Wintergreen Oil

The wintergreen plant, commonly called wax cluster, spice berry, checkerberry, deerberry, boxberry and teaberry, has been used by Native Americans from ancient times to reduce pain and help in breathing while they go out hunting. The wintergreen plant grows to a height of about 15 cm and have slender stems. The leaves are leathery and serrated and the flowers are white in color. It's the leaves which are crushed to produce wintergreen oil and the main component of this oil is menthyl salicylate. Wintergreen oil is most commonly used to flavor food and is a common ingredient in toothpaste, mouthwash, chewing gum and candies. Ingesting small amounts of wintergreen oil can be fatal and it should not be administered to patients who are sensitive to aspirin.

Wintergreen Oil Uses

Wintergreen oil has been used from ancient times by the Native Americans to relieve sore throat, fever, headache and other rheumatic symptoms. Wintergreen leaves were used as a substitute to tea, during the American revolution. The oil extracted out of wintergreen leaves is pinkish or pale yellow in color and gives out a strong aromatic woody smell. The oil is extracted by the process of steam distillation after the leaves are macerated in warm water and it's during this process that methyl salicylate is extracted. If your joints and muscles pain, this oil can be used to relieve them, but make sure that you dilute it while using. Moreover, you can also use this oil if you have problems associated with ulcers, gout, psoriasis, hair care, eczema, cramps, tendentious hypertension, heart disease, headache, poor circulation, obesity and arthritis.

One of the main benefits is its pain relieving properties. It is mostly blended with a carrier oil to a 10% concentration, and used as a massage oil. The leaves of wintergreen plant is chewed by some people so as to increase the capacity of the lungs. Earlier, people used oil extracted out of the leaves of wintergreen plant to prevent tooth decay. Moreover, it also has properties which can heal respiratory conditions. Respiratory conditions like chronic mucous discharge can also be treated with the use of wintergreen oil. If you suffer from conditions like lumbago, fibromyalgia, neuralgia and sciatica you can try to use wintergreen oil.

Being a stimulant, wintergreen oil encourages the production of enzymes, bile, uterine and ovarian discharges, hormones, gastric juices, besides stimulating the lymph nodes, digestive system and excretion of urine.

One of the major problems faced by women is obstructed menstruation. If you are one of them, you shouldn't take it lightly, as it may lead to other medical conditions like uterine ulcers or in some extreme cases uterine cancer as well. Irritation and pain in the abdominal region are common. These problems can be solved with the use of wintergreen oil, as the oil has properties to restart the menstrual cycle and make them regular. Moreover, it also helps in getting rid of other problems like fatigue and nausea which are commonly associated with menstrual cycle.

As the main component of wintergreen essential oil is methyl salicylate, it should never be used by people allergic to aspirin. The main reason for this is methyl salicylate is a precursor to aspirin and may cause adverse reactions in the body and can be life-threatening. Moreover, you should always remember it's an essential oil and like all other aromatherapy oils, you should not ingest this oil, as it can be harmful inside the body. The methyl salicylate in the oil can easily pass through the skin and enter the tissues. Once they enter the body, they have the capacity to restrict the growth of prostaglandins, due to which pain and inflammation is reduced.

Thus, wintergreen oil is an excellent oil which has several medicinal properties and can be used to heal several medical conditions. As with all other medicines, you should consult a specialist before using this oil so that you are absolutely sure that there won't be any adverse reactions after using this oil.