You can certainly recognize its strong scent from far away, which instantly clears your sinuses. But do you know what's in it?
Tiger Balm, a classic pain reliever, was first created by a Chinese herbalist back in 1870. It was commercialized by his sons and has been sold worldwide ever since.
Tiger fat promises pain relief, this is confirmed by many professional athletes, because vigorous massage of the painful area with this balm really helps, especially with bruises and similar injuries.
Unlike drugs that are taken orally, such as brufen and aspirin, tiger fat does not attack the source of pain, but with a slightly warm and cold sensation on the skin, it "masks" the pain and deceives the brain. In other words, by using this balm, you will confuse your nerve endings, but not remove the pain itself.
These are the ingredients that give it these powerful properties:
Camphor
One of the main two active ingredients in tiger fat reduces pain by activating temperature sensors in your skin and making you feel cool. Since the nervous system can only deal with one piece of information in one place, the body focuses on the cold instead of the pain.
Menthol
The other active ingredient, menthol, is actually an alcohol extracted from peppermint oil. Like camphor, it activates cold receptors, slows blood flow and reduces swelling, just like a cold compress. Because it interacts with other opioid receptors, menthol also has actual analgesic properties, rather than just masking pain.
Dementholated peppermint oil
Although it is a by-product of the menthol extraction process, this ingredient still contains lower amounts of alcohol, but is cheaper in this form. Also, 26 percent of this oil is menthone (menthol with two less hydrogen atoms), which helps other ingredients penetrate the skin.
Oils of myrtle, Chinese cinnamon and cloves
And these ingredients are neurological "magicians". These oils simulate heat as well as cold.
Paraffin petrolatum
The carrier of all ingredients is a mixture of paraffin and petroleum jelly. These are crude oil derivatives made of carbon and hydrogen chains. Paraffin molecules stick together and stay firmer at room temperature, while petroleum jelly spreads more easily. Together, they form a semi-solid mass that softens at body temperature and provides much-needed relief, reports B92.
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