Big Pharma doesn't want you to be aware of this little-known fact: There is an essential oil available that offers outstanding pain relief without the unfavorable side effects that frequently come with prescription drugs. It has been discovered that this oil provides better pain relief than the majority of natural remedies and even modern pharmaceuticals. Pardon the pun, but what I’m talking about isn’t snake oil. It’s the oil of the curry plant, Helichrysum italicum.
What is Helichrysum?
Also known as the curry plant, Helichrysum Italicum is not actually where curry comes from. The plant’s nickname comes from it’s warm yellow flowers and its curry-like fragrance. This herb is native to Europe and can be found flowering in France, Italy and its neighboring countries. Because it only grows in a few regions, the essential oil of this plant can be quite costly! But for it’s many pain relieving benefits, I can say it’s well worth it! When shopping for the right helichrysum essential oil, you might be shocked to see that there are a lot of different varieties. The one we’re talking about is specifically Helichrysum Italicum. This is important as the pain relief of helichrysum only comes from this specific plant.
How does it work?
Most pain relievers have negative side effects. Pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol) wreak havoc on your liver, while ibuprofen (Advil) is bad for your liver. Helichrysum essential oil is non-toxic, non-irritating and non-sensitizing. Also unlike many essential oils, helichrysum extract can be applied to the skin without being diluted.
The essential oil of helichrysum italicum is effective at:
- Reducing inflammation and removing toxins
- Preventing bruising and blood clots
- Relaxing tight muscles and connective tissue
- Promoting cellular regeneration
You’ll find many pharmaceuticals only achieve one or two of these effects. For example, aspirin only works when thinning blood and targeting inflammation. As a result, helichrysum delivers unparalleled pain relief. The pain relief from using helichrysum essential oil has been reported to work almost immediately. Before I stopped taking pharmaceuticals for my joint pain, it would take hours for me to feel their pain-relieving effects. So it goes without saying that I like to keep a bottle of helichrysum oil handy.
Helichrysum is topically applied. It is effective for virtually all pain in the muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments. I like to use this essential oil for anything from back pain to bruises and sprains. Nearly every form of pain seems to respond to the application of this oil!
How to use it?
Depending on the severity of the pain, helichrysum can be applied one of two ways. For acute pain such as a burn or a twisted ankle, initially apply the oil undiluted (100% strength) to the affected spot. After the injury has calmed down, you’ll want to dilute the amount you apply to about 20% with a ‘carrier’ oil such as Jojoba (olive oil can also work here). This follow-up treatment can be massaged frequently until the injury has fully healed.
For chronic cases of pain, you want to start with helichrysum diluted in a carrier oil (see above). We recommend starting at a low dilution such as 5% and working your way up only if necessary. About 40 drops of helichrysum in an ounce of your chosen carrier oil will create a 5% dilution. Doubling the amount of drops per ounce will make a 10% dilution and so forth.
Here’s where it gets fun. Like something straight out of J. K Rowling’s world of wizards, you can take different essential oils and mix them together depending on the condition. If you’d like to add a warming effect to your oil, adding ginger and/or black pepper essential oils would do the trick. This would be great for certain cases of arthritis bringing both pain relief and improving circulation to the affected area. If you want the opposite effect, peppermint essential oil will add a cooling effect to your helichrysum essential oil.
One note of caution. When mixing oils, take care to check their labels. Unlike helichrysum, some essential oils can be toxic at higher concentrations or when used frequently. The essential oil of helichrysum has no side-effects but take care if you’re taking a blood thinner or if you’ve got open wounds! Helichrysum has properties that act as a blood thinner, so anyone taking blood thinning medication should consult their physician or naturopath before using this oil. It should also never be applied to open wounds as it may interfere with the body’s natural clotting.
If you’ve been experiencing any pain recently, helichrysum italicum is the best essential oil for pain relief!
Sources
http://www.anandaapothecary.com/aromatherapy-essential-oils-news/2009/08/pain-relief-from-essential-oils-using.html
http://draxe.com/helichrysum-essential-oil/
http://oilhealthbenefits.com/helichrysum-essential-oil/
https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-helichrysum-essential-oil.html
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037887411300799X