Gum turpentine - instructions for use. Treatment of joints with gum turpentine

Gum turpentine or purified terpene oil is a product obtained from oleoresin (coniferous tree resin) through heat treatment. On an industrial scale, turpentine is produced by treating coniferous wood with gasoline, and then cleaning the resulting extract from impurities. This type of turpentine is suitable for technical purposes, but is not used in medicine. For treatment, turpentine is used, obtained from resin, which is collected by hand. To do this, notches are made on the trees and the resin is collected in containers for subsequent processing. It is believed that the best gum turpentine is extracted from the resin of seaside pine, Siberian cedar, fir and larch.

Properties of gum turpentine

Gum turpentine is a colorless or yellowish liquid with a characteristic pine odor. Due to the high content of alpha-pinenes, it has an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and local irritant effect. Penetrating through the epidermis, it causes irritation of nerve endings and, as a result, dilation of blood vessels and improvement of blood circulation in this area.

Due to its antiseptic properties, gum turpentine is effectively used for inhalation for:

• sore throat;
• flu;
• bronchitis.

In this case, in addition to anti-inflammatory, turpentine also has an expectorant effect due to irritation of bronchial receptors.

Externally, gum turpentine is used as compresses and ointments, providing a mild analgesic, anti-inflammatory and stimulating effect. In folk medicine, gum turpentine is used for healing:

• burns;
• phlegmon;
• ulcers and other diseases.

In addition, gum turpentine is included in many ointments used in treatment:

• diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
• neuralgia;
• rheumatism;
• arthritis;
• osteoarthritis.

Another use of gum turpentine as an external remedy is for pediculosis (lice), as well as for fleas and ticks.

Traditional medicine allows turpentine to be taken orally as an antiseptic, anti-cold, and blood pressure-normalizing agent. However, it is worth remembering that turpentine is toxic in large doses, and safer means can be found for oral use.

Turpentine baths

Or Zalman baths - one of the most famous methods of using gum turpentine for medical purposes. Such baths have a restorative and tonic effect on the body. Turpentine stimulates nerve endings, which has a beneficial effect on the capillary network, helps to expand and improve the functioning of capillaries, increasing the supply of oxygen to cells, accelerating the removal of toxins, and thus improving the condition of the body as a whole. Sweating also increases after taking a bath.

To prepare turpentine baths according to Zalman, special emulsions are produced that should be added to the water:

As already mentioned, turpentine is extracted from tree resin. Depending on the raw materials and the method of extraction of the substance, the properties of turpentine vary and it varies. To obtain turpentine, branches, trunks, pine needles and even stumps are used. The method of isolation also varies: dry distillation or steam distillation, using gasoline as a solvent or the sulfate method. All this determines the properties of the resulting substance and its further use. The qualities of the substance also vary depending on the type of wood.

Turpentine is used in the chemical industry, as a paint solvent, in veterinary medicine and medicine. Moreover, only gum turpentine can be used for medical purposes. It is obtained by distilling fresh resin with water vapor. The main active ingredients of turpentine are terpenoids and terpenes, which have medicinal properties.

Even in ancient times, turpentine was used for wounds, burns, and as a disinfectant. Modern surgeons use it to treat hands before surgery. After frostbite, turpentine is able to circulate blood in damaged tissues. Turpentine extracted from fir also has antimicrobial properties; there are known cases of its use for gynecological diseases (erosions, mastitis).

Turpentine is also used for the manufacture of ointments and other medications for external use, intramuscular injections and oral administration. Vitamin A is isolated from the active substances of turpentine.

Known medicinal properties of turpentine which have an expectorant effect. It is used in inhalations for sore throats and coughs. Turpentine improves the secretory activity of the bronchi and promotes the removal of mucus from the respiratory tract. It is also believed that inhalation of turpentine vapor has a detrimental effect on the causative agent of tuberculosis.

Medicinal properties of turpentine are widely used in the treatment of joint diseases: arthritis, arthrosis, radiculitis, lumbago and the like. Turpentine is also used as a hemostatic agent.

Intramuscular and subcutaneous injections of turpentine help in the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases: acne, boils, dermatitis, abscesses, varicose veins.

A well-known procedure based on turpentine is Zalmanova. Thanks to the healing properties of turpentine, greatly enhanced by the temperature of the water, such baths help stabilize pressure in hypertension and hypotension, cleanse deposits from joints and tendons, improve capillary function, blood supply and oxygen circulation, improve skin condition and limit the functioning of sweat glands, and much more. Depending on the type of turpentine, such baths are divided into yellow and white, and have different effects on the body.

