When your back is in pain, you’ll do almost anything to make it stop hurting. Standing, walking, sitting, bending, and even lying down can become stressful because the subtlest movement can agitate the pain. Instead of trudging through the pain, there is a very soothing remedy that you can use to make normal movements easier.
A sore back can be the result of overworked muscles or stiff joints. Many people with back pain often lead sedentary lifestyles, in which activity is minimal. While icing and heating are classic treatments that work to reduce inflammation, sometimes you need a cream or salve that you can take with you on the go. That’s why we are giving you the recipe for this amazing salve to help heal your aching back.
Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is a warming ingredient that helps to increase blood flow and circulation in the area where it’s applied. Cayenne is not only beneficial for muscle aches, but is also a useful ingredient to help relieve arthritis, nerve pain, or menstrual cramps. It also contains tons of vitamin C!
Ginger
If you have ever read articles on our website, you know that we love ginger. Ginger contains powerful anti-inflammatory and pain relieving properties that work to increase blood flow wherever it is applied.
St. John’s Wort
This has the potential to help relieve moderate nerve pain and even shooting pains. In fact, it can help relieve pain of any kind because it has amazing anti-inflammatory properties.
What You’ll Need:
- 4 tablespoons St. John’s wort infused oil
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper powder
- 1 tablespoon ginger powder
- 2 tablespoons Shea butter
- 2 tablespoons beeswax
- 20 drops rosemary essential oil
- 20 drops peppermint essential oil
Instructions:
- Place the St. John’s wort infused oil in a heat-safe glass bowl and add the cayenne and ginger powders to a cloth or reusable tea bag. Place the tea bag in the infused oil and set aside.
- Add a few cups of water to a saucepan and put it over medium heat. Place the heat-safe glass bowl with the oil and tea bag over the saucepan to create a double boiler. Let it warm for about 15 minutes. Make sure the water never boils. Press the tea bag with a metal spoon on occasion.
- Turn the heat off and remove the bowl from the saucepan. Allow the oil to cool before removing the tea bag, but press the tea bag for all it is worth before washing the tea bag out.
- Place the glass bowl back on the saucepan (make sure to turn the heat to medium-low) and add the Shea butter and beeswax to the bowl. Once they are melted, remove from the heat and stir in the essential oils.
- Pour the mixture into two separate two-ounce tins and allow them to cool before putting the lids on.
For Use:
- Massage a little of this salve onto your sore joints or muscles to provide them with warmth and pain-relieving properties. Wash your hands after applying this salve because it contains cayenne pepper. You don’t want that in your eyes!
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.