Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUsesIngredientsFormulationsHow to UseResearchSide Effects
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Uses
Ingredients
Formulations
How to Use
Research
Side Effects
Blu-Emu is the brand name of a line of over-the-counter topical pain relievers that include emu oil as a main ingredient. The emu oil serves mainly as a skin moisturizer, while other ingredients likelidocaineandtrolamine salicylateexert pain-relieving effects.
Some studies suggest that emu oil may have anti-inflammatory properties, but at present it is regarded as acomplementary and alternative therapywith little proven benefit in relieving pain orinflammation.
Simon Hardenne / Biosphoto / Getty Images
Blue-Emu Uses
Historically, the indigenous people of Australia used emu fat as a skin moisturizer and antiseptic and to relievemusculoskeletal(muscle and joint) pain.
Blue-Emu was founded in 1988 and first began selling nutritional supplements containing emu oil as its central ingredient.Over time, the Original Blue-Emu cream gave way to an expanding product line of creams and sprays marketed for their pain-relieving properties.
According to the manufacturer, different products in the Blue-Emu line can help treat the following injuries or health conditions:
What Is in Blue-Emu?
The main ingredient in Blue-Emu products is emu oil, a bright yellow oil derived from the body fat of the emu speciesDromaius novaehollandiae.The refined oil is composed of 70%unsaturated fat, the largest components of which are oleic acid, palmitic acid, and linoleic acid.
Emu oil is primarily used as a skin moisturizer and a carrier oil. When used in products like Blue-Emu, it may help transport active ingredients (like lidocaine) and inactive ingredients (like vitamin E) through the skin barrier for better absorption.
Emu oil is also known to be anatural insect repellent.
Other Active and Inactive Ingredients
These include:
Other active ingredients are added to different Blue-Emu products, which have provenanesthetic(numbing) oranalgesic(pain-relieving) effects.
Blue-Emu Formulations
There are seven different versions of Blu-Emu, including spray, cream, patch, and bath oil formulations. Based on their intended use, other additives may be included.
The current Blue-Emu production line includes:
Blue-Emu Original Super Strength is safe for children ages 2 years of age and older.However, those containing lidocaine or trolamine salicylate should not be used on anyone under the age of 12.
Blue-Emu products are intended for external use only.
To use Blue-Emu creams or sprays:
Emu oil is generally thought to be safe during pregnancy.To avoid exposure to a breastfed infant, do not apply the cream or spray anywhere near the breast or nipples.
Does Emu Oil Work?
To date, there is little evidence that emu oil in and of itself eases pain or treats any medical condition.
Some studies suggest that emu oil may have anti-inflammatory effects, blocking the same enzyme—calledcyclooxygenase(COX)—that drugs likeAdvil (ibuprofen)andAleve (naproxen)block to ease pain. Even so, there is no proof that the effect is robust enough to exert an analgesic effect.
Another study, published inDermatology Research and Practice2016, examined the effects of emu oil on burn wounds in rats and found that daily applications actually slowed healing.
A 2020 review of studies in theJournal of Musculoskeletal Disorders and Treatmentsimilarly concluded that “there is currently no clinical evidence that emu oil has a therapeutic benefit for the treatment of non-specific pain.”
Despite the lack of evidence that emu oil has pain-relieving effects, other ingredients like lidocaine and trolamine salicylate have proven benefits.
Side Effects and Risks
Blue-Emu products are generally regarded as safe. With that said, emu oil and other ingredients in Blue-Emu creams and sprays can occasionally cause side effects, like:
Do not apply Blue-Emu to broken skin or cuts as this can cause stinging and pain (particularly those made with trolamine salicylate).
You may also need to avoid Blue-Emu products containing trolamine salicylate if you have an allergy to salicylates like aspirin. In rare instances, this could lead to a severe allergic reaction known asanaphylaxis.
Do not apply products containing lidocaine or trolamine salicylate to large