Nerve Pain!

 Two Chamomile Essential Oils that Help!

Let’s Start With What We Have:

We have 3 types of Nerves:

Motor nerves:  These control movement

Autonomic Nerves:  These control involuntary and semi-voluntary functions eg: Heart rate/Blood Pressure/bladder functions and sweating.

Sensory Nerves: These are the nerves that send messages from other body parts to our brain and trigger our senses. When we experience a cold sensation or touch something sharp we are using our sensory nerves.

If you are experiencing Peripheral Neuropathy (a disorder that occurs when your peripheral nerves malfunction because they are damaged or destroyed) Symptoms may include:

Painful tingling or numbness

Loss of reflexes and coordination

Sensitivity to touch (this can often be very painful)

Decreased sensation

Inability to feel temperature changes or pain with hot or cold.

There are several conditions/situations which may cause Peripheral Neuropathy including Diabetes and Chemotherapy. (During Chemotherapy I remember having to wear gloves to get something cold from the fridge due to the inability to feel hot/cold). It is important to consult with your doctor to determine whether your peripheral neuropathy is the result of an underlying serious condition.

Neuropathic pain following thoracic surgery is well recognized:

Intercostal nerve damage and subsequent dysfunction has long been implicated following thoracic surgery. Thoracic surgery routinely crushes the intercostal nerves. Sharing from personal experience this pain can be acute ranging from moderate to severe. It may also be chronic and last years.

VATS (Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery) although less invasive can still damage the intercostal nerves.

Shingles: Caused by the Chickenpox virus. A disease that affects our nerves. 

Postherpetic Neuralgia is the most common complication of Shingles… A condition that affects our nerve fibers and skin causing burning pain that can last long after the rash and blisters of Shingles disappear. The damaged nerve fibers can’t send messages from your skin to your brain as they normally do. Instead these messages become confused, often exaggerated. This can result in excruciating pain that can last for months or even years! 

A good resource for more in-depth information on Postherpetic Neuralgia is the mayoclinic.org

The Pain is Real! Can we really manage it Naturally?

I believe we can!

One of the surgeries I underwent was a Right Lower Lobe Lobectomy (Removal of a lung lobe) due to metastatic colon cancer. Nerve pain following this surgery can be very painful and it was! I also had little to no feeling in my right breast for 4 years. Initially I was grateful for prescribed pain medication and found Lignocaine pain patches helpful. I was also offered an intercostal nerve block and referral to a pain clinic. These are well recognized forms of nerve pain control. I was however desperate to find something natural to manage my nerve pain effectively. 

It’s interesting but if you are looking for a natural remedy or product Cancer Survivors are often the best people to seek advice from. Many make it their mission to source pure and natural products to maintain good health because they have been through so much and have often received radical necessary treatments. I think I must be one of those advocates!

Essential oils are not a primary treatment for disease. The FDA classifies essential oils as food supplements. This means that the product must clearly state that it is “Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease”. 

I believe Essential oils, when used correctly, have their place alongside conventional treatments.

Chamomile Essential Oil :  Pain Relief: How it works on our Nerves!

Most of us are very familiar with the smoothing  benefits of Chamomile tea .You may already be using this essential oil in a diffuser to reduce anxiety and aid sleep. This is wonderful but this gem of an oil offers so much more! Much More!

Roman Chamomile:  (Chamaemelum Nobile) also known as English Chamomile is a member of the daisy family. Sourced from the white and yellow flower portion of the plant. These flower heads are dried then used to make tea or powders. They may also be steamed to produce Chamomile essential oil. It has a sweet herbaceous aroma.

The dried flowers of the Chamomile plant contain both Terpenoids and Flavonoids which contribute to the plant’s medicinal properties. It is yellow to light blue in color. 

A 2014 study conducted described Chamomile as “ A herbal medicine of the past with a bright future”  Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future 

The study concluded Roman Chamomile amongst other benefits is beneficial in treating inflammatory disorders.

German Chamomile: has a higher azulene content and is dark blue in color. (Similar to ink) It has a strong earthy straw aroma. It acts as a liquid anesthetic with antiseptic qualities. Studies have been performed comparing the topical anesthetic effects to lignocaine (local anesthetic)  

A suggestion is to dilute 2 drops with 2- 3 drops of your favorite carrier oil (coconut or argan work well). The essential oil penetrates deep into your skin where its potent anti-inflammatory and anesthetic properties soothe and relieve pain.

Because of its higher azulen content German Chamomile is considered the preferred essential oil for nerve pain and inflammation. I would definitely agree with that. German Chamomile essential oil has been used successfully to treat skin conditions such as acne and psoriasis.

I have used both Roman and German Chamomile Essential oil and found both to be very effective in treating nerve pain. When using for severe nerve pain I would recommend using the German Chamomile. You do use less of the German Chamomile oil because of it higher azulen content.

Many, myself included, do not find its aroma as pleasant as the Roman Chamomile. Both appear to be effective in treating Psoriasis (particularly German)

I have shared with you my personal success in treating nerve pain using Chamomile essential oil.

As always it is advised to discuss any concerns you may have with your doctor prior to using a new natural supplement or essential oil.

Chamomile is so much more than a cup of tea! 

Proverb for this Post: There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise. (Proverbs 21:20 American standard version)

Love this article? Spread the word!