If you have been following our articles for some time, you will already know that it can be difficult to spot pain in an animal, inflammation is no different in this case. The reason for this is to hide their injuries to protect themselves from predators in the wild. Inflammation and pain go hand in hand, so if there is inflammation present there is most likely pain. Things that might be apparent are a change in gait, limping or any visible injury. Another thing to keep in mind is internal pain which can be expressed as restlessness, being withdrawn, sleepy or quiet.
What Is Inflammation?
Inflammation is an immune response that promotes healing in the body. We might look at inflammation as a “bad” thing but short-term inflammation is a response to tissue damage or infection and is essential. The only time there is a problem with inflammation is when it doesn’t resolve and it becomes chronic. The intent of natural inflammatory activity is to limit the progression of infection and help heal damaged tissue which is necessary in the resolution of infection and injury.
Signs of inflammation include:
- Swelling
- Heat
- Redness
- Pain
- Loss of motion (restrictive swelling and discomfort)
How Anti-Inflammatory Remedies Work
It is not that these remedies stop the important activity of inflammation, but they help the body resolve the natural process. Some will boost blood flow to mimic the inflammatory process, while others can inhibit the release of inflammatory chemicals like histamine.
Anti-Inflammatory Essential Oils
- German Chamomile
- Lavender
- Yarrow
- Peppermint
- Neroli
- Sandalwood
- Basil
- Black Pepper (warms area)
- Cinnamon Leaf (warms area)
- Ginger (warms area)
Anti-Inflammatory Herbs
- Arnica (oil infused) – topically
- Comfrey – externally only
- Lavender – soothes, calms and eases pain
- St John’s Wort – ease pain
- Devil’s Claw – ease pain
- Nettle – eases inflammation
These are some wonderful and safe remedies we can offer to help our animals through the discomfort of inflammation they are experiencing. It is really important to pay attention to our animals daily so we don’t miss the signs of pain and discomfort. It can also affect their mood, so if your animal seems more agitated or doesn’t want to be touched all of a sudden, this could be a warning that they are unwell.