The Health Benefits of Tiger Balm

Tiger Balm is a popular product in many Asian countries. This cure-all has a long history of being used as part of traditional medicine; it is also an important part of many massage treatments. It was first created in Burma (now Myanmar), but now usually comes from Singapore. The benefits of Tiger Balm are widely praised and in places like Thailand a lot of people will first try to treat any ailment with a dollop of Tiger Balm.

Tiger Balm is made from a number of different medicinal plants including; clove bud oil, camphor, cajuput oil, and menthol (this along with the camphor gives it a distinctive smell). The ingredients are mixed inside a petroleum jelly. Tiger Balm actually once contained the bone of this animal, but this is no longer the case.

The Benefits of Tiger Balm

Those who use Tiger Balm regularly are often full of praise for all its different uses. The most commonly discussed benefits of Tiger Balm include;

- It can be used as an anti-inflammatory on practically any part of the body

- For cold and flu ( rubbed into the chest or rubbed under the nose for decongestion)

- For pain relief anywhere on the body ( there are also claims that it is good for arthritic pain)

- To treat headaches

- To ease the discomfort of muscle strains

- To stop mosquito bites from itching

- To treat minor burns ( the sort that many Asians get from touching naked skin against hot motorbike exhausts)

- To treat heartburn

- To ease the discomfort of a stomach upset

There are a few different types of Tiger Balm available; the main difference is the strength of the balm. Tiger Balm Red is the strongest version of the product while Tiger Balm White is the lightest. It is generally recommended that Tiger Balm Red is never used on the head; instead Tiger Balm White can be used.

Some Final Thoughts on the Benefits of Tiger Balm

Many people throughout Asia regularly use Tiger Balm to treat a host of different ailments. These people claim great relief from the product and this ensures its continued success. A lot of visitors to places like Thailand have been so impressed by Tiger Balm that they have brought it back home with them to other parts of the world. It may be that in the future this product will be as famous in other parts of the world as well.

Sources

Wikipedia article - Tiger Balm ( accessed 27 July 2010)

Schattner P - Tiger Balm as a treatment of tension headache. A clinical trial in general practice - Aust Fam Physician - 01-FEB-1996; 25(2) Pages 216, 218, 220