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.

Teaching Tuesday-Emu Oil

I have a friend in Utah that swears by an emu rub to combat the pain in both aged, arthritic and youthful, over-worked knees. After more than a year of hearing the virtues of emu oil extolled, I decided to look into more deeply, and I must say that I was intrigued. So today's Teaching Tuesday is all aboaut that flightless bird, the emu! 


Emu oil is actually a by product of processing the Emu. After it is processed for it’s meat, the thick layer of fat that is under its skin on its back, is rendered, refined and sterilized. This oil is then used in various cosmetic and medical applications. 


The Emu is actually a prehistoric, Australian bird. It is quite large, flightless, and rather ostrich like. It is thought to have wandered the Australian outback for the past 80 million years, and can still be found there today! Its history can be compared to the Native Americans' relationship with bison, as this bird provided the Australian Aborigines with food, clothing, shelter, medicine ( it was used for wounds, aches, pains and skin protection) and spiritual sustenance. The emu has been valued by the Aborigines for thousands of years, especially for its healing powers, and it does indeed, have many natural qualities which are  beneficial to our health. And, unlike many other oils, emu oil is beneficial to our health without the addition of any herbal or chemical additives. In fact, the fatty acid composition of emu oil is [very] close to the composition of fats that are found in our skin.


Emu oil has been proven to be an intensive pain reliever, especially in cases of chronic arthritis, strains, sprains, and muscle pain. It is also known to possess anti-inflammatory properties, its effects comparable to ibuprofen, bacteriostatic properties (meaning that it inhibits the growth of bacteria, not that it prevents it), and hypoallergenic properties, meaning that it is not known to cause skin irritation or have any other side effects. Emu is widely used to accelerate and promote wound healing. Additionally, it is a non-comedogenic oil, which simply means that it does not clog the skin pores, which makes its perfect for most all cosmetic applications. The chemical composition of emu oil is actually very similar to that of human skin, which means that the emu oil, as well as all of its beneficial properties, can quickly and easily penetrate the skin's surface, which sends its  soothing benefits deep into the skin's tissues. Once applied to the skin, emu oil is odorless and will serve to moisturize and condition.

Emu oil contains Vitamin E, a major antioxidant and healing agent; Vitamin A, which is a known skin repairer, as well as another antioxidant, linoleic acid, which helps to ease muscle and joint pain. It also contains oleic acid, a proven skin cell regenerator and anti-wrinkle agent, sapogens, which are skin softeners, and terpines, which are known antiseptics. Therefore, skin care products that are made with emu oil, (because of the powerful antioxidants) will be great skin cell regenerators, and anti-wrinkle agents. They will actually improve the condition of aging skin. Additionally, products made with this oil are deep (read "great" here) moisturizers, capable of smoothing and conditioning the roughest, driest skin, especially those hard to deal with areas, the elbows, knees and heels. 

Emu oil is also known to reduce the itching and flakiness that often accompanies dry skin issues, because it forms a protective barrier on the skin, after it moisturizes and lubricates the irritated area. Emu oil is also a skin-thickening agent, and it offers the skin protection from wind and other harsh weather conditions, especially when used in formulations for the face and hands. Perhaps best of all,  the wonderful properties of emu oil, its anti-inflammatory benefits, as well as all its others, are considered to be "long lasting".  

Because of its bacteriostatic, anti-inflammatory, and cell regeneration properties, this oil would make a great addition to most any homeopathic balm. In fact, this oil is gaining great popularity in the sports medicine world, its properties making it a natural choice for pain balms that are used to treat muscle aches, pains, strains, pulls, sprains, cramps, as well as minor wound repairs, especially where scarring could be an issue. It is also a good oil for any recipe that is intended to lessen the pain of chronic conditions, such as arthritis and fibromyalgia. It works well in formulations to lesson the pain and the scarring of sunburns and burns, those intended to reduce the appearance of stretch marks, alleviate the discomfort of eczema, psoriasis, diaper rash, and shingles. Any formulation intended to reduce the infection, pain and swelling of insect bites and/or stings will benefit from using emu oil. In fact, emu oil has even been shown to help reverse hair loss, so maybe it should be the next big shampoo or scalp conditioning sensation!    

You should be aware that not all of the emu oil sold at market today is of animal origin, and that some emu Oil is only rendered and filtered, not purified. Unpurified oil may contain contaminants. I did not find any information on what  potential impostors would likely be made with, or how to tell the difference between the real [emu] oil and an impostor. So all that I can suggest is to be sure and read the fine print, choose the refined product, and be sure to purchase your supplies through a reputable company. 

