Sciatica

"There are many types of back pain:  lumbago, which affects the lower back; sciatica, which is caused by inflammation of the sciatic nerve and causes pain in the buttocks radiating out to the thighs and legs— even to the ankles in some cases."
The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Wormwood, p. 79.

"When the sciatic pain is so intense that massage is contra-indicated, use these oils by applying a cold compress to reduce the pain and inflammation. The most useful essential oils for sciatica are Peppermint, Ginger, Nutmeg, Spike Lavender, Rosemary and Cajeput. Gentle massage with any of these oils at times when there is less or no pain can be very beneficial, and baths can also be helpful.
The Complete Guide to Aromatherapy by Salvatore Battaglia, p. 438.


Sciatica Pain Relief Formula by KG Stiles
To a 5-ml  colored-glass, euro-dropper bottle add:
40 drops German Chamomile
20 drops Sweet Marjoram
20 drops Ylang Ylang
10 drops Cypress
10 drops Black Pepper

Close the cap tightly and shake the bottle to thoroughly combine the essential oils.  

Add 15-18 drops of the Sciatica Base blend to a 1-ounce (30 mL) bottle of your favorite carrier oil. [This is less than a 2% concentration.] Shake the bottle well to disperse the oils thoroughly. Apply a few drops and massage in to relieve sciatica pain. Taking a hot shower or bath before applying will increase blood flow to enhance your results. Applying just before bed can be helpful for promoting deep and restful sleep, as well as supporting deep healing and recovery. It may also be effective as a hot compress.
The Essential Oils Complete Reference Guide by KG Stiles, p. 183
[HEO's Comment: This blend is suitable for children over 2, use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Due to Ylang Ylang's potential to cause skin irritation, the maximum concentration is 4%. If you leave the Ylang Ylang out of the blend, then there are no dilution parameters other than general dilution guidelines. Due to German Chamomile, this blend is contraindicated All Routes: Drugs metabolized by CYP2D6 (Tamoxifen, antidepressants, pain medications). Contraindicated Orally: Drugs metabolized by CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP3A4.]
 

Sciatica Massage Blend by Nerys Purchon and Lora Cantele
To a 5-ml  colored-glass, euro-dropper bottle add:
12 drops Lavender essential oil
10 drops Rosemary ct cineole essential oil
10 drops Marjoram essential oil
Shake the bottle well to disperse the oils thoroughly.

In a small non-reactive bowl, combine:
4 tsp (20 mL) Grapeseed or Calendula-Infused oil
12 drops Sciatica Massage Blend.
Mix well and massage over your back as desired.
The Complete Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Handbook for Everyday Wellness by Nerys Purchon and Lora Cantele, p.183
[HEO's Comment: This blend is suitable for children, use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. There are no dilution parameters other than general dilution guidelines.]
 

Essential Oils to Treat Back Pain by Valerie Ann Wormwood
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora)
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Juniper berry (Juniperus communis)
Vetiver (Vetiveria zizanoides)
Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens)
Peppermint (Mentha piperita)
Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Eucalyptus radiata (Eucalyptus radiata)
Chamomile roman (Anthemis nobilis)
Chamomile german (Matricaria recutita)
Plai (Zingiber cassumunar)
Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum)
Marjoram, sweet (Origanum majorana)
Clary sage (Salvia sclarea)
Black pepper (Piper nigrum)
Immortelle (Helichrysum italicum)
Thyme linalol (Thymus vulgaris ct. linalool)

Back Pain Blend Suggestions

Blend 1
To a 5-ml  colored-glass, euro-dropper bottle add:
10 drops Rosemary ct cineole    
10 drops Sweet Marjoram    
10 drops Helichrysum
[HEO's Comment: This blend is suitable for children, use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. There are no dilution parameters other than general dilution guidelines.]              
Blend 2
To a 5-ml  colored-glass, euro-dropper bottle add:
3 drops Black pepper            
10 drops Ginger                     
5 drops Eucalyptus radiata    
3 drops Juniperberry             
Mix the essential oils of your chosen blend together, then dilute 4-5 drops to each 1 teaspoon (5mL) of carrier oil.
[HEO's Comment: This blend is suitable for children, use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. There are no dilution parameters other than general dilution guidelines.]

Blend 3
To a 5-ml  colored-glass, euro-dropper bottle add:
8 drops Rosemary ct cineole
8 drops Plai
6 drops Helichrysum                      
4 drops Peppermint
4 drops Lavender                
3 drops Basil ct linalol                
3 drops Sweet Marjoram 
[HEO's Comment: This blend is suitable for children, use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. There are no dilution parameters other than general dilution guidelines. Peppermint is contraindicated if you have cardiac fibrillation or G6PD deficiency.]
   
Shake the bottles well to disperse the oils thoroughly.
Dilute 4-5 drops to each 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of carrier oil for up to a 4% concentration of essential oils.
The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Wormwood, p. 79

Anti-Inflammatory Sciatica Blend by Chrissie Wildwood
To increase anti-inflammatory properties of any sciatica blend, mix equal amounts of: Calendula infused oil
St. John's Wort infused oil (Hypericum perforatum)

To enhance the anti-rheumatic and pain-relieving properties of this massage oil add any of these individually or combined:
Cajeput
Lavender
Sweet Marjoram
Rosemary ct cineole
The oil blend can be used to heal wounds, sunburn, bruises, hemorrhoids and to ease the pain of sciatica, fibrositis and rheumatism.
[HEO's Comment: This blend is suitable for children, use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. There are no dilution parameters other than general dilution guidelines.]
Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Aromatherapy by Chrissie Wildwood, p. 39, 103, 104.

