topical pain remedies
Chinese herbs have been applied topically to the skin since the Han dynasty. This was evidenced when tomb sites known as Ma Wang Dui were excavated and their contents revealed. A medical manuscript entitled Prescriptions for Fifty Two Diseases was discovered which listed several types of heat therapy that included topical application of herbs. There were four main techniques described, one was called roasting which involved heat along with topical application of herbs. Another called hot pressing involved heated herbs wrapped in a cloth pressed onto the body. The third was burning or boiling herbs washed over the body. And the fourth was soaking of the affected area of the body in hot medicinal baths. The hot pressing and soaking in hot medicinal baths are techniques that are still commonly used.
Today, herbal applications are in various forms - most commonly as compresses, washes, powders, ointments, oils, soft plasters, and application of herbs directly onto acupuncture points. According to Chinese medicine principles, there are also specific indications based on the carrier of the herb according to specific purpose of application. For example, an oil is indicated for chronic conditions; vinegar for eliminating stagnation, pain or inflammation; and alcohol for trauma, moving blood and increasing warmth to the affected area.
Topical application of herbs is most commonly used for elimination of muscular, joint and tendon pain. They are useful for traumatic injuries sustained during exercise such as bruises or sprains. They contain herbs to reduce swelling, eliminate inflammation, promote circulation, and break up stagnant Qi and Blood to help speed the natural healing process following a trauma to the physical body. They are also applied for pain relief associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. And found to be helpful for a multitude of musculoskeletal issues and traumas to the body.
Numerous remedies exist to alleviate pain when applied externally to the skin from not only Chinese medicine, but also Western, Native American, Ayurveda and Homeopathic herbal traditions. The following are simple and easy to use, specifically appropriate for pain that is affecting the joints or soft tissue of the body.
Special instructions for all remedies: They are only for external use. Be certain to avoid touching your eyes or mucus membranes during usage, and wash hands thoroughly after application is complete. Apply three times a day to the affected area for best results. Don’t use on sunburned, wind burned, dry, chapped, or irritated skin. Never apply it to broken skin or an open wound. Not to be used if pregnant or breastfeeding, if an allergic reaction such as a rash emerges discontinue usage immediately. Consult your physician prior to use.
Capsicum Plaster: These plasters can be applied to painful areas of your body and left on up to 24 hours. They are made with capsicum (cayenne), which is an active component of chili pepper that desensitizes pain prone skin nerve receptors called C-fibers whereby soreness is diminished for 3-5 weeks while they regain sensation. In a Pain 2003 journal results were published from a double-blind research study done with 320 subjects to test the efficacy of capsicum plasters for non-specific low back pain over a three week period. Results showed significant improvement for subjects using the capsicum plaster compared to the placebo. It was concluded that capsicum plaster offers a genuine alternative in the treatment of chronic non-specific low back pain. Capsicum plasters work to reduce pain through increasing blood circulation to the affected area. They are east to apply and stay firmly adhered to the skin.
Dit Da Jow (Zheng Gu Shui): This is an analgesic liniment made of Chinese herbs that help with bruises, arthritis or sore muscles. The earliest historical records of its use date back to the Han Dynasty. It was traditionally used by martial artists to treat their injuries and became known as “hit medicine”. There are numerous recipes that are often considered to be a secret formula passed down through the centuries – some containing myrrh and ginseng. Herbs are typically ground down and then steeped in an alcohol such as vodka or gin for as long as possible to increase its potency, anywhere from months to years. All Dit Da Jow formulas contain herbs to reduce swelling, eliminate inflammation, promote circulation, and break up stagnant Qi and Blood – all to reduce pain and improve healing of injuries. Dit Da Jow works best when applied to the affected painful area of the body with circular hand movements to create a warming effect through friction creating on the skin.
Tiger Balm: This cream is applied to relieve inflammation and muscle aches. It contains menthol, camphor, mint oil, cajuput oil, clove bud oil and cassia oil in a petroleum jelly and paraffin base. As one of the most famous Chinese herbal creams, an herbalist Aw Chu Kin from Burma developed tiger balm in the 1870’s. Do not cover treated skin with a bandage or expose it to heat from a hot tub, heating pad or sauna.
White Flower Oil (Bai Hua You): This remedy contains the oils of wintergreen, menthol, camphor, eucalyptus, peppermint and lavender. White flower oil is helpful for relief of aches and pains of the muscles and joints – more specifically for back pain, neck pain, arthritis, sprains, bruises and strains. Apply with clean cotton to painful area of the body.
Weleda Arnica Massage Oil: This soothing aromatic oil is made with arnica flowers and birch leaves in a base of sunflower seed oil and olive oil. Arnica reduces inflammation, decreases swelling, and eliminates pain. Birch extract is added in for detoxification purposes, plus lavender and rosemary essential oil fragrance for mental relaxation.
T-Relief (Formerly known asTraumeel Cream or Gel): This is a homeopathic combination of 14 ingredients including arnica. It is rubbed into the skin to relieve pain, swelling and inflammation. It is also used to accelerate recovery and improve mobility for musculoskeletal injuries. Good for treatment of sports injuries and repetitive use injuries, sprains, muscle aches and bruises. It is odorless.
Arnica is the predominant herb in both Weleda Arnica Massage Oil and T-Relief. It is a flower native to Europe and Siberia, but also grows in Northern America. It is used for muscle aches, spasms, pulled muscles, and arthritic or rheumatic pain. Arnica oil is also known to be effective for sprains, bruises and swelling due to fractures. A research study conducted in 2007 found that a homeopathic arnica solution had positive effect for muscle soreness after running a marathon. Today, professional athletes are using arnica oil as first aid relief for sports related pain or injury. Its pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties are due to thymol which dilates subcutaneous blood capillaries leading to increased transport of blood and fluid accumulations. Arnica furthermore stimulates white blood cells, which process congested blood and thereby disperses stuck fluids in the joints, muscles and bruised tissues. Arnica oil contains a compound called helenalin which may lead to an allergic reaction such as a mild rash. If this happens discontinue usage. Be careful using arnica topically over a long period of time as it may cause skin irritation or other skin conditions.
External application allows for herbs to be applied safely to the skin, ones that might otherwise be contraindicated for internal use. Herbs applied topically also provide a way to increase healing without having to circulate herbs through the body’s internal system. Furthermore, combining external application of herbs together with acupuncture and ingestion of an herbal formula provides treatment from three directions. When dietary recommendations and therapeutic massage are added - positive treatment results becomes even more imminent.