However, turpentine is not such a harmless substance and you need to use it yourself very carefully. Firstly, it should be remembered that turpentine injections often cause inflammatory processes at the injection site (abscess).

When using turpentine, the toxicity of the substance must also be taken into account. Although gum turpentine is much less toxic than substances extracted by other methods, there is still a maximum oral dose that is considered harmless. It is 4 grams. If the dose is exceeded, poisoning is possible. Long-term use in small doses may cause renal failure.

You should not use turpentine yourself to treat children; in medical practice, cases of death have been recorded when taken orally and in the form of inhalations of 10–15 ml of turpentine.

Laboratory studies of topical turpentine have shown that long-term use can lead to benign tumors. If turpentine is used in a course in the form of ointments, a slight burning sensation may occur, this is a normal effect.

Medicinal properties of turpentine are being studied now, not only in our country, but also abroad. Opinions about the benefits and harms are often contradictory; there are descriptions of both “miraculous healings” and severe consequences after using turpentine to treat certain diseases. One conclusion can be drawn: everything is good in moderation and under the guidance of a competent specialist.

Therefore, I would like to remind you that it is best to purchase turpentine preparations at a pharmacy to be sure of their quality and harmlessness. You should not use it orally, by injection, or over a long period of time for rubbing without consulting a doctor.

Alexandra Panyutina
Women's magazine JustLady

Turpentine oil from oleoresin has another more well-known name - oleoresin turpentine. But no matter what you call the drug, this remedy has a local irritating and analgesic effect, intended for local use as a medicine for the treatment of various diseases. Especially for readers of “Popular About Health” I will consider gum turpentine as a medicinal drug and the use of this medicine for treatment.

So, instructions for Gum turpentine:

What is the composition and release form of gum turpentine??

The active substance in the drug is represented by the chemical compound of the same name. Information about auxiliary components is not provided.

The pharmaceutical product is available in the form of a darkish transparent oily solution. Gum turpentine is sold in pharmacies without a prescription, in dark glass bottles with a volume of 100 milliliters.

What is the effect of gum turpentine??

The active ingredient in the drug is a chemical substance of natural (plant) origin, or rather an essential oil obtained by distilling pine resin.

According to its physicochemical properties, this drug is a thick, viscous liquid with a characteristic odor and a specific burning taste. It is absolutely insoluble in water, but mixes well with alcohol or other organic solvents.

The main biologically active substance in turpentine is alpha-pinene. The effect of Gum turpentine is due to both the influence of the turpentine oil itself and the influence of endogenous compounds, the synthesis of which is enhanced under the influence of the active component of the drug.

Alpha-pinene is able to quickly penetrate the surface layers of the skin, where it has an irritating effect on nerve endings. As a result of this, an additional flow of impulses rushes into the central nervous system, the severity of which prevails over the flow of electrical impulses from pain receptors, which suppresses their severity.

When exposed to alpha-pinene on the skin, the biosynthesis reactions of various mediators of the inflammatory and allergic reaction are enhanced, which leads to the appearance of slight redness and swelling of the skin of the treated areas of the body.

In some cases, the drug can be used by inhalation in the form of solutions with different concentrations of the active component. When alpha-pinene acts on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, cough is effectively suppressed, microlytic (sputum-thinning) and expectorant phenomena are stimulated, and the rate of metabolic reactions increases.

Part of the active substance of the drug inevitably penetrates the systemic circulation. Its metabolization processes are associated with the activity of the liver. Excretion occurs in the urine.

What are the indications for use of gum turpentine??

The annotation includes the following cases as indications for Gum turpentine:

Radiculitis;

Myalgia (muscle pain);

Arthralgia (joint pain);

Rheumatism;

Pathology of the respiratory system, accompanied by a painful cough;

Neuralgia.

To use oil in inhalation procedures, it is necessary to consult a specialist who, after assessing the severity of the patient’s condition, must select a safe dosage.

What are the contraindications for use of gum turpentine??

The following cases are listed as contraindications for Gum turpentine:

Severe liver diseases;

Breastfeeding period;

Kidney pathology, against the background of functional organ failure;

Pregnancy.

In addition, the instructions for use indicate intolerance to turpentine oil as one of the options for prohibiting its use.

Application of Gum turpentine, dosage

To apply to the skin, for example, for radiculitis, you will need a small amount of oil, no more than a teaspoon. It should be applied to the skin, slowly and carefully rubbing into the surface layers of the epidermis.

