Oil as Medicine

I learned a long time ago that minor surgery is when they do the operation on someone else, not you. - Bill Walton

Oils have been considered to give relief from pain in muscles and cure nerve problems. In all countries we can see people using oils traditionally after having experienced their medicinal and curative properties. Most of these oils have been found to relieve pain at joints.

Gingili oil or Sesame oil is called in South India the ‘Oil of Goodness’ as it is said to be do only good and create no problem. It is used in cooking and for taking ‘oil bath.’ Oil bath is being slowly faced out by the modern medical practitioners as doing no good to the body. But those who take oil bath report that it takes care of the skin and help retain the smooth and shiny soft skin, the muscles are messaged and relaxed and the nerves are rejuvenated.

The bath results in reduction of heat and all related problems are cleared. It is said to cool the body well and anyone who is not accustomed to it is advised to use only a very small quantity on the vertex and not to message the oil deep into the body and take bath immediately, shampooing out to remove this oil from the hair and scalp. The messaging and soaking time may be increased only after one gets accustomed to it. In Southern parts of India there used to be masseurs at rich house holds to give oil massage to the men folk every Saturday. Even today one may find masseurs at the foot of waterfalls, who offer the visitors oil massage before they bathe in the falls. Special herbal oils are still available in most of the shops which claim to cure sprains easily and many use these and never go to a hospital for treatment or meet a practicing doctor, for such ailments.

Neem oil is said to stop hair falling when regularly used and also cure all scalp problems like, dandruff. Castor oil has good medicinal value. Traditionally this is used in India to remove stomach pain by applying it on the stomach and slightly massaging the region. It is also used internally to clear problems connected to alimentary canal and babies after they start taking solid food are administered a dose a month to relieve any digestive problems. Coconut and mustard oils are used in not just cooking media but also in medicines.


Many other oils have their own renowned oils having special medicinal effects. Olive oil is good as a skin toner and people use this to remove scars on skin and to get back the skin color after problems like burn injury. It is also said to control LDL and raise HDL level thus helping the heart.

Tea tree oil is considered to cure many problems and is used as medicine by the aborigines of Australia. Eucalyptus oil is used as a pain reliever, for getting relief from pain in limb joints apart from clearing chest congestion when suffering from cold. It is also used to get relief from head ache.

Thus there are many natural, herbal and green ways which one can use to stay away from problems that arise due to our irregular diet and habits. The various oils play a great role in keeping one healthy.

One of the first duties of the physician is to educate the masses not to take medicine. - Sir William Osler

Sciatica; neem; allergy; autism; water; swollen fingers; Alzheimer

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