What effect has mountain pine?
The young twigs and needles of mountain pine (leg pine) contain an essential oil with components such as pinene, carene and limonene. It smells very aromatic and has secretion-dissolving, blood circulation-promoting (hyperemic) and weak germ-reducing (antiseptic) effects.
Therefore, mountain pine (more precisely, mountain pine oil) has long been used to treat catarrh (inflammation of the mucous membranes) of the respiratory tract, such as colds, rhinitis, sinusitis or bronchitis, as well as to relieve rheumatic complaints and nerve pain.
For an improved or extended healing effect, the essential oil of mountain pine is often combined with those of other medicinal plants – for example with eucalyptus or peppermint oil.
Especially people with diabetes, allergies or sensitive skin should be careful when using such products and better ask your doctor or podiatrist in advance for advice on the subject of callus removal with mountain pine.
By the way, mountain pine is also a component of rubbing alcohol.
How is mountain pine used?
There are several ways to apply mountain pine.
Mountain pine in aromatherapy
Unless otherwise stated, the following formulations apply to healthy adults. For children, pregnant women, nursing mothers, elderly people, and people with certain underlying diseases (such as asthma, epilepsy), the dosage must often be reduced or some essential oils must be avoided altogether. Therefore, discuss the use of essential oils in such patient groups first with an aromatherapist (e.g. doctor or alternative practitioner with appropriate additional training).
Hold your head over the bowl with the water-oil mixture and slowly and deeply inhale the rising vapors. To prevent them from escaping, you should cover your head and bowl with a towel. Inhalation loosens the secretion in the bronchial tubes, making it easier to cough up.
You can also use the essential oil of mountain pine for rubs: Mix four to five tablespoons of a fatty base oil (such as almond oil) with two to three drops of mountain pine oil. For colds and other respiratory catarrh, you can rub it on your chest and back. Or you can use it to massage aching muscles and joints or areas where you have mild nerve pain.
The analgesic effect is due to the fact that the mountain pine oil works as a so-called counterirritant – a slight pain stimulus (tingling) is triggered on the skin, which distracts from the actual rheumatic complaints or nerve pain and is thus perceived as soothing.
Home remedies based on medicinal plants have their limits. If your complaints persist for a long period of time, do not get better or even get worse despite treatment, you should always consult a doctor.
Ready-made preparations with mountain pine
Mountain pine or mountain pine oil can often be found as an ingredient in ready-to-use preparations for colds, muscle, joint and nerve pain. For example, alcoholic preparations, ointments and creams are available for rubbing in.
In addition to mountain pine oil, these often contain other medicinal plants – such as eucalyptus. There are also bath additives with mountain pine and usually other medicinal plants.
For inflamed respiratory tracts, for example with sore throats, many people also reach for candies with the active ingredients of mountain pine.
A sauna infusion with mountain pine can be beneficial for the respiratory tract.
What side effects can mountain pine cause?
The external use of mountain pine can cause skin irritation and eczema. It may also irritate mucous membranes, such as with inhalations.
What you should consider when using mountain pine oil
- Mountain pine must not be used in asthma and whooping cough, otherwise bronchial spasms may be increased.
- Special care should be taken with infants and small children under two years of age. The mountain pine oil can lead to a life-threatening vocal spasm (glottis spasm) and respiratory arrest in them. Therefore, you should not apply the essential oil here in the facial area under any circumstances. In general, you should first discuss the use of essential oils on infants and young children with the doctor or pharmacist as a precaution.
- Do not apply the essential oil in the area of the eyes.
- If you have major skin injuries, an acute skin condition, a febrile or infectious illness, heart failure, or high blood pressure, you should generally not take full baths.
How to get the mountain pine products
In your drugstore and pharmacy you can get the mountain pine oil as well as different dosage forms on the basis of the mountain pine like for example
- candies
- ointments
- Balsams
- emulsions
- full baths
- alcoholic preparations
Please refer to the respective package insert and ask your doctor and pharmacist how to use and dose the preparations correctly.
What is mountain pine?
The evergreen mountain pine or leg pine (Pinus mugo) is also called mountain pine or mountain pine for short. Like its relatives silver fir, pine, larch and spruce, it belongs to the pine family (Pinaceae) and is divided into several subspecies. It is native to the mountains of Central Europe, where it grows at the timberline.
The mountain pine is a tree with an often shrubby growth. The short trunk with its gray-black bark is upright or prostrate and has thick branches that often lie close to the ground and rise arching.
Mountain pine is cultivated for the extraction of the essential oil.
