherapy were not even examined, such as helichrysum and German chamomile, which can mean that there are naturally a great many compounds found in essential oils that have an anti-inflammatory effect.

The most pronounced inflammation relief in the study came from the essential oil out of thyme herb. Further, some of the individual natural components of the essential oil were examined, and it was learned that carvacrol had the strongest activity. Carvacrol is found in many essential oils, and is most often considered aromatherapy's most potent anti-bacterial, and has been directly implicated in improving immune system function in other scientific studies.

There seems to be a link between inflammation reduction, immune system function and longevity (the inflammation reducing power of the essential oils researched was compared to red-wine extract, implicated in potentially extending life duration). The study did not go so far as to elucidate the real mechanism of reducing inflammation, but it will likely not be surprising if this activity (inflammation reduction) were a factor -- for carvacrol, as well as thymol -- the other major component of thyme Essential Oil -- are popular antioxidants.

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