Therapeutic properties of wool

Wool has a unique ability to heal. Natural undyed wool has analgesic, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Woolen products are especially recommended for people suffering from allergies, sleep disorders, arthritis, arthrosis, rheumatism, gout, osteoarthritis, orthopedic diseases, asthmatic bronchial diseases, disorders of blood circulation and muscular pain (leg cramps), as well as blood pressure disorders.


Since ancient times the valuable healing properties of wool have been well known. Roman encyclopaedist and physician Celsus described various uses of wool to treat scabrous tongue, headache and agglutinate wounds in his treatise "De Medicina".

Hippocrates suggested to place critically ill patients on the skins of animals when giving them treatment. A similar method is now used in many countries. In one hospital in the state of New York doctors observed patients with severe bedsores who were treated with lambswool for 10 months. Due to its unique properties, they noticed a significant reduction of the effects of the three factors which cause bedsores - pressure, friction and moisture. In treating bedsores, sheep's wool has been proven to significantly speed up the process of recovery.

Researchers find when babies lay directly on lambswool, their activity rate is lowered, producing a deeper, more restful sleep and promoting a faster growth rate. This is especially beneficial for premature and low birth-weight babies. Hospitals in England, Australia, and New Zealand have used lambswool pads to line their incubators for many years. Wool in nursing incubators helps to reduce the occurrence of viral and bacterial infections, especially purulent diseases of the skin.

Sheep's wool can be very beneficial for children in general. For example, if a child suffers excessive gas formation, he is restless and crying, you should put a piece of wool (or wool blanket) on his or her belly. It will warm up your baby, improve it's blood circulation and reduce pain. Research of Cambridge University has also shown that sheep's wool significantly reduces the stress of newborns who were removed from contact with the mother. Medical studies of Cambridge University have shown that lambswool pads have a soothing, swaddling effect on babies, resulting in better sleep, reduced stress, greater contentment and improved weight gain. Studies showing similar results have also been reported in the British Medical Journal, Lancet, and The Australian Medical Journal.


In Russia, people often use a well known method to fight a cold - wool rubbed with plain soap. If you get a cold, do not forget to include wool along with your preferred treatments. Wear rough wool socks on your bare feet day and night, wrap a wool scarf around your neck, cover your body with a wool blanket and you will be surprised how quickly you will feel better. Wool will stimulate acupressure points on your body, warming and at the same time massaging you. You will start sweating a lot and it's a good sign. Once you begin to sweat do not take off the wool socks and blanket, etc. By sweating your body will naturally rid itself of toxins. During this process, you should drink a lot of water and hot chamomile tea with honey(or better tea with oregano and St. John's wort). The next day you will feel a lot better - guaranteed.

Wool is valuable to fight such conditions as otitis, sinusitis and submandibular lymphadenitis. Dry patches of wool applied on the ears, on the maxillary sinuses (under the eyes on both sides of the nose) or enlarged lymph nodes under the jaw and neck, will help to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.

Sheep's wool, along with massage and physiotherapy - the perfect remedy for rehabilitation from fractures after your cast has been removed. It promotes pain relief and a fast increase of mobility of the injured body part. Wool can greatly relieve those who suffer from sciatica as well. Wool socks are widely used to cure orthopedic diseases of the feet. Wearing wool (especially lambswool) is very useful for people suffering from diseases of the kidneys or liver.

Modern research has shown that undyed wool has the most healing properties for health. And the thicker and coarser the wool fibers or fabric, the greater the supply of vital energy. Therefore, woolen fabric is always recommended to people who are ill, debilitated, exhausted or stressed (wool clothing, wool carpets and blankets, etc.). It will give them strength and relieve the feeling of constant fatigue.

Here are a few reasons to use wool:

1. Wool breathes. Woolen pile has millions of air bubbles, which facilitate the access of oxygen to the skin. So wool can help to avoid the greenhouse effect and prevent the occurrence of inflammations or colds.

2. Wool has self-cleaning properties. The constant circulation of air in woolen products protects you from a variety of harmful microorganisms such as dust mites.

3. Wool absorbs moisture seven times faster than any other fiber, which allows your body to stay dry and warm. When absorbing moisture wool generates heat, thereby improving blood circulation.

4. The coefficient of thermal conductivity of wool is lower than that of many other textile fibers, which is why wool garments are the warmest. Wool allows the body to breathe and neutralizes toxins released by the sweat glands.

5. Natural wool varieties contain active ingredients such as lanolin, which protects woolen products from contamination by germs and bacteria during extended use. Wool does not irritate the skin and does not cause allergies.

6. Wool has high hydroscopicity, which allows it to absorb moisture equal to 33% of the fiber's volume (cotton absorbs 8%, synthetic materials 0%) and evaporate it, leaving the body dry and the skin more elastic.

7. Wool can be effectively used in normalizing blood pressure and curing sleeping disorders.

8. Wool relieves stress: the energy of wool has a calming effect. Children who are born underweight will gain weight if they sleep in a bed with a sheep's wool blanket or bed sheets.


To improve your general health it would be useful to acquire woolen clothes and accessories, pillows and cushions, rugs and bedspreads, bed sheets and mattresses. So, maybe its time to surround yourself with wool!


Recommended links:
Medical Wool Products – For Treatment of Your Medical Needs.
Celsus: De Medicina.
Benefits of Wool.
Natural Wool Fabrics in Physiotherapy

Русскоязычные источники:
В Прикарпатье людей лечат овцами.
Шерсть лечит.
Вместо пуха и перьев – овечья шерсть.
Платен М. Новый способ лечения. Собрание сочинений в четырех томах. Книгоиздательское Товарищество "Просвещение". СПб., 1908 г.

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