The skin treated in this way cannot be covered with occlusive dressings, but wrapping it with a thick cloth, such as a scarf, is acceptable. The frequency of such procedures should be agreed with a specialist, but in most cases they are carried out once a day.

To carry out inhalations, a preliminary consultation with a specialist is required. The dosage of Gum turpentine is determined by the severity of the pathological process, the patient’s age, body weight and other factors.

Turpentine finds a great variety of uses in traditional medicine recipes. What kind of diseases are not treated with its help: burn disease, febrile conditions, inflammatory diseases, infectious pathology and many other conditions.

Gum turpentine - overdose is possible?

An overdose of Gum turpentine is possible only in traditional medicine recipes that involve taking the oil orally. In this case, the following symptoms should be expected: vomiting, dizziness, constriction of the pupils, the appearance of purple coloration of urine, shortness of breath.

Treatment: it is necessary to induce vomiting and rinse the stomach. If you feel unsatisfactory, symptomatic therapy is carried out. There is no specific antidote that suppresses the effect of turpentine.

What are the side effects of gum turpentine??

The following side effects of Gum turpentine are possible: dryness and burning of the skin, redness of the skin, soreness and tingling of the treated areas, allergic reactions.

How to replace gum turpentine, there are analogues for the product?

There are no analogues of Gum turpentine.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that official medicine does not recommend taking turpentine orally, there are folk methods that promote similar measures of influence on the body. Whether to adhere to them or not is a personal matter for everyone. However, before unconventional use, it would be a good idea to consult with a specialist.

Turpentine is obtained from resins and wood of coniferous trees. It is a whitish-yellowish liquid with a specific odor. The product resembles essential oil in its physical and chemical properties. The product obtained from resin is of greatest biological and medical value.

This remedy has been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times. It is known that in Egypt it was added to compositions that were used to mummify the bodies of the dead. The Sumerians used it to treat deep wounds and bleeding.

Many centuries ago, our ancestors noticed that resins and tinctures of coniferous trees have a powerful disinfectant effect. They were used externally and internally for various diseases: teeth, joints, lungs, bladder, skin. The ancient Chinese used it to treat burns, arthritis, and circulatory problems.

Gum turpentine has not lost its relevance today. It is used in both traditional and folk medicine. Turpentine oil (purified product) comes in various dosage forms.

It is used for rubbing, preparing ointments, adding to baths, and applying. It helps cope with bruises and sprains. It has a particularly effective anti-inflammatory effect in the treatment of arthritis.

The main chemical component is a mixture of terpene hydrocarbons. One of the important components of turpentine oil are pinenes. As part of medicinal baths, they have a healing effect in the treatment of: hypotension, hypertension, colds, pneumonia, diseases of the joints, blood vessels, women's diseases and obesity.

It occupies a place of honor in folk medicine. It is used for rubbing the lower back, in the treatment of wounds, bruises, sprains, and varicose veins. Various recipes are prepared with this natural product. Let's take a closer look at some of them.

Healing baths and their effects

Baths with gum turpentine also help get rid of cellulite. The effect is achieved due to powerful warming of the body, profuse sweating, improvement of blood circulation, metabolism, breakdown of fats, removal of toxins and harmful cholesterol from the body.

1. To prepare a bath, you should purchase yellow and white emulsion at the pharmacy. Pour 5 ml of each product into a bath of water (39-40°C). (The dosage can be increased slightly). The duration of the water procedure should be from 5 to 30 minutes. (Time should be increased gradually).

After a bath, you should not dry your body. (You can just throw on a robe). Next, you need to drink a cup of hot tea and wrap yourself in a blanket. The course of treatment is at least 15 procedures, which must be carried out every other day.

2. White emulsion is used to treat hypotension. To do this, take baths with the following composition: emulsion - (up to 45%), hot water no more than 40° - (45%), thick infusion of willow bark, soap, camphor (alcohol solution) and salicylic acid. Immerse yourself in such a bath for 5-10 minutes. The procedures improve blood circulation, activate the heart and increase blood pressure.

3. Hypertension is treated with yellow turpentine baths. For 1 procedure, no more than 70 milliliters will be required. Water – 35°. The time spent in the bath should not exceed 10 minutes. The therapeutic effect occurs after 15 procedures, which should be performed every other day.

Contraindications and precautions

It should be remembered that turpentine from the resin of coniferous trees often causes insomnia, anxiety, and increased heart rate. Sometimes the product causes serious allergic reactions and breathing problems.

Ingestion in large doses is hazardous to health. It should not be used by patients with kidney disease. Be sure to consult your doctor before treatment.