26/01/2026
Pain is something I’m always asked about in my clinic. There are lots of essential oils which can help, based on the individual’s circumstances, but black pepper is one of my favourites, often combined with other essential oils.
And yes, even inhaling (therapeutic grade/ high quality of course) essential oils can help with physical symptoms - they aren’t just ‘pretty smells’ 🌿🧡
Estimates indicate that approximately 20% of adults are plagued by chronic pain. When we think of alleviating discomfort, applying essential oils directly to the affected area often comes to mind. However, emerging research highlights that simply inhaling them may also provide significant relief. This is largely due to the way inhaled essential oils engage with opioid receptors in the brain and, in some cases, cannabinoid receptors scattered throughout the body.
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the therapeutic potential of inhaling black pepper essential oil was rigorously examined against sesame oil, which served as a placebo. Participants experiencing pain were divided into two groups and tasked with rating their discomfort on a scale from 0 to 10—where 0 indicates no pain and 10 signifies the worst imaginable pain. Following this initial assessment, they inhaled either black pepper or sesame oil for a duration of 15 minutes. Remarkably, those who inhaled black pepper essential oil reported a substantial reduction in pain intensity, boasting a 36.1% decrease, while the sesame oil group, conversely, noted an increase in pain following the inhalation.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/302921173_Evaluation_of_Analgesic_Properties_of_Piper_Nigrum_Essential_Oil_a_Randomized_Double-blind_Placebo-controlled_Study