What's Happening Wednesday- Exotic Oils Cont.- Emu

I know that it is hump day, or for our purposes, What's Happening Wednesday, but today I thought that I would keep going with exotic oils, and discuss Emu oil. I really didn't think you would want to hear more about my soap making, which is still what I am up to, and will be for a few more Wednesdays to come! Lol ! So let's discuss emu oil!


Emu oil comes from the prehistoric, Australian bird, the emu, a large, flightless, ostrich like bird. This bird is thought to have wandered the Australian outback for the past 80 million years, and can still be found there today! Its history can be compared to the Native Americans' relationship with bison, as this bird provided the Australian Aborigines with food, clothing, shelter, medicine ( it was used for wounds, aches, pains and skin protection) and spiritual sustenance. The emu has been valued by the Aborigines for thousands of years, especially for its healing powers, and it does indeed, have many natural qualities which are  beneficial to our health.

Emu oil is a by product of the Emu, after it is processed for it’s meat. It has a thick layer of fat, just under its skin on its back, and this is what is rendered, refined and sterilized, to get the oil that is used in cosmetic and medical applications. Unlike many other oils, the emu oil is beneficial to your health without the addition of any additives, either herbal or chemical. In fact, the fatty acid composition of this oil is very close to the correct composition of the fats found in [normal] human skin. Emu oil has been proven to be an intensive pain reliever in cases of chronic arthritis, strains, sprains, and muscle pain. And it is known to  possess; anti-inflammatory properties, with effects comparable to ibuprofen;  bacteriostatic properties, meaning that it inhibits the growth of bacteria, but may not prevent it; Hypoallergenic properties, which means that it is not known to cause skin irritation or have any side effects; is a non-comedogenic oil, meaning that it does not clog the skin pores; and it is [also] widely used as am accelerant for wound healing. 

When you look at the contents of emu oil, its benefits are not all that surprising. Emu oil contains Vitamin E, which is a major antioxidant and healing agent; Vitamin A, which is a known skin repairer, as well as another antioxidant; Linoleic acid, which helps to ease muscle and joint pain; Oleic acid, a proven skin cell regenerator and anti-wrinkle agent; Sapogens, which are skin softeners; and Terpines, which are known antiseptics.

Skin care products made with emu oil, because of the powerful antioxidants, will be great skin cell regenerators, and anti-wrinkle agents, actually improving the condition of aging skin. Additionally, products made with this oil are great moisturizers, capable of smoothing and conditioning even the roughest and driest of elbows, knees and heels. It is also good for reducing the itching and flakiness that often accompanies dry skin issues, as it forms a protective barrier after it moisturizes and lubricates the irritated skin. Emu oil is actually  a skin-thickening agent, as well, and it affords the skin protection from wind and other weather conditions, especially that of the face and hands. 

Not too mention the fact that, because of its natural bacteriostatic, anti-inflammatory, and cell regeneration properties, this oil would make a great addition to homeopathic balms. In fact, it is gaining popularity in the sports medicine world, as its properties make it a natural choice for balms to treat  muscle aches, pains, strains, pulls, sprains, and cramps, as well as minor wound repairs, especially when scarring could be an issue. It is also a good oil for recipes intended to; lessen the pain of chronic conditions, such as arthritis and fibromyalgia;  lesson the pain and scarring of burns and sunburns; reduce the appearance of stretch marks; alleviate the discomfort of eczema, psoriasis, diaper rash, and shingles; as well as ones that reduce the infection, pain and swelling of insect bites and/or stings. Emu oil has also been shown to help reverse hair loss, so you may wish to consider it in a shampoo or scalp conditioning type of treatment.  

 The anti-inflammatory, as well as the other benefits, of emu oil are considered to be long lasting. Because the human skin lacks phosphorus, and the fact that the chemical composition of emu oil is very similar to that of human skin, this oil, and its beneficial substances, can  quickly and easily penetrate the skin, to a deep level. Then, after it's applied to the skin, this odorless product goes on to moisturize and condition the skin's surface, leaving it smooth and non-greasy. Even after repetitive washings, the skin will still reap the benefits of an application of emu oil. 

When searching for warnings for the use of emu oil, all I found was a note that warned that not all emu oil sold on the market today is of animal origin. Just what the impostors are made with, I didn't find, nor did I find a way to tell whether you had an impostor or not. So my only suggestion is to purchase this oil from a reputable company. Additionally, I found warnings that some  

emu Oil is only rendered and filtered, not purified, so therefore it can contain contaminants. So be sure to read the fine print, and always choose the refined product. 

*As with all these posts, please make sure to read the references/bibliographies by clicking on the Reference tab at the top of this page.