This weeks Tripod shots are of me making a pain balm for my Mom and Son. It has coffee butter in it, which accounts for why it is brown. It has many essential oils and some healing carrier oils as well, to take away that pain.
Showing posts with label balm. Show all posts
Showing posts with label balm. Show all posts
Wednesday's Installment of Teaching Tuesday- Pain
There are two types of pain, or more accuratyely, two ways that pain is categorized and described. There is Acute Pain and Chronic Pain.
Acute pain is usually a result of inflammation and/or injury, and usually is a soft tissue injury. This pain is immediate and has a short duration. Acute pain is a normal response to injury and some disease processes, and its cause can usually be diagnosed and treated without too much difficulty. A sprained ankle, a stubbed toe, a pulled muscle, and the like are all examples of instances where acute pain would be expected.
Chronic pain, on the other hand, is a continuous pain. It is persistent, usually lasting for more than 3 months, which is well beyond the time of normal healing. It can range from mild to severe, and can last from months to years, or even a lifetime. The cause of chronic pain is not always evident, yet it can be a result of a disease process. Often the treatment plan takes a long while to determine and sometimes it is inadequate, in the sufferer's estimation if not the physicians'. For this reason, as much as the cause of the pain, chronic pain can have a devastating impact on people’s lives. Many people with back injuries, arthritis, and various disease processes suffer from chronic pain.
Why are we discussing pain types? Well, just like you need to know what Essential Oil (EO) to sniff when you are using aromatherapy, you need to know what type of pain you have, in order to whip up or purchase a balm or massage oil with an Essential Oil blend meant to relieve your pain.
Several EO's have analgesic qualities and several have anti-inflammatory properties, but only a few possess both of these qualities. Some EO's are good for soft tissue pain, while others are better for joint pain. It is important to know what the EO's in your blend are meant for and what the source of your pain is, so that you can get the greatest bang for your buck and the most relief possible. It is also important to know what other oils, called carrier oils, are used in your product and why. Some oils are more readily absorbed by the skin, therefore they will help to deliver the EO's deeper into the skin, faster, and more adequately than others. Emu oil is one such oil, aside from helping the skin's tissue to heal, it helps to draw other ingredients down into the skin so that they are more effective. Among other things, Peppermint EO has the properties of an analgesic, a topical antiseptic, an anti-inflammatory, and a vasoconstrictor, therefore it would be an excellent choice for mixing with emu oil when needing something for pain accompanied with tissue swelling. Of course there are other Eo's that are considered to be analgesics and some others that anti-inflammatory in nature, so some study is quite important when making your choice(s).
A lesser known stimulant is Turmeric. A native of South Asia, Turmeric has been used for thousands of years as an herb in cooking and as medicine. The yellow powder is an ingredient in many curries. Current research indicates that Turmeric has a strong antioxidant property that makes it an herb that may prevent and assist disease and aging issues. It belongs to the ginger family and the powder and essential oil is obtained from the thick rhizome (root). In traditional Chinese and Indian medicine, Turmeric is used to treat flatulence, colic, abdominal pain, liver disorder, menstrual issues, hemorrhage, bruises, sores and toothache as well as chest and shoulder pain. Because of its analgesic, anti-arthritis, anti-inflammatory, choleric, digestive and rubefacient properties, aromatherapists use Turmeric for arthritis, rheumatism, digestive problems and liver congestion. Research has shown that turmeric can stop the proliferation of laboratory strains of melanoma. (Read Farida Irani 2008 article "Turmeric" in "Aromatherapy Journal," the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) e-Journal.) Turmeric is said to be non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing.
Acute pain is usually a result of inflammation and/or injury, and usually is a soft tissue injury. This pain is immediate and has a short duration. Acute pain is a normal response to injury and some disease processes, and its cause can usually be diagnosed and treated without too much difficulty. A sprained ankle, a stubbed toe, a pulled muscle, and the like are all examples of instances where acute pain would be expected.
Chronic pain, on the other hand, is a continuous pain. It is persistent, usually lasting for more than 3 months, which is well beyond the time of normal healing. It can range from mild to severe, and can last from months to years, or even a lifetime. The cause of chronic pain is not always evident, yet it can be a result of a disease process. Often the treatment plan takes a long while to determine and sometimes it is inadequate, in the sufferer's estimation if not the physicians'. For this reason, as much as the cause of the pain, chronic pain can have a devastating impact on people’s lives. Many people with back injuries, arthritis, and various disease processes suffer from chronic pain.
Why are we discussing pain types? Well, just like you need to know what Essential Oil (EO) to sniff when you are using aromatherapy, you need to know what type of pain you have, in order to whip up or purchase a balm or massage oil with an Essential Oil blend meant to relieve your pain.
Several EO's have analgesic qualities and several have anti-inflammatory properties, but only a few possess both of these qualities. Some EO's are good for soft tissue pain, while others are better for joint pain. It is important to know what the EO's in your blend are meant for and what the source of your pain is, so that you can get the greatest bang for your buck and the most relief possible. It is also important to know what other oils, called carrier oils, are used in your product and why. Some oils are more readily absorbed by the skin, therefore they will help to deliver the EO's deeper into the skin, faster, and more adequately than others. Emu oil is one such oil, aside from helping the skin's tissue to heal, it helps to draw other ingredients down into the skin so that they are more effective. Among other things, Peppermint EO has the properties of an analgesic, a topical antiseptic, an anti-inflammatory, and a vasoconstrictor, therefore it would be an excellent choice for mixing with emu oil when needing something for pain accompanied with tissue swelling. Of course there are other Eo's that are considered to be analgesics and some others that anti-inflammatory in nature, so some study is quite important when making your choice(s).
