There’s a little known secret in natural therapeutics — the profound healing pain relief of Helichrysum italicum essential oil. Its action is nothing short of amazing, though this information is rarely offered directly by aromatherapy companies due to advertising restrictions. Throughout the medical aromatherapy texts however, this fantastic oil is lauded for its broad range of healing effects on the body’s tissues. Here’s a quick primer on using this oil for yourself and your loved ones.

The essential oil steam distilled from the little yellow flowers of the Helichrysum plant (the oil is also known as ‘Everlasting’ and ‘Immortelle’) is in a class by itself for the three most important factors for a medicine: safety, efficacy and ease-of-use. Some essential oils used for pain must be used with caution; those containing methyl salicilate should be used sparingly due to their toxicity potential. Helichrysum however, has no such restrictions in the aromatherapy literature. It is in fact, one of the few essential oils recommended for direct application to the skin in the most critical or immediate cases.

Its efficacy is unsurpassed. Most folks who use it find the pain relief nearly immediate — “it just makes the pain go away”, “it’s amazing” and other similar comments are frequently uttered when the oil is used. The oil is recommended for ANY kind of pain: joint pain, muscular aches and pains, back pain, neck pain, nerve pain, and pain resulting from surgery and trauma. In most cases, a simple preparation of the oil in any common aromatherapy carrier oil is the formula of choice. Jojoba is commonly used for aches and pains; Rosehip seed oil and Tamanu are selected when healing skin damage (or reducing scarring).

Mixing your own topical preparation is very simple: just mix one part Helichrysum to nine parts ‘carrier oil’ in a separate bottle. This makes a 10% concentration. Some users create formulas as strong as 20% Helichrysum, others with as little as 5%. Using the lowest concentration necessary is more a question of cost than anything else — the pure essential oil is relatively costly, particularly the highest quality, rarest varieties. The pure essential oil applied ‘neat’ or undiluted is called for when a trauma has just occurred. For example, if one has just twisted an ankle, or really any serious injury where bruising will occur, several drops of the essential oil should be applied immediately and then again every hour or so until the potential for hematoma is eliminated.

Beyond its efficacy for pain relief, the oil is thought to actually speed healing and recovery. The oil does this though its synergy of natural chemical constituents; some quench free radicals, some reduce inflammation, and others signal tissues to regenerate on a cellular level. These effects make the oil an excellent addition to many blends for natural skin care — it is found in recipes for anti-aging, wrinkly reduction, scar reduction and dermatitis. It is also excellent for minor burn treatment, often instantly relieving pain from those small wounds that happen occasionally in the kitchen and around the home. Further, if one has just received a cut and wishes to reduce the potential for a scar, the oil can be applied once bleeding has stopped regularly until healing is complete (a 10% formula in Rosehip seed oil is an excellent choice).

The finest of Helichrysum essential oil varieties is considered to be that distilled from plants grown on the island of Corsica, France. The environmental conditions and sub-species genetics result in a unique natural chemical composition of the essential oil with strong anti-inflammate, analgesic and regenerative properties. This oil may be listed as Helicrysum italicum sub-species ‘serotinum’. You may find that other varieties work as well for your needs, and can experiment as you see fit.

The profoundly effective action for pain relief provided by Helichrysum italicum essential oil is one of natural medicine’s most wonderful treasures. With its exceptional ratings for safety, efficacy and ease-of-use, the oil is unsurpassed as a healing agent for all sorts of pain. Its quick, gentle action is appreciated by the great majority of users, and is worth investigating for your own needs.