One of most effective ways to use aromatherapy for relieving pain and reducing inflammation are hot compresses: 1. Fill a medium size bowl with hot, but not scalding water. 2. Add 3 to 6 drops of essential oil. 3. Fold a piece of sterile cotton cloth and dip it into bowl. 4. Squeeze out excess water, but not too much. 5. Place wet, hot cloth onto affected area until it has cooled down to body temperature. 6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 at least two to three times. 7. Wrap treated area in a dry and warm towel or blanket and leave patient to rest for a while.

Another good way to use aromatherapy for arthritis relieve is to rub diluted essential oils (see above for dilution) onto pulse points and affected areas during day. Applying essential oils throughout day can help to alleviate pain and tension. The essential oils on skin are quickly absorbed and enter bloodstream. This is an excellent form of arthritis relief and works also well as a preventative measure.

Aromatherapy is a natural, safe and economical option to deal with pain and symptoms of arthritis. And above all, it has no negative side effects as so many of conventional treatments do. In mild cases of arthritis, aromatherapy is often all that is needed to make a person comfortable.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is presented for information purposes only. The material is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. It cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment.

Handling and using essential oils: When taking essential oils from bottle, avoid contaminating oil. Don't touch top of bottle or inside of lid. If you are using pipettes to transfer oils, try to obtain disposable ones that you can throw away after use. Never use same pipette for different oils. Used pipettes can also be stored for a short time in clip-seal plastic bags to use again later.

Avoid contact of essential oils with skin as they can cause irritation. Using latex gloves and wearing protective glasses is recommended when handling essential oils. Essential oils must never be used internally. For application to skin, dilute essential oil with a good quality carrier oil e.g. jojoba, almond or olive oil. 3% essential oil with 97% carrier oil is a safe ratio.

Diffusers and oil lamps need only 2-3 drops of essential oil to scent a room for many hours. The cup on oil lamp should be 3/4 filled with clean water, add to it 2-3 drops of essential oil. Only then light candle in burner. Remember some essential oils are highly flammable, so be careful when using an essential oil lamp.

Observe these points and you will get a lot of enjoyment out of your essential oils.