A lesser known stimulant is Turmeric. A native of South Asia, Turmeric has been used for thousands of years as an herb in cooking and as medicine. The yellow powder is an ingredient in many curries. Current research indicates that Turmeric has a strong antioxidant property that makes it an herb that may prevent and assist disease and aging issues. It belongs to the ginger family and the powder and essential oil is obtained from the thick rhizome (root). In traditional Chinese and Indian medicine, Turmeric is used to treat flatulence, colic, abdominal pain, liver disorder, menstrual issues, hemorrhage, bruises, sores and toothache as well as chest and shoulder pain. Because of its analgesic, anti-arthritis, anti-inflammatory, choleric, digestive and rubefacient properties, aromatherapists use Turmeric for arthritis, rheumatism, digestive problems and liver congestion. Research has shown that turmeric can stop the proliferation of laboratory strains of melanoma. (Read Farida Irani 2008 article "Turmeric" in "Aromatherapy Journal," the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) e-Journal.) Turmeric is said to be non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing.
Make It Yourself Monday- Rash Balm
My Grandson will be one in just another 3 more short months! My how the time has flown! In his honor, today's make it yourself recipe is a baby balm. Healing and soothing, this recipe is great for preventing as well as healing diaper rash and prickly heat rash. And rubbing a balm into baby skin also helps to calm and reduce stress, so that's a bonus too!
To make, you will need to brew an infusion of the following dried herbs;
3 Tbsp. lavender buds
1 Tbsp. calendula petals
1 Tbsp. chamomile flowers heads
1 Tbsp. rose petals *Make sure that these are from plants that are not chemically treated or colored. Roses that are sold in florists shops or stores are usually treated for bugs and/or colored. So if you do not know for sure, do NOT use the petals. You certainly don't want to introduce a poison to your balm! Also, you do not have to use any rose petals if you do not want to include them, but they do add some nice properties to the balm.
Take the dried herbs and place in a pot. Begin the process by slightly mashing them, then add 1 cup of your favorite carrier oil. My favorites are olive oil, hemp seed oil, grapeseed oil, camelina, or sweet almond oil. If you can't decide, mix a few! Then simmer over a low heat for about four hours. You can also use a crock-pot set on low too. Another way is to use powdered herbs. If you do this, you will only need to simmer for two hours.
Once made, strain the oil from the solids and toss out the plant material. The easiest way to strain is by pouring through cheesecloth, but if you don't have any available you can also use a wire strainer with a coffee filter inside of the strainer. Just be very careful to not allow the filter to break, and you will have to squeeze some of the oil out of it, in order to make sure that you get all the oil you need, as it loves to hold onto some. *If you use the powdered herbs, you will be better off using the coffee filter.
In a glass bowl, blend;
2 Tbsp. vitamin E oil
1 1/2 tsp. of emu oil OR jojoba oil
then add in the herbal infused oil and stir well.
Next, melt 8 Tbsp. of beeswax in a double boiler. Once it is completely melted, slowly add it to the bowl of oil, whisking as you go. I prefer using a stick blender at this point, but you can keep whisking or use an egg beater. At this point add 4 drops of lavender or Roman chamomile essential oil. You can add 2 drops of each if you'd prefer, and that is a great blend! Whatever you do though, do NOT add more EO than 3 drops when making this for a baby! Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy, then put into dark jars and seal. This will stay good for about 3 months without refrigeration, but to extend its shelf life, store it in the fridge. In fact, I like mine refrigerated because the cool feels soothing. How do I know? Well this balm is great for adults too, especially for healing minor burns, cuts, scrapes, and abrasions.
To make, you will need to brew an infusion of the following dried herbs;
3 Tbsp. lavender buds
1 Tbsp. calendula petals
1 Tbsp. chamomile flowers heads
1 Tbsp. rose petals *Make sure that these are from plants that are not chemically treated or colored. Roses that are sold in florists shops or stores are usually treated for bugs and/or colored. So if you do not know for sure, do NOT use the petals. You certainly don't want to introduce a poison to your balm! Also, you do not have to use any rose petals if you do not want to include them, but they do add some nice properties to the balm.
Take the dried herbs and place in a pot. Begin the process by slightly mashing them, then add 1 cup of your favorite carrier oil. My favorites are olive oil, hemp seed oil, grapeseed oil, camelina, or sweet almond oil. If you can't decide, mix a few! Then simmer over a low heat for about four hours. You can also use a crock-pot set on low too. Another way is to use powdered herbs. If you do this, you will only need to simmer for two hours.
Once made, strain the oil from the solids and toss out the plant material. The easiest way to strain is by pouring through cheesecloth, but if you don't have any available you can also use a wire strainer with a coffee filter inside of the strainer. Just be very careful to not allow the filter to break, and you will have to squeeze some of the oil out of it, in order to make sure that you get all the oil you need, as it loves to hold onto some. *If you use the powdered herbs, you will be better off using the coffee filter.
In a glass bowl, blend;
2 Tbsp. vitamin E oil
1 1/2 tsp. of emu oil OR jojoba oil
then add in the herbal infused oil and stir well.
Next, melt 8 Tbsp. of beeswax in a double boiler. Once it is completely melted, slowly add it to the bowl of oil, whisking as you go. I prefer using a stick blender at this point, but you can keep whisking or use an egg beater. At this point add 4 drops of lavender or Roman chamomile essential oil. You can add 2 drops of each if you'd prefer, and that is a great blend! Whatever you do though, do NOT add more EO than 3 drops when making this for a baby! Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy, then put into dark jars and seal. This will stay good for about 3 months without refrigeration, but to extend its shelf life, store it in the fridge. In fact, I like mine refrigerated because the cool feels soothing. How do I know? Well this balm is great for adults too, especially for healing minor burns, cuts, scrapes, and abrasions.
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