Ouch! 11 Essential Oils for Gout (Plus Mixtures and Application Tips)

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gout sore foot

Gout is an inflammatory condition of the joints. (You might have also heard it called gouty arthritis.)

It’s caused by too much uric acid accumulating in the body. When this happens it gets lodged in the areas around the joints that house lubricating fluids.

The pain from gout from uric acid crystals depositing between joints. As a result, your joints don’t get the lubrication that they need and swell up, becoming chronically inflamed.

And that’s why you hurt so bad.

The level of pain can vary from person to person. In some circumstances, the pain is accompanied by visible swelling and redness. Other times, the pain can hurt so much that simply touching the afflicted area hurts too much

While gout can occur anywhere that joints can be found, it’s most commonly found in toes and fingers.

Choosing an Effective Remedy

gouty arthritis

Luckily for us, there are some essential oils that provide quick and safe relief from the pain and discomforts of gout.

But the oils listed below can do more than offer you quick relief. Essential oils are also a preventative medicine that can help prevent future flare-ups. I’ve included preventative oils and mixtures that you can use now for your pain and as precautionary measures.

Before we dive in it’s important to know that, yes, essential oils can be effective for gout, but they’re not going to be effective healers in every case. If your condition worsens please seek out additional treatment options or consult a doctor. Over time gout can prove dangerous for the kidneys and body in general.

11 Essential Oils for Gout

Below you’ll find our most recommended oils and mixes for gout. They’ve been highlighted for their ability to soothe your achy joints and clear out stuck uric acid crystals.

Of course, you do not need all of the oils that we’ve listed below. Pick a few of your favorites and whip yourself up a healing mixture.

1.) Birch Essential Oil

birch eo

Birch contains anti-inflammatory compounds just like wintergreen. These anti-inflammatories are actually the natural cousins of the synthetic varieties of pain reducers found in common NSAID drugs. Birch cleanses and purifies above and below the skin when applied thanks to its diuretic, blood-cleansing and tonic actions. Be sure that you use birch bud oil (white birch) and not black or sweet birch. Birch bud is safe to use, as the latter two birch oils should only be used by well-informed aromatherapists.

You can buy birch essential oil here.

2.) Basil Essential Oil

basil

Basil oil has a reputation for minimizing uric acid in the blood. So it’s perfect for treating gout. Basil also contains tonic properties perfectly suited for skin conditions. It’s an excellent addition to any massage blend and bath oil for aches and pains. Basil is also a great oil for mental clarity, concentration, and improved functioning.

(Buy Now | Learn More About Basil Essential Oil)

3.) Roman / German Chamomile Essential Oil

chamomile

Chamomile has applications for pretty much all skin problems. It reduces inflammation, softens and soothes dry and agitated skin. It eases the pain by numbing nerves and reducing tissue inflammation. It is a safe and gentle oil that’s very popular in a broad range of aromatherapy applications. It is sedative, calming, tranquilizing and rejuvenating.

(Buy Now | Learn More About Chamomile Essential Oil)

5.) Frankincense Essential Oil

frankincense

 

Sourced from a small tree native to North Africa, frankincense oil acts as a skin cleanser, tightener, and tissue toner. It’s well known for healing skin ailments like wrinkles, stretch marks, boils, and cysts. So while it can help you feel better right away, it will also help tone your skin so it returns to normal after your gout symptoms have faded away.

(Buy Now | Learn More About Frankincense Essential Oil)

6.) Thyme Essential Oil

thyme

Thyme is a perennial herb that’s been long associated with powerful healing of all types of skin conditions. It promotes wound healing and is suitable for a wide range of skin irritant problems. Thyme oil is a reviver, it stimulates the immune system and acts as a tonic for many bodily processes including skin renovation and restoration. It has a potent diuretic quality to it which helps tremendously with removing stuck uric acid from the blood.

(Buy Here | Learn More About Thyme Essential Oil)

7.) Fennel Essential Oil

fennel

Fennel is a popular perennial herb coveted for its medicinal and culinary applications. It is a cleansing tonic for skin and has a reputation for limiting the appearance of wrinkles. It’ toning abilities help it clear out toxins and revamp the organs associated with skin health, elimination, and circulation.

