My Favorite Topical Pain Relief Products

People often ask me about topical products they can use for pain relief aches and tension. There are so many options on the market and I’ve used many over the years both with myself and patients. For a long time I couldn't find a good "go-to" that was consistently effective and clean, so I never really had a good definitive answer for this question.

It's also important to keep in mind that every individual is different, and some people respond more than others to topical ointments. Usually, the deeper the injury or issue, the less likely the topical will create the desired effect. But in certain cases of tension, pain or injury, topicals can be a helpful home care tool.

First and foremost, it’s extremely important for products to have clean, pure ingredients. Unfortunately topical products are a huge source of unnatural harmful chemicals that can be easily absorbed into the body. So whatever you are using, be aware of the sourcing and quality of ingredients.

A few years ago, my amazing wife, Nicole DeLorey and her colleague and friend Rebekkah Lee developed a line of high quality topical relief ointments to fill this need.

Nicole is a brilliant acupuncturist, instructor and former massage therapist who has worked extensively with essential oils and topical remedies in her practice. She's been using and fine tuning these products for a long time both for personal and professional use.

They created Laniakea Apothecary and I must say, it’s awesome and now my “go-to” for topical pain relief.

Clearly I’m biased toward this product line due to family interest, but as I always have, I only recommend or promote what I would personally use with my family. And these are the actual home remedies Nicole and I have used for years before she and Rebekkah developed them into products to be made available to the public.

Here are the three products from their line I use:

This first one I believe everyone should have in their home self-care kit.

It’s a trauma liniment called “Liquid Ice” made from a powerful combination of Chinese herbs. In the event of an acute trauma (fall, impact, sprain, etc.) that causes bruising and/or swelling, this is our initial first line response. When applied rapidly, it can make a huge difference in the healing time.

Hopefully you don’t need it, but if you do, you’ll be glad you have it.

Another liniment that’s more appropriate for chronic tendon, ligament or joint pain is “Liquid Fire.” This is great for things such as stubborn elbow, wrist or knee tendonitis, muscle strains, etc. Also made from a traditional combination of Chinese herbs, it helps alleviate these stubborn areas by warming and increasing local blood flow.

The third is “Liquid Gold”, an appropriate name given its tremendous soothing and relieving value. Liquid Gold is a mixture of organic jojoba oil with some other potent essential oils including wintergreen, a well known known natural analgesic. The other oils help increase local circulation to rid the tissues of metabolic waste. It’s great for the skin, helps relieve muscle/fascial tension, and is fantastic for post-workout and post-treatment soreness.

Liquid Gold works as a wonderful massage oil on larger areas such as the base of the neck and shoulders, where many of us hold stress. You know, that stubborn area that could be massaged for hours and always seems to need more.

To summarize, here's how I use the three products:

• Liquid Ice for acute inflammation, injuries, swelling, bruising, etc.

• Liquid Fire for tendonitis, muscle strains, scar tissue.

• Liquid Gold for post-workout and post-treatment soreness, chronic tension and stress.

All are made carefully in very small batches. If you purchase, use code Inesta10 when checking out for 10% off your first order.