| I was lying awake at 3am this morning thinking to | | | | camphor, tears streaming down my face, I managed |
| myself what is the best liniment, the most effective | | | | to squeak out "veterinary stores?" "Oh yes", she said |
| liniment I have used over the last 20 years to relieve | | | | "it's for horses when they get tendinitis but I use it on |
| pain. (Yes, I know...not all of us lie awake thinking of | | | | myself." It was at about this point I was wondering |
| best liniments at 3am but such is my life - however, I | | | | whether my skin would start to peel back from my |
| digress) so here is what I think is the best natural | | | | knuckles and all sense of feeling would be permanently |
| liniment I have used to ease pain. | | | | lost from my highly sensitive fingertips. She kindly |
| Why should you need a liniment if you can remove | | | | offered to buy me some to use on my clients but I felt |
| your pain by doing what I suggest in 'why does my | | | | trying to explain to my clients why the label on my |
| neck hurt?' and 'neck pain exercises'? It's because I | | | | new balm said 'horses only- for veterinary use' would |
| understand that sometimes people will forget, become | | | | not be good for business. |
| lazy, have to do 10 hours in front of the computer, lift | | | | I do remember a dear friend of my who lived on a |
| poorly, drive for many hours without a break, wake up | | | | horse property in the hills of Warburton Victoria (which |
| with a stiff neck after sleeping in hotel beds, sit on an | | | | I strongly advise you to visit if you go to Australia - its |
| airplane for a long time etc. so this is where along with | | | | beautiful) and he also used a cream that was for |
| what I have suggested, you can help ease your pains | | | | horses and he too loved it. However, this post is about |
| with liniments. | | | | 'the best liniments for pain THAT DO NOT INCLUDE |
| When you do 20 years of anything you get a fairly | | | | VETERINARY PRODUCTS'. |
| good idea of what works and what doesn't. I have | | | | Here at the spa we have made liniments from |
| tried all sorts of liniments, balms, salves, sprays, gels, | | | | cayenne, essential oils and when we were in Malta we |
| creams, herbs, herbal patches, homeopathic tinctures | | | | even used a plant that was used to treat the soldiers' |
| and oils to relieve pain. I guess many of you who have | | | | injuries in World War 2. Now here in panama, I have |
| suffered from pain have tried dozens of different ones | | | | also tried their products and even a product that |
| as well, all hoping to find one that really does work. | | | | contains 12 different plants from the depths of the |
| And work well. Probably the biggest difference | | | | Panamanian jungle. I have used German products from |
| between us is that I have also asked hundreds of my | | | | pine trees, Chinese products, Italian, French, Hawaiian |
| clients what they thought worked best on them as | | | | and Balinese products. Quite simply, I have tried |
| well. | | | | products from all over the globe. |
| Living, growing up and working in Australia I saw | | | | However, still to this day by far the best I have used is |
| dozens and dozens of different balms, creams and | | | | an Australian product that's been around for a long |
| liniments. We have a large multicultural society and with | | | | long time called 'goanna oil'. Actually, next year it will |
| that brings not only people from all over the world but | | | | celebrate 100 years to be exact. In Australia, goanna oil |
| also their beliefs as well. And with those beliefs are | | | | is a household name and it was even used by the |
| their beliefs in what THEY have thought are the best | | | | John Bertrand and his crew on their yacht Australia 2 |
| liniments from their countries as well. Another great | | | | during their Americas cup races. |
| advantage of being in Australia is its close proximity to | | | | By the way, a goanna is a large lizard, a very large |
| Asia and all of their lotions and potions. Add to this that | | | | lizard in Australia and the aborigines used to use the |
| I studied Thai herbal treatments for pain and 3 years | | | | fat from these lizards to treat their bodies. Nowadays, |
| of traditional Chinese medicine with all of their herbal | | | | since the sixties goannas have been protected and |
| remedies and well, you get the picture, I have tried A | | | | the goanna oil is goanna free. A bit like tiger balm has |
| LOT. | | | | no tigers in it. You will probably have to order it online |
| The reason that I happened to be laying awake | | | | but its well worth it! It has amazing pain relieving |
| thinking about liniments is because a client of mine | | | | properties, is natural and wonderful at easing joint |
| came to see me and wanted me to try out her | | | | aches and pains. When i used to play Australian Rules |
| liniment. She said that she swears by it. I used it on her | | | | Football we would all be rubbed down with it before |
| back and through burning hands and watering eyes I | | | | the game. Its an Australian product that is extremely |
| managed to comment that I had never seen this in any | | | | well known in Oz but virtually undiscovered in the rest |
| pharmacy here in Panama. That's because you won't | | | | of the world. |
| find it here in the pharmacies she duly added, you can | | | | Its called goanna oil and it is the best liniment! |
| only get this in veterinary stores. | | | | (By the way, I do not receive any royalties from the |
| As my clinic now reeked heavily of menthol and | | | | goanna oil company). |