Wintergreen Oil

Description

Wintergreen leaf is used for painful conditions including headache, nerve pain (particularly sciatica), arthritis, ovarian pain, and menstrual cramps. It is also used for digestion problems including stomachache and gas (flatulence); lung conditions including asthma and pleurisy; pain and swelling (inflammation); fever, and kidney problems.

Some people use small dosages of wintergreen oil to increase stomach juices and improve digestion. Wintergreen lead is sometimes applied directly to the skin as a wash for achy joints (rheumatism), sore muscles, and lower back pain.

Wintergreen oil is applied to the skin as a “counterirritant” to relieve muscle pain. Counterirritants work by causing irritation that reduces pain and swelling in the underlying tissue. Wintergreen oil is also used to kill germs on the skin.

In manufacturing, wintergreen is used as a flowering agent in food, candies, teas, and in pharmaceutical products.