Dance classes are a great place to learn about all kinds of remedies, ointments and what not... A fellow ballerina, who is also a somatician and a Pilates instructor, told me that when she has migraines, which I am prone to as well, she rubs some Tiger Balm on her neck - on the sides of the neck, going towards the hollow place right behind the ears where the jaw ends. She told me that white flower worked even better than the regular camphor and menthol in Tiger Balm, so I bought a little bottle of that. It also works wonders to massage sore muscles.
Another great buy is the Salonpas patches; loaded with camphor and menthol, you apply them like a band-aid on the place that hurts and it will just heat the pain away.
Like more and more people, I like avoiding heavy duty medication - do you have any tricks for any kinds of aches and pains?
Update: based on the comments I'm getting, it seems many of you are interested in migraine. Here's a recent article from the Los Angeles Times about migraine triggers such a temperature and changes in air pressure.
Emily Dickinson
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28 comments:
Thank you for sharing this. I use to have huge migranes and what I do is to take medication and be in the dark.
This is a great tip
xoxo
Sometimes nothing is better than sleep.
I was prone to migraines and my son gets them too. He's not on any specific medication for them but he has a few tricks. He has a cup of coffee to open his blood vessels, he inhales essential oil of lavender and has a hot shower. That plus a couple of tylenols usually helps.
I also heard from my polarity yoga instructor that if you pinch the fatty area between your thumb and index finger HARD it can relieve your pain. I haven't tried this yet.
I will try the tiger balm for my migrane. I also try to stay away from regular meds as much as I can. Thanks for sharing.
Tell me if the migraine remedies work for you because my sister and I both suffer from migraines and are sick of all the painkillers we go through!
SEEKER - I find too that silence and darkness help when I have a migraine, as well as an ice pack on my forehead.
CLEVER PUP - yes, I have CocaCola, not coffee too...
I'll try that pinching trick next time, thanks!!
ALYA - I will let you know for sure. I find that darkness, sleep, no light and ice packs help a lot.
i honestly believe that white flower oil can cure anything! it is one my go to problem solvers.
Tiger balms and Salonpas patches are big in Japan lol White flower oil sounds good, will look for that!
DANICA - I wonder, what do you use it for?
MICHIKO - actually, Salonpas is imported from Japan!
It would be great relief to find something natural that works!
Mon remede a moi, tres efficace s il en est un, est 2 ASPIRINE 500mg et on n en parle plus...
Hey you poor Migrainers, get some acupuncture and herbs! Naturally I have a bunch of favorite treatments
( ocupational advantage ). Easy one: rub the same part on the not hurt side, so if you hurt your left big toe, rub your right big toe. If, god forbid, you have to have surgery or dental work take some homeopatihic Arnica before and after, if will decrease healing time and decrease or eliminate need for pain meds (yuck). My favorite is for Poison Oak type rashes (I know off topic) a Chinese herb formula called Yin Qiao and lots of Vit. C. works better than steroids.
I get migranes about twice a year, excitement is usually my trigger. Thank you for this information, I will try it out next time.
I have never heard of white flower oil or Salonpas patches! As you know, I suffer from frequent migraines. I would prefer to take less codeine than I do now, but it does work wonders when in great pain. Please tell me if these remedies work...
PS What is a somatician?
I've used the white flower stuff before, it's definitely far stronger than tiger balm!
i have my traditional chinese medicine. i take and give acupuncture treatments.
Hmmm i will have to look into white flower oil, thank you.
My tip is Swedish Bitters, although it is a dietary supplement it really does work for just about everything from insect bites to razor rash to sun burn It's great!
JL - les migraines ne sont pas vraiment la meme chose qu'un simple mal de tete. Cela s'accompagne notamment de nausees/vomissements, et si je prends des aspirines en cas de migraine, je suis sure de vomir...
D MOLL - thank you SO MUCH for all those tips! I knew you, of all people, would give me some good pointers.
J ELAINE - somatic therapists use a holistic approach that focuses on movement, breathing and such. You'd like it I think...
RITVA - I didn't know you practiced acupuncture! I heard about lots of problems that are very successfully treated with acupuncture, such as insomnia and smoking.
LITTLEBIRD - Swedish bitters? Is that an ointment or something? I have to try it! Thanks for the tip.
Thank-you for this... I often suffer migraines and have to retreat to a darkened room (if possible) and sleep it away (if lucky).
GRACIA - same for me; sometimes the pain keeps me for sleeping, but if I can sleep, it really helps.
I use airplane masks to stay in the darkness even during the day...
i've started getting migraines too-- if i sense it coming on, and get my shoulders and some pressure points near my heart (on the back) and shoulders pressed, something energy releases and it almost hardly manifests further... otherwise i can get sick to my stomach.
i think it is energy stuck that does this to us.
This is a great tip. I actually like the smell of Tiger Balm. I wonder if this works on all headaches. Thanks for sharing. xoxo
MANSUETUDE - I'd like to learn more about pressure points - any book you might recommend?
I like your idea of "stuck energy", it's very meaningful...
JOYCE - I love that camphor/menthol smell too, it's very invigorating.
I am also a member of migrane club :-(
I find that temperature, air pressure, food, lights that move, all kinds of stuff will bring on my migraines.
Some times I can ward them off with Aleve, and caffiene.
BITTERBETTY - yes, a recent study covered in the LA Times confirmed that changes in air pressure and temperature can be triggers.
What remains a mystery is pollution - the study did not conclude it could indeed trigger migraines so who knows... Based on my experience, I would tend to say the do though.
I agree both of these work wonders...
You'd think I'd have some wisdom here, right? but you'd be wrong, sadly. :) My BFF (recently retired from ABT) was a big fan of SALONPAS so I assume that works. I'm a fan of good ol' Excedrin for the migraines I get (know that's not holistic or anything), but for body aches and pains? Sadly, I think the only true remedy is to stop taking class, LOL. My hips and knees (arthritis) are worse than ever and I am not even dancing or taking class, just teaching. Be sure the floor is good wherever you are taking b/c if it's not raised or sprung, you're gonna feel it big time.
That's all I've got. :)
Though it doesn't get rid of the headache, it masks it...I keep those cold gel masks in the fridge and put them on when I have the headache. It really helps.
I don't know if it's because it keeps the blood vessels from constricting or just the cold keeps the abundance of feeling there instead of the headache...but I find it helps a great deal.
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