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Asian aromatic balm | Ease muscular pain after sports and acute lower back pain

October 18th, 2017

Exercising the body makes us feel refreshed and healthy, both mentally and physically. 
Many of us would like to take moderate exercise every day!
However, as soon as we begin pushing our bodies by suddenly playing golf or going to the gym, we often fall into a pattern on subsequent days of feeling muscle pains and aches.

While we are gradually training our muscles at such times, it will hurt if a sudden burden is applied to parts of the body that haven’t yet adjusted.

Today, let’s try making a hand-made aromatic balm, which relieves muscular pain and fatigue after sports or exercise via the use of aroma.

Aromatic Muscle balm

It is also effective for tired legs, acute lumbago and stiff shoulders.

 

Recommended essential oil for muscle pain and fatigue after exercise

 

To reduce acute muscle pain and fatigue caused by overuse, the most effective essential oils are ones that promote the excretion of fatigue-inducing substances that build up in the body and cause inflammation, such as lactic acid.

Lemongrass

Studies have shown that citral, the main component of lemongrass essential oil, dilates blood vessels and improves blood circulation.
In addition, lemongrass essential oil has been shown to promote the excretion of lactic acid, which causes muscle fatigue, and to alleviate inflammation.
In this way it can be used for massage after sports to aid recovery.

The citronellal contained in lemon eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora) and citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) has also been reported to have an analgesic effect on the muscles, making it effective for relieving muscle pain.

Experimental data to reduce muscle pain has also appeared in the essential oil called plai, which is derived from Thai ginger.
Usually, ginger has a warming effect, but plai has an excellent cooling effect instead, helping to cool off inflammation of injured tissue and speed recovery.
It is also recommended for relaxation purposes for bad moods and sleeplessness, and joint pain accompanied by swelling.

The head temple of Thai traditional medicine, “Wat Po”. The main ingredient of original Yamon (medicated ointment) is plai essential oil

In coriander essential oil about 80% of the ingredients are from linalool. This works on the parasympathetic nerve, relaxing nervous tension and helping to improve circulation.
It may enhance fatigue recovery and muscular inflammation after exercise.
Other essential oils containing linalool include lavender, neroli and bergamot.

Limonene, the main ingredient of citrus essential oil, will enhance the metabolic and lymphatic functions, encourage the excretion of waste products, and improve the function of the body while strengthening immunity.
In addition, limonene acts to weaken the irritant effect of citral on the skin, so if you use citrus essential oil together with lemongrass it will result in a balanced aroma blend.

Lemongrass, plai, coriander, citrus, lime…
It would seem that the aroma resembling Thai tom yum soup seems to be completed!

 

Benefits of Arnica Oil and Shea Butter

 

Arnica oil is reported to be effective in relieving muscle pains. Arnica oil is a herbal infusion oil made by soaking the herb called arnica in vegetable oils such as sunflower or olive oil, and leaching its active ingredients.

By the way, one type of muscle pain is called “late onset muscle pain”. It occurs when muscles are overused after not being used for a long time, and is different from chronic shoulder stiffness and lower back pain. You might feel acute pain and experience inflammation.

sports massage

The most effective use for arnica oil is for this delayed muscle pain.
When used as a massage oil before and after doing sports it will be effective for muscle pain prevention.
It will also work for alleviating short-term shoulder and neck pain, such as acute lumbago and sleeping disorder, and foot pain caused by standing for too long.

Also, shea butter can be effective for muscle inflammation.

 

Magnesium and muscles

 

Magnesium is an indispensable mineral component to promote the metabolism of the body, speed up recovery of muscle fatigue and relieve muscle pain.
Magnesium deficiency reduces muscle damage recovery and performance, and prolongs inflammation.

Regarding the interrelationship between magnesium and the muscles, there are several scientific reports that magnesium is considered to be very effective for dealing with muscle fatigue and recovery from inflammation.

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Magnesium also acts on the muscles through percutaneous absorption. Bath salts and ointments containing magnesium can be useful for achieving this.

I looked at Epsom salt in these blogs: Bath salt and Handmade magnesium oil. We introduced several crafts that used magnesium for relieving fatigue, and Epsom salt is one of the materials that is very helpful for magnesium.

 

Summary

 

Let’s look at how to create an exotic muscle balm with an Asian scent, based on Arnica Oil and shea butter, to work on sports-related muscle inflammation, in addition to magnesium!

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