January 30, 2023
If you are suffering from troubling aches in your muscles and joints, then no doubt wintergreen oil can be beneficial for you. Some drops of wintergreen oil and a regular massage on the aching area can do a lot better in reducing your pain.The Gaultheria procumbens wintergreen plant is a member of the Ericaceae plant family. Native to North America, especially cooler parts of the Northeast United States and Canada, wintergreen trees that produce bright red berries can be found growing freely throughout forests.
Wintergreen essential oil is extracted from the leaves of the Gaultheria procumbens evergreen plant. Once steeped in in warm water, beneficial enzymes within wintergreen leaves called methyl salicylates are released, which are then concentrated into an easy-to-use extract formula using steam distillation.
Sometimes wintergreen oil is called eastern teaberry, checkerberry or gaultheria oil. Native Americans chewed the leaves of wintergreen in order to increase respiratory capacity when they ran long distances and performed difficult labor. Settlers in early America had their children chew the leaves for several weeks each spring to prevent tooth decay. Wintergreen was used as a substitute for black tea during the Revolutionary War. Wintergreen tea has been used to relieve cold symptoms and muscle aches. Native American medicine men used to prescribe wintergreen infusions for fever. Without knowing it, they were using aspirin in its natural form. Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) provides the same secondary metabolite as the methyl salicylate in wintergreen, namely salicylic acid. A scientific publication stated that 1g of wintergreen essential has a pharmacological effect that is identical to 1.4g of aspirin! We should not forget that a great number of drugs have their origin in nature and were not just completely made up by humans.
Researches also show that wintergreen oil has the ability to act like a natural analgesic (pain reducer), antiarthritic, antiseptic and astringent. It primarily contains the active ingredient methyl salicylate, which makes up about 85 percent to 99 percent of this essential oil and plays a crucial role in acting upon the aching parts. The main chemical present in it is responsible for healing the damages of joints and muscles, and also for promoting health in several ways. The substance methyl salicylate is an ester and is an essential constituent of ointments that treat small topical aches by their application. It serves as a flavor enhancer in many of the products, that’s why it becomes a part of many flavored products in small quantities.
Wintergreen is one of the best sources of this inflammation-fighting compound in the world and believed to be one of only several plants that naturally supply enough to form an extract. Wintergreen oil has a variety of uses when we talk about taking advantages from the naturally occurring source. The wintergreen oil is entirely natural and doesn’t need external supplements to enhance its functions. It takes up the natural process after its application. You can find the use of this plant in various other products such as a scent or flavoring agent – toothpaste, Listerine, gums and soft drinks. Moreover, it is also present in many other products such as – pharmaceutical products, teas, and candies.
What is wintergreen oil used for?
Wintergreen essential oil is naturally an antioxidant, energizing and immune-enhancing, since it lowers inflammation and reduces pain. It is also very helpful in treating fatigue along with lung, sinus and respiratory illnesses. Researches show that wintergreen oil helps to treat problems like – fever, stomach ache, asthma, kidney problems, gas, headaches, nerve pain, arthritis, menstrual cramps, gout, rheumatism or achy joints, and other minor aches in joints and muscles. You can directly use the diluted wintergreen
essential oil by applying to the aching area. It is absorbed into skin quickly and acts like a numbing agent, similar to cortisone. It also promotes blood circulation and cools irritation, which is comforting to swollen skin.
This oil is used as an active ingredient in many topical pain relievers to help ease muscle joint and bone pain. Since wintergreen naturally contains active constituents that work similarly to aspirin, it is very common to use this oil for reducing other painful conditions such as headaches, chronic nerve pain, PMS symptoms and arthritis.
The leaves are also beneficial for preventing and treating digestion problems, including stomachaches, cramps, gas and bloating. Because wintergreen oil can help fight inflammation, it’s also effective for helping treat a wide variety of illnesses — everything from respiratory issues like asthma to colds, flu, kidney problems and even heart disease.
Wintergreen Essential Oil Benefits
- You can count on numerous benefits of wintergreen essential oil. Before using wintergreen oil, you need to make sure that you have selected a hundred percent pure product. Some of the leading benefits are: It provides relaxation from the aching joints –If you are suffering from uncontrollable pain in the joints or muscles, then wintergreen oil can help in reducing it. It removes discomfort from the painful area and is also active in the problem of arthritis.
- It shows plenty of antiseptic properties –It has a considerable amount of real antiseptic properties, that can help in fighting with various harmful bacteria and fungi.
- It regulates the circulation of blood –A regular massage using the oil can generate a passage of increased blood circulation which makes the curability of pain easier.
- It reduces the soreness of muscles –Wintergreen oil promotes proper circulation of blood, which removes the stiffness from the muscles and manages to treat the pain present in them.
- It reduces irregular menstrual cycles in women –Researches show that the oil is beneficial in reducing the risks of complete stoppage of the menstrual cycle in women.
- It helps in detoxifying –It takes care of the elimination of toxic substances from the body and helps in detoxifying or cleansing it internally.
- It prevents the formation of extra salts –Accumulation of excess salts can be harmful to the body. The oil phenomenally increases the frequency of the urination process and removes the excess salts.
- It can induce relaxation –Practicing the aromatherapy with this oil can help in getting relief from tensions and stress.
- It can make you look youthful –You can add a few drops of oil in your facial cleanser to give yourself a younger look. The oil will tighten your skin and will provide you with a youthful look.
- It can also help with sleeping problems –Since the oil provides relief from the pain and gives a sense of relaxation, it can also help in fighting with sleep deprivation.
Precautions and Side Effects of Wintergreen Oil
There are some precautions and side effects along with the benefits of wintergreen oil that should be matters of concern. The side effects are not visible and are rare to occur. But one should always take care of the circumstances to prevent any causal damage from the side effects. Some of the side effects and their precautions are –
- The consumption of oil through the mouth is highly unsafe and can cause tremendously risky problems. It is only for topical use.
- Keep the oil away from the reach of children, as it is highly toxic for the internal systems of the body, and even if consumed in a small quantity by them, it can prove hazardous.
- The medicines carry a selective amount of wintergreen oil. Avoid any usage of this oil, if you are pregnant or undergoing a breastfeeding phase.
- If you have an allergy from consuming aspirin, or have asthma or nasal polyps, then you should avoid the consumption of this oil through any edible source as the salicylate might cause an allergic reaction of the body towards the oil.
So use this efficient oil today for all your health needs, but don’t forget about the precautions and side effects.