Years ago our whole family started taking Jujutsu for a season. We all enjoyed it, but the rolls, throws and climbing definitely came more easily to the kids! Any activity that involves wooden swords and rolling will inevitably create some bumps and bruises along the way.
After one class that left us particularly sore, the Sensei (teacher) shared a traditional herbal remedy. It’s been used in Asian countries for pain relief and rapid healing for years. Dit Da Jow (literally translated “hit wine medicine”) is essentially an herbal tincture or liniment packed with healing herbs.
What is Dit Da Jow?
Dit Da Jow is an analgesic liniment traditionally preferred by martial artists. Often a martial arts master blends his unique mixture of many aromatic herbs like myrrh, ginseng, and traditional TCM herbs. The combination helps stimulate circulation, reduce pain and swelling, and improve injuries and speed wound healing.
The tradition became known as “hit medicine”. Many people have also found this liquid analgesic useful for reducing muscle aches, arthritis, and rheumatism discomfort.
Dit Da Jow Recipes
I researched traditional Dit Da Jow recipes and while it was hard to find many of them (most are considered secret family recipes), I finally found a mixture that works really well for us. Traditional Dit Da Jow uses a long list of herbs that are native to Asia, many of which are hard to find in the US.
The version I came up with has the same benefits, but many of the herbs are found in the US. While this wouldn’t be considered true Dit Da Jow, it’s been very effective for our bumps and bruises. It also helps speed recovery of non-martial arts related injuries so I keep it stocked in our natural medicine cabinet.
You can also find more traditional Dit Da Jow here if you want to try it.
The Benefits of Dit Da Jow
Overall Dit Da Jow helps reduce swelling and speed healing from bumps and sprains. Since the recipes are all so different, I’ll just give a quick overview of the benefits of the herbs I chose.
- Arnica – Often used for strains, sprains, and bruising.
- Plantain leaf – A go-to herb for soothing and healing minor wounds, cuts, and irritated skin. Plantain also helps reduce inflammation and supports recovery from skin damage.
- Comfrey leaf – Nicknamed “boneknit,” comfrey rapidly heals skin and supports bone healing.
- Frankincense – This resin helps calm inflammation and promote tissue repair. It’s a favorite for soothing sore muscles, joints, and damaged skin topically.
- Myrrh – Known for its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, myrrh supports wound healing. It also reduces swelling and eases pain in bruised or strained tissues.
- Fennel – Fennel offers gentle warming and anti-inflammatory support to help relieve muscle tension. It also promotes circulation for faster recovery.
- Angelica Root – This warming root helps ease pain and inflammation in muscles and joints while supporting circulation for faster healing times.
- Calendula – A gentle herb that promotes rapid healing of cuts, scrapes, and irritated skin. It’s also soothing and reduces inflammation for overall tissue repair.
- Dandelion root – Rich in minerals, dandelion root supports detox and lessens inflammation. It’s used to help reduce swelling in sore muscles and joints.
- Horsetail – High in silica, horsetail strengthens connective tissues and supports bone and ligament repair for better resilience after injury.
- Nettle leaf – Packed with minerals and micronutrients, nettle nourishes tissues, reduces inflammation, and helps ease muscle and joint pain.
- Clove – Clove is a warming analgesic that eases deep muscle pain and supports circulation for faster recovery.
- Turmeric – This powerful anti-inflammatory herb helps reduce swelling and pain in muscles, joints, and ligaments while supporting the body’s natural healing process.
How Does Herbal Liniment Work?
The alcohol extracts the beneficial properties from the herbs. When applied topically alcohol quickly absorbs into our skin and works quickly. You may be familiar with making herbal tinctures to take internally, this is just a topical version. This recipe is for external use only, it’s not the kind of tincture you take internally.
Yes, the recipe does call for a lot of herbs, but I’ve seen it get rid of bruises and pain overnight! This Dit Da Jow recipe has been really effective for our family and others I’ve shared it with.
Dit Da Jow Muscle Liniment Recipe
Place all of the herbs in a 16 ounce glass mason jar.
Fill the rest of the jar with food-grade, 80-proof or higher alcohol and stir with a clean spoon.
Put the lid on the jar. Store the jar in a cool/dry place, shaking daily, for at least three weeks and up to 1 year. I usually leave the herbs for six weeks.
Strain through cheesecloth and compost the herbs. Store the tincture in colored dropper bottles or clean glass jars.
Use on skin as needed to help with bruises, sore muscles and pain. Do not use on cut or broken skin.
As with any natural remedies consult with a natural healthcare practitioner before using, especially if you’re pregnant, nursing, or have medical conditions.
Shelf Life and Storage
Traditionally Dit Da Jow is brewed for months, if not years. Some research has shown that a batch steeped for 5 years had significantly more benefits than one steeped for 1 year. You probably don’t want to wait that long before using your liniment though. I’ve found that even 6 weeks is enough to get herbal benefits. Plus, the traditional recipes are often made with Chinese root herbs that are tougher than plantain, calendula, etc.
You can keep the herbs in the jar and strain the liquid out as needed. Just be sure the herbs stay completely covered in alcohol. Once you’ve used more of the liquid, just strain the herbs out. Store your Dit Da Jow in a cool, dark place, away from direct light and heat.
What are your favorite herbal remedies for muscle aches and pains? Share below!