You can buy fennel essential oil here.

8.) Pine Essential Oil

Pine

 

Pine oil acts as a restorative. It’s warming and soothing. Which makes it a perfect remedy for the aches, sore joints associated with gout. Pine comforts soothes and cleanses with its unique diuretic qualities.

You can buy pine essential oil here.

9.) Rosemary Essential Oil

rosemary

Rosemary provides strong astringent qualities to your gout treatment regiment. It tones and tightens skin. It is also a restorative and tonic. It creates a warmth and redness when applied, improving circulation and easing the pain by numbing the nerves. This makes it a good choice for treating arthritis, rheumatism, stiff muscles and gout.

(Buy Now | Learn More About Rosemary Essential Oil)

10.) Peppermint Essential Oil

peppermint

 

Peppermint is refreshing, highly therapeutic, cheap and widely utilized across the world. It helps to cleanse congested skin. When first applied it is cooling. Once dried it follows up with a warming sensation. This is great for pain-relieving. Kind of like icy-hot.

(Buy Here | Learn More About Peppermint Essential Oil)

11.) Lemongrass Essential Oil

lemongrass

Lemongrass essential oil is a refreshing, cleansing and stimulating tonic for the skin. It stimulates circulation and helps eliminate uric and lactic acid. This eases muscular aches and pains in gout patients.

(Buy Now | Learn More About Lemongrass Essential Oil)

7 Recipes for Immediate relief from Gout Symptoms

You’ll want a nice mixture of essential oils from the list above. Ideally, ones that reduce inflammation as well as soothe and cool the affected area.

Hot Towel Compress

hot cold compress

 

For quick relief, we recommend applying a hot towel compress to the affected area(s).

Directions:

  1. Soak your inflamed skin in cold water. This gets the blood moving some.
  2. Pat skin dry
  3. Add 2-8 drops of one or more of your oils (or gout blend) Then gently massage it in.
  4. Place a hot, recently soaked towel on top of where you’ve applied your essential oils.
  5. Keep your towel on the painful area for a minimum of two minutes.

Repeat 2-3 times daily, as needed.

Soothing Massage Blends for Gout

Aloe Vera Gel

Another great way to apply your essential oils is to make a massage blend. Often we do this by mixing essential oils with a carrier oil for skin application.

Blend #1

Preparation

In a 1/6 oz (5 mL) glass dropper bottle combine:

Shake well to blend. 

In a small, non-reactive bowl combine:

Mix well and massage affected areas very gently 3 times a day.

Blend #2

Ingredients:

Directions:

  • Shake well to blend
  • Rub into the area very gently twice daily

Foot-bath / Soak Treatments for Gout

foot bath

 

Directions:

  • Combine 2 tsp (10 ml) milk and 12 drops of the above mixtures or one or your own blends
  • Fill two basins with water. One cool and one warm.
  • Add half of your milk and oil mixture to each basin and blend/disperse the oil.

Soak feet in warm water basin for 10 minutes, then transfer to cool water for 10 minutes. Gently massage any floating oil droplets into the affected area.

Repeat if desired.

Simple Hot and Cold Compress for Gout

Hot Compress Wrap

Similar to the hot towel compress above you can use this hot compress to reduce stiffness and pain. Apply once or twice daily.

Use the following ingredients:

Cold Compress Wrap

To ease inflammation and pain apply a cold press once or twice daily.

Use the following ingredients:

Simple Detoxifying Epsom Salt Bath

epsom salt

 

Ingredients:

Directions:

  • Add ingredients to your bath water before getting in, mixing in as you pour
  • Repeat daily for two weeks or more, if desired

Feel free to try out different essential oil mixtures for your bath. Use up to 10 drops total.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this post has been helpful for you.

If you have any questions, comments or recommendations of your own please let us know in the comment section below!

EOs for gout

Welcome to EOSanctuary

Hi. Glad to see you here. My name is Loren Elara and I run Essential Oil Sanctuary. I’d love to connect with you and share ideas. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions please make yourself heard.

