Homemade or Natural Alternative to Unkers/Icy Hot?

[BlessedMama]

My dh has been using Unkers salve on his elbow. He ran out and used IcyHot last night--phew! I nearly had to sleep in a different room! So I look up ingredients...even Unkers seems to use a petroleum base.

Anyone know of a healthier alternative, either to buy or make (I prefer to make, but hey, I'll buy it if it doesn't stink as bad!)

I don't mind the menthol smell, but the IcyHot was really over the top!

I've been searching but not finding much. I did find the muscle salve herb mixture from Bulk Herb Store. Might go with that!

TIA!

[ayj67]

Something with arnica (arnica montana) as major ingredient...

[BlessedMama]

I was just thinking that, ayj!

And I knew you wouldn't let me down!

[VioletSky]

Hi Trisch,

You said that your dh was using Unker's on his elbow, but not what the issue is with the elbow. I like Christopher's ointments, which use a base of olive oil and beeswax, and keep quite a variety on hand for muscle soreness, bug bites, itching, and so on. There is a Christopher formulation called Complete Tissue & Bone that comes in different versions, including capsules, tincture, massage oil, syrup, and ointment. If the formulation is meant to be used on the skin, it contains comfrey. If meant to be taken by mouth, the comfrey has been replaced with something else to comply with the FDA's mandate/suggestion.

Here is a link to the iherb page for the cayenne ointment that we use for muscle soreness: http://www.iherb.com/Christopher-s-O...-ml/15653?at=0 The wintergreen fragrance is really nice.

Hugs,
Vi

[MommyRose]

Trisch, We use a salve made with Bulk Herb's muscle salve mix. What I'm currently using I made from herbs a few years old and its still benefiting us. We really like to use it for massaging sore areas. We both feel the relief and the muscles relax. It doesn't in anyway have the menthol feel that icy/hot does. I don't know if it would help his elbow but if it didn't I bet you'd find other uses for it. When my neck has tension I really like rubbing it on and I use it for my belly massages. I've made it twice. The first time I followed their directions and used only coconut oil. We didn't like it as much that way...very greasy...which is why the herbs sat in my cabinet unused for several years! This last time I used some of my butters and other skin oils and made it into more of a cream then a salve and whipped it as it cooled. We like the feel and consistency of it much better this way. In fact, a friend was here and tried some on her stiff sore neck and then asked to buy some from me. Arnica is one of the main herbs of the mix.

[Lori French]

We call this snake oil because it works like magic. We've been using it for 10 (?) years.
http://www.aromasensations.com/muscle_mist.htm
I love this stuff.

[ayj67]

Muscle Mist smells as good a my mother's Chinese herbal oil. White Flower oil, Red Flower Oil, Tiger Balm, Hot/Icy, Bengay, Po Sum On oil...

http://www.livestrong.com/article/21...r-pain-relief/

http://natural-herbal-remedies.facto...pain-reliever/

[pamelaw]

I make my own with cayenne, olive oil, beeswax and coconut oil. IT brings in a nice heat and then I apply, if needed, Dr. Christophers complete bone and tissue and things heal up fast.

HTH

[ayj67]

I mix inflam-eez, Dr. C's BF&C salve (made by a lady in North Carolina) and a drop of cayenne extract & a little more coconut oil with some OoO for my crack knee cap...

That is my kitchen sink approach.

http://www.mynaturalmarket.com/north...9g7Dn364CFeYbQ

http://www.drchristophers.com/ointme...e-ointment.php

http://www.amazon.com/Cayenne-Extrac.../dp/B000N38PLU

[BlessedMama]

Thanks for all the ideas, everyone!