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There are many wonderful, natural remedies that work remarkably well to help support our bodies, relieve stress, ease pain and combat illnesses. There are also many touted remedies that do nothing at all.
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We are big proponents of using the things created by God such as diet, herbs, essential oils, massage and much more. We are always open to looking into techniques and products that support our health in these simple and natural ways. However, we have also been duped more than once, swayed by people raving about this new “discovery” or that new “find” or the newest product to hit the market. Sadly, while there are real and effective natural remedies and techniques that work for most people, there are also people who want to make a buck and are selling things that are not effective, but trying to cash in on a market. Then, there are those things in between – not a scam, but not everyone sings its praise. Such is the case with Baltic amber.
So, what about natural Baltic amber jewelry for teething and for pain relief? Is it truly effective, “snake oil,” just not effective for everyone, or a placebo?
The answer is: It depends who you ask. The responses range from wildly ecstatic recommendations to statements that the amber did absolutely nothing for them, except drain their bank account (amber jewelry is not cheap).
What is Baltic amber and what is it reported to do?
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Baltic Amber is a fossilized tree resin and is reported to contain succinic acid, a natural analgesic and healing agent. The idea is that the amber beads will warm against your body and the succinic acid will be absorbed through your skin, acting as a pain reliever and an anti-inflammatory agent.
I heard about amber jewelry from a friend whom I trust and she had used amber necklaces for her teething baby, with good results. When I inquired about the amber, I learned that it was reported to be helpful in many types of pain and inflammation from teething to arthritis to fibromyalgia to any type of inflammation.
Because our family deals with chronic pain and inflammation, I contacted the gal recommended to me, and explained our needs to her before we purchased any product. I was told that the amber is effective for our pain and I was given several options on different natural, genuine, raw Baltic amber, in a variety of colors.
The customer service was excellent as was the buying process. The gal is a mom who uses amber jewelry on her own baby and reports a noticeable difference in her teething baby using the amber. She also related several testimonies of older kids, teens and adults who have benefited by the amber’s healing properties.
Excitedly, I ordered amber for some of our family in several different vehicles, such as bracelets, anklets and necklaces. Our cost was $165.00, which to me, was a good investment, IF it actually performed as advertised. If not, it was a high price to pay for string, beads and a clasp.
Each of us entered into this expecting the amber to work. Again, the recommendations came from someone I know and trust and the referred maker of the jewelry is a friend of my friend. I had not seen any reviews that were negative and in fact, more and more people were recommending amber for healing.
To sum it all up, none of us saw ANY pain relief, inflammation reduction or any positive effects, period. Not even subtle ones. Our daughter who suffers with joint pain was so disappointed as she was expectant of relief. She told me “I was even hoping for some placebo effect because I expected it to work. I didn’t even get that.”
After months of wearing and using the amber as directed, I had to sadly admit, they did not do anything. Nothing. When I polled friends, readers and subscribers on social media, I was surprised to learn that I was not alone in my experience of not seeing anything at all from using amber. Many people reported exactly the same experience. One friend reported that amber did work and worked well for her teething baby, but she was definitely in the minority.
Conclusion: Save your money. I wish we had.
Another option: Buy your own amber beads at the best price you can (make sure they are guaranteed to be genuine, natural and raw amber resin – because there are counterfeit amber products) and make your own jewelry to see if the amber works. Start small without much investment. If it does not work for you, as it did not for us, you won’t be out as much money.
Disclaimer: There are NO affiliate links in this review.
Vickilynn Haycraft is an independent Product Reviewer. She does not sell products or accept payment for reviews. The products reviewed are either purchased by Vickilynn Haycraft or provided for review and all reviews are unbiased regardless of how the item was obtained. These products were purchased by Vickilynn Haycraft at the current market prices.
© 2013 All Rights Reserved Vickilynn Haycraft and Real Food Living
About Vickilynn Parnes