Essential Oil Sanctuary is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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27 thoughts on “Ouch! 11 Essential Oils for Gout (Plus Mixtures and Application Tips)”

  1. Laura Colbert

    This are so very good essential oil treatment I’m really getting into the natural thing I see a lot of things that you can do with oils a lot of these plants are in your back yard I what to know who to use them

  2. I used some of the EOs recommended for gout – wintergreen, basil, rosemary with a layer birch on top – worked like a charm in only 2 brief days. I’m so glad I found your site – it’s awesome!

    1. Kathern Carnes

      Can you tell me where I can get good birch essential oil? The company I get my oils from don’t have birch.

      1. Hi Kathern. I use Amazon. In the article will find that there is a hyperlink to purchase Birch EO when it is mentioned in the recipe.

        1. Marianne

          I am not seeing the link for birch oil any where. Husband suffers terrible with gout and I can’t find birch oil. What kind do you use

  3. Sharon Limes

    Would Pine, Rosemary, Wintergreen and Basil be safe to use together for gout?

    1. Sure you could blend those, Sharon. I’m not sure about the smell, but I imagine it would smell okay!

  4. kaitlin

    My S.O has serious trouble with the gout. He gets it in his knee and his uric acid level is in the 440s !! I’m so glad I found this. I’m going to try the basil and peppermint oils and pray that they help. His knee is bad enough he’s using crutches. .

  5. I’m looking for the best blend to make for my 86 year old grandma. She seems to be getting gout more and more even though she is currently taking medicine to prevent it. Since I don’t live near her I would like to make her something that she can use at the onset of symptoms. I’m excited to try a few blend listed above I’m just curious if one blend works better than the other? Her gout is generally in her toes and fingers.
    Thank you!

    1. Hi Nickie. Thanks for commenting.

      I’d recommend giving any of the blends a try. Some might work better than others, just like some oils might work better. It depends sometimes on the person’s own constitution.

      Good luck!

  6. D. Reyes

    Hello,

    I got fennel EO for my 70 year old father who is currently on medication for life for his gout. Is fennel generally used for topical reasons or can he drink it with 2oz of water a day? I’m hoping to replace his medication completely but just using EOs. Thanks!

    1. Shannon

      Did you ever find a remedy that replaced the medication? Im trying to do the same for my father-in-law & husband both on medication.

    1. Melissa

      I use Young Living brand. I am a massage therapist and use them often in treatment. Most can be taken internally as well as applied topically or diffused for aromatherapy.

  7. Angela Liang

    My aunt has very serious gout problem, she even couldn’t walk properly. Can I use olive oil for blend one instead of the other carrier oils you mentioned above? Hope this work and relief her pain.

    1. Hi Angela.

      Sure, you can use olive oil. No problem.

      Take care!

  8. My son has had had gout for 7 months. We cannot seem to get the last of the crystals to move out of his big toe joint. I have been putting basil and juniper berry oil as well as frankensence twice a day. However, I wonder if I should be putting them on straight vs. With a Carrier oil? And perhaps white birch would be a better oil to be using?

  9. Marianne

    Just wondering where you get birch oil and what brand you use

  10. Robin Garcia

    We are desperate. ……..my husband suffers terribly from gout and the meds don’t seem to help him. I’ve been checking out your site and was wondering when you mention thyme oil, is it white, red, or does it matter? Thanks, this is my first attempt at the oils but the concept is very interesting to me.

    1. Dennis King

      Robin, I suffer from gout and have had excellent relief from sour cherries. Read up on them. I get montmorency cherries from Trader Joes. The alleviate my symptoms within 15 to 20 minutes. I can’t say if this will work for your husband but it’s worth a shot.

      1. I don’t want to sound ignorant but tell how the cherries are used please. Eat or rub on joints?

  11. Shirley

    Try drinking Organic Apple CiderVinegar , Mix 2- 3 tablespoons ACV into apple juice( I use my homemade juice) 2-3 times daily

  12. Pineapple is supposed to be very good for treating severe cases of gout. Pineapples contain a compound known as bromelain, which helps neutralize the effects of uric acid that accumulates in the blood. Pineapples also contain potassium, phosphorus, manganese and calcium.

  13. Cindy Pennell

    I buy a lot of my oils through Organic Infusions, like birch. Unfortunately they are out of Birch, and Wintergreen till January 2021.

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