Managing Muscle Pain

A week and a half ago I injured my back and had limited mobility coupled with back pain. This gave me an opportunity to try out some pain relief options. Knowing how to relieve pain and heal quickly is important, especially if you depend on your physical mobility for your livelihood. Here are two topical pain relief options (one commercial and one homemade) we found that work exceptionally well.

Balm of Gilead

I recently made a batch of this balm using cottonwood bud oil, St. John's wort oil, and an essential oil I had on hand: copaiba. I was very surprised by the pain relief this homemade salve provided. It kept up well with the Relieve muscle rub mentioned above. Click the link above to see how to make this salve.


It is recommended that you avoid cottonwood bud products if you have an allergy to aspirin or to bees. Also, St. John's Wort is known to interact with some modern medicines. Be sure to consult your physician before using this if you are taking medication.

Relieve Muscle Rub 

This is the best product we have found on the market to help manage intense muscle pain. It works even better than my former favorite because it not only relieves the pain but also  helps the muscles relax, giving longer periods of relief. We have used it to head off migraines and tension headaches caused by neck and/or back tension. I recently used it to help with the muscle spasms caused by my back going out of alignment. Its natural ingredients include hemp cannabis, wintergreen, camphor, menthol, peppermint, rosemary, and more.  


To manage my back pain, I applied heat first thing in the morning. I then rubbed the Relieve on in the early morning and the Balm of Gilead at mid-day, even if it wasn't yet needed for pain. These were an immense help in my healing!


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