Other Oils Recommended
Chamomile (German or Roman)
Coriander
Eucalyptus
Geranium
Lavender
Sweet Marjoram
Peppermint
Pine
Rosemary ct cineole

Massage Oils for Sciatica by Chrissie Wildwood
The following blends will help ease the discomfort of sciatic and other aches and pains.

Recipe 1 (1% concentration - add more essential oil as desired. 10-25% is suitable for short-term use)
30 mL (1 oz) Calendula infused oil
30 mL (1 oz) St. John's Wort infused oil (Hypericum perforatum)
10 drops Lavender
5 drops Geranium
3 drops Peppermint
Combine in a 2 oz. dark glass bottle and shake the bottle well to disperse the oils thoroughly.
[HEO's Comment: This blend is suitable for children, use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. There are no dilution parameters other than general dilution guidelines.]

Recipe 2 (1% concentration - add more essential oil as desired. 10-25% is suitable for short-term use)
30 mL (1 oz) Calendula infused oil
30 mL (1 oz) St. John's Wort infused oil (Hypericum perforatum)
12 drops Rosemary ct cineole
5 drops Pine
Combine in a 2 oz. dark glass bottle and shake the bottle well to disperse the oils thoroughly.
[HEO's Comment: This blend is suitable for children, use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. There are no dilution parameters other than general dilution guidelines.]

Anti-Inflammatory Supplements to Consider
Turmeric (Curcumin)
Bromelain

Testimonies
1. My husband had so much trouble with his sciatica that he could hardly walk 30 feet at a time. We used equal parts of: Lemongrass and Cypress twice daily for 10 days, and he was free of pain. We've suggested this blend to two other people who have also had great results. He applied it on his back and bottoms of his feet (particularly his arch and heel).

2. I had sciatica for almost 30 years, saw a chiropractor 2-3 times weekly most of those years, and while that kept me mobile, I was always dealing with the tenderness and frequently with pain. Regular back massage turned my sciatica issues totally around. I also consistently used Strength and Pain-X morning and night and started drinking Linda's suggestion of ½ my body weight in ounces of filtered water daily with a squeeze of fresh citrus oil added to help me alkalize and detox.

3. Here's a great "cure" that I've found works:
    1-2 drops Cistus
    2-3 drops Peppermint
Layer the Peppermint over the Cistus at the lower part of the spine. These two oils work amazingly well for about 98% of the people I see with sciatica, and the other 2% get an immediate reduction in pain. If you use an oil and don't notice a response in a minute or two, use another oil. 

4. For my sciatica I use: Tarragon, Silver Fir and Spearmint. This has consistently worked well for me.

5. I used the Cistus followed by Peppermint idea I read in your testimonies for sciatica, and that worked great!

6. Linda, the Sciatica blend of Peppermint and Cistus [mentioned above in testimony #3] has really helped me with my sciatica pain and disability. Great!

7. While applying essential oils helped my sciatica pain, it was totally resolved when we purchsed an Ergatta Water Rower and I used it daily. It was definitely worth the investment for me and our family. I'm going to guess that it helped me to gently limber up, and being more limber, my body was able to heal. We purchased it for osteoporosis prevention, and, due to the sciatica issues, I was a bit concerned that I'd even be able to use it. I love it, and feel years younger after rowing at least 20 minutes a day (usually 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening). At the time of writing this testimony, we've used it for 7 weeks. My sciatica was resolved in less than 2 weeks of consistent use. If you are interested, use the embedded link above for $300 off (or contact Linda at Hopewell for more information).

8. I use Regeneration for sciatica, and it has helped tremendously. It usually keeps me pain free until I quit using it for a while. I dilute it in a roll-on applicator and rub on my lower spine. - Teresa

9. After falling off a horse, I frequently battled sciatica pain. Frankincense worked the best and most consistently for me. Basically it's dealing with the inflammation.

10. I have chronic sciatica pain and inflammation. I use several of HEO’s blends topically, but the game changer was to put a drop of Frankincense in my mouth and hold it there as long as possible before swallowing. I do this up to 3x daily. This has been amazing! I was not convinced this was helping, so I quit doing this for a few weeks and my pain returned. I had an outing planned the next day that would really tax my back, so today I tried the Frankincense orally again, and the pain disappeared. It does not taste good, but the pain-relieving dividends are worth it! - Kacee

11. Wow! I pulled a muscle that inflamed my sciatica nerve terribly. I held a drop of Frankincense in my mouth like testimony #9 above, and it works! - Lindsay

12. Our daughter has scoliosis and often experiences pain from it. Several years ago I ordered sample bottles of several of the oils for pain relief and your Sciatica blend [see testimony #3] was the one she chose that seemed to help her the most. This week as she was getting ready to travel, and she wanted her roller bottle refilled. I guess that's testimony enough from an adult daughter! - Deanna

13. Bromelain: I totally wiped out my back by lifting something that was too heavy. I could hardly sit, walk, lie down or get up. Essential oils helped, but what turned things around for me was Twin Lab Mega Bromelain 300mg. A friend who had previously had a herniated disc suggested that I take 4 capsules every hour until I had relief. She said it was great at reducing inflammation and allowing my body to heal. About 5 hours (20 capsules later), I was much improved. I had more mobility and less pain with the mobility. I backed off to 2 caps every hour and continued that dose the next day. I also continued to apply PainX, Regeneration and Pain Repair every few hours. By the third day, I could hardly tell that I'd ever been in such pain. I highly recommend using this with the essential oils. Another supplement to consider using for chronic inflammation issues is Turmeric (Curcumin). - Linda