Pain relief comes in many forms, including creams, herbal supplements, pills, patches and shots. All provide welcome relief from pain, but it may come as a shock that one of the active ingredients in some pain relief gels and lotions comes from the fat of a flightless bird native to Australia, the emu.
History
The aboriginal people of Australia have used emu oil for centuries. According to Roger Byerd's article "Traditional medicine of aboriginal Australia" in the "Canadian Medical Association Journal," the aboriginal people used a wide variety of ointments and other concoctions made from native plants, seeds, fruit and animals to heal their ailments. Among these natureopathic remedies was the fat from snakes and emus, both used as liniments and dressings for wounds. They found these fats and oils helped to relieve rheumatism and other musculoskeletal pain. Drugs.com says the oil was collected by hanging the skin of the emu from a tree and letting the sun melt the fat, which was then collected and used to treat muscle and joint problems.
Types
Emu oil is most often found as an ingredient in pain relief cream. A study at Southern Medical University in Gangzhou, China, revealed that the emu oil helped relieve inflammation when applied topically. Studies are investigating the effects of orally administered emu oil. R.J. Lindsay et.al. from the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Roseworthy Campus, University of Adelaide, Australia, tested the oral ingestion of emu oil on rats to see if the oil would have the same anti-inflammatory effect on the internal organs. The study showed that the emu oil decreased acute ileal inflammation and improved the state of the mucous lining of the intestine during the rat's recovery from chemotherapy.
Function
Emu oil is primarily used for its anti-inflammatory properties in muscle and joint creams. Kerry Ludlam of "Arthritis Today" says emu oil is being used for natural relief from arthritis, and also helps to heal wounds and burns and relieves the swelling and pain from insect stings and bites. Emu oil is also used to treat skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis because of its deep moisturizing properties. According to drugs.com, the Emu Producers International Cooperative oil refinery produces 5,000 pounds of oil for use in cosmetics, moisturizers and hair products.
Benefits
In their study, "Anti-inflammatory activity of emu oils in rats. Inflammopharmacology," J.M. Snowden and M.W. Whitehouse tested the effects of different preparations of emu oil on rat paws injected with a simulated arthritis. Three out of five preparations reduced the measured swelling of the rats' paws, while two of those three preparations had the same effects on the amount of swelling as ibuprofen. A double blind study presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Burn Association by M. Penturf et. al., showed that, based on photographic evidence, humans who applied emu oil to wounded areas healed significantly better than those who did not use the emu oil.
Warnings
Emu oil or products containing emu oil should not be used if they irritate the skin, or if you develop an allergy. Check with a doctor before using any topical treatments. Don't substitute the topical cream containing emu oil for any prescription drugs your doctor gives you for arthritis, warns MayoClinic.com.
References
- PubMed.gov: Traditional medicine of aboriginal Australia
- Drugs.com: Emu Oil
- Arthritis Today: Emu Oil A Natural Way to Reduce Pain
- PubMed.gov: Orally administered emu oil decreases acute inflammation and alters selected small intestinal parameters in a rat model of mucositis.
- MayoClinic.com: Arthritis pain relief: Creams and gels for aching joints
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