This effective sinus decongestant is also abused at rave parties in Europe!

It wasn't so long ago that mothers would treat their children's colds by hanging little bags of camphor around their necks. The strong medicinal smell probably had some effect in opening up congested nasal passages, but the real value of the treatment undoubtedly was in stopping the spread of the cold by keeping friends at a distance. Camphor can be isolated from the camphor tree by a process known as steam distillation.

But lately it has been linked with inappropriate use of the substance.

But what does "inappropriate use" mean? 

How about rubbing your dance partner with a camphor cream before attacking the dance floor? This certainly isn't listed as a potential use on the label of camphorated cold remedies! But believe it or not, this is just what teenagers in northern England started to do a few years ago.

Why?

According to some sources, it helps prolong the effect of the drug known as Ecstasy, the dangerous substance which is all the rage at "raves". The popularity of the drug at these parties started to spread and soon, police started to crack down and search the kids as they were entering the raves. So why not just take the drug before going out to party? Because its effect is relatively short-lived. Until some clever closet chemist figured out that if Ecstasy were taken before the night of partying, its effect could actually be prolonged by smearing oneself with camphor.

As this strange story began to spread, the Ecstasy connection was soon lost and hallucinogenic effects were being claimed simply because of the camphor rub! It is unlikely that it actually has any real effect aside from a psychological one since the amount of camphor absorbed through the skin is relatively small. But a high dose, if ingested, could certainly act as a stimulant. There have been cases of children suffering seizures from drinking camphorated oils sold as body rubs.

Is Camphor effective for headaches?

A study at Monash University in Australia compared the effectiveness of a camphor balm to acetaminophen, the active ingredient in products like Tylenol. The 60 patients in the study, having received either the balm or the placebo, rubbed a small amount of the ointments on their temples three times at half-hour intervals. They also recorded the severity of their headaches on a scale of 1-7 over a three-hour period.

To the surprise of the researchers, the balm was more effective in treating tension headaches than the acetaminophen. Both were significantly better than placebo.

The Monash study has revealed that camphor, is as effective in the treatment of tension headaches as paracetamol. While the physiological basis for treating headaches with camphor were found to be unknown, the study recorded "strong and effective relief to the majority of patients who tried the product". It also found that camphor provided more rapid relief than paracetamol and that both treatments led to a significant decline in headache pain over a three-hour period.

There research suggested the product may cause relaxation of the muscles in the forehead. And aside from a tingling sensation, there were no side effects.

It may be worthwile to note that the Zanskar Headache Roll-on has a unique bio-active formulation with camphor, clove and magnesium to solve all your headaches. You may give it a try

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Medical Review: This article is written by Dr Nishtha Mittal (Senior Health Content Editor at Zanskar Health) and has been medically reviewed by the medical team at Zanskar Health. This article and its contents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.