Tiger Balm was first introduced in 1924 by the Haw Par Corporation in China. It is an analgesic ointment frequently used in Asian households and claims to relieve every ailment. Some common uses for Tiger Balm are muscle and joint pain, stiffness, arthritis, and sore throats. Your first impression of the ointment may be its strong, distinct aroma that pierces through your sinuses and automatically lifts your drowsy eyes.
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Although the ointment was launched by a Chinese corporation, Tiger Balm's roots lie in Rangoon, a Burmese city. There in 1870, Aw Chu Kin, a son of an herbalist, established an apothecary called Eng Aun Tong, meaning the Hall of Eternal Peace. After Aw's death in 1908, his two sons Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par took up the family business. The two brothers then used their father's herbal recipes to create the "cure all" balm, dubbing it "Tiger Balm" after Boon Haw (Gentle Tiger).
Lasting through generations, the ointment has become a staple in Asian households for its efficiency and effectiveness. The balm works by numbing the skin, or distracting nerve endings from pain signals with heating and cooling sensations. It contains several active ingredients: 15% methyl salicylate, an analgesic; 5% menthol, which causes the cooling sensation; and 3% camphor, which improves circulation. Compared to similar analgesics, it is much stronger — with Vicks only containing 8.6% of active ingredients.
Based on Tiger Balm's active ingredients, the ointment should relieve a variety of ailments. Aches and muscle strains are effectively relieved through the camphor in the balm, which increases blood flow and therapeutically warms the skin. The active camphor also de-congests the nasal cavity and may act as a cough suppressant. According to a study from 1996, Tiger Balm was capable of relieving headaches more effectively than placebo and nearly as effective as Tylenol. Backaches can also be targeted by the ointment; a 2012 study found camphor and menthol as active ingredients in a Gua Sha therapy cream, a cream that reduced back pain in participants.
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Not only does Tiger Balm have health uses, but it also can be used for ordinary household purposes. The ointment is popular in its supposed ability to repel insects, although there is a lack of scientific evidence to support its effectiveness. It may be also used as a massage oil or in place of Vaseline; however, users should consider its aroma before using.
As of now, the corporation has released a total of 11 Tiger Balm products, including an active muscle spray, pain relieving patches, neck and shoulder rubs, and muscle gel. Its array of products are marketed as having specific uses and contain a different blend of active ingredients. Tiger Balm's incredible reach and relevance through decades is all due to its effectiveness and the impact it continues to make through generations of users. So next time you have a bad headache, try using some Tiger Balm!
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