Bunions are painful bone deformities of joints at the base of one or both of your big toes. They are more common among women as compared to men.
Bunions can also be formed on the other side of the foot in the little toe base joint.They are called bunionette or tailor's bunion and are less common.
Main symptom of bunions is a visible bony bump at the base of the big toe on the inner side of your foot. This is not extra growth of bone but misalignment. You can treat them with rest, massage, change of footwear and support for toe alignment. Essential oils are generally added to massage oil to reduce inflammation and pain and treatment of bunions.
You can get rid of bunions fast with the use of essential oils which are anti-inflammatory, analgesic and improve blood circulation.
Table of Contents
- What are Bunions?
- Can Essential Oils Treat Bunions?
- How to Use Essential Oils for Bunions
- Top Essential Oils for Bunions
- Additional Remedies for Bunions
- Other Tips and Precautions
What are Bunions?
Bunion or hallux valgus is deformity that causes protrusion of bone at the big toes joint on the sides of your feet.
What causes bunions is still not very well understood. Genetics certainly play a role. Women get affected more than men.
Statistically it has been found that people who don't wear shoes do not get bunions. People who wear tight and pointed shoes with genetic predisposition generally develop bunions.
Bunions are harmless but are painful. They become worse with the progression of age. Arthritis makes the condition even worst.
Symptoms of Bunions
- Big toe joint with the foot bulges outwards
- Big toe leans towards the other toes
- Pain and redness
- Tenderness around bunion
Some painful bunions may require surgery. However you can treat bunions in early stages by realigning the bones and the big toe with massage and splints.
Can Essential Oils Treat Bunions?
Yes, essential oils can help treatment of bunions in early stages of mild to moderate bunions in reducing inflammation and pain as well as stopping the progression of deformity and even correcting it.
Most essential oils have following properties in varying potencies
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antibacterial
- Analgesic
- Antifungal
- Antioxidant
All these properties are useful in alleviating pain, inflammation and swelling of bunions.
Essential oils also improve blood circulation to relieve pain.
You should start treating bunions in early stages. It only requires massage and realignment of toe with the help of a splint. The massage and alignment process can also cause additional temporary soreness.
The essential oil with healing properties are very helpful at this stage.
You can use a blend of a few essential oils diluted in a carrier oil like coconut oil or olive oil for massage to get the best benefits of pain relief and to get rid of bunions fast.
How to Use Essential Oils for Bunions
You can Use any combination that suits you from the lists of essential oils good for bunions given under the next heading
Essential Oil Massage Recipe
Here is a simple recipe for essential oil massage to treat bunions.
- Take 1 teaspoon of coconut oil
- Add 2 drops each of basil, peppermint and German chamomile essential oils.
- Mix them well
Your massage oil is ready.
Essential Oil Massage Procedure for Bunions
It is important that massage is done correctly to ensure that the big toe alignment is established again after a few months if regular massage with essential oils and your bunion disappears completely.
It is better that someone else massages your bunions.
You hold the big toe stretched outside and make a comfortable distance between the big toe and the adjacent toe.
- Massage the area between the two toes
- Massage the area in line with the toe gap from the gap towards your leg.
- Massage the big toe till the bunion
- Massage for 15 minutes 2 times daily.
Keep the big toe away from the adjacent toe throughout the massage period.
In addition to the massage with essential oils you also need to wear loose fit shoes and keep a pad between the big toe and the adjacent toe for proper alignment of the big toe.
You can also use a splint on your big toe under the guidance of your doctor.
It will take a couple of months or more if all these activities simultaneously before your bunion disappears.
Top Essential Oils for Bunions
- Basil essential oil
- Cypress essential oil
- Eucalyptus essential oil
- German chamomile essential oil
- Ginger essential oil
- Juniper berry essential oil
- Lavender essential oil
- Lemon essential oil
- Peppermint essential oil
- Rosemary essential oil
- Sweet marjoram essential oil
- Wintergreen essential oil
Additional Remedies for Bunions
- Apply ice to reduce pain and inflammation
- Massage regularly to correct the bone alignment of the big toe
- Soak your feet in Epsom salt
- Eat some if the anti-inflammatory foods such as blueberries, tart cherries, garlic, ginger, walnuts, olives, sweet potatoes, tuna, salmon and others daily
- Apply bay leaf
- Drink strawberry juice before lunch and dinner
- Apply turmeric and Olive oil paste
- Drink chamomile tea
Other Tips and Precautions
Following tips and precautions will help you to prevent and heal bunions
- Reduce Weight if you are overweight
- Wear proper shoes. Don't go for too tight shoes
- Use paddings in the shoes to correct bone alignment
- Give warm soak to your feet
- Go for foot massage
- Wear a night splint to correct bone position and ease bunion pain. Do this under a doctor’s supervision.
If you really begin early to treat bunions, use essential oils and other required remedies then you will not only relieve yourself of the pain and agony but you will get rid of them quickly to lead a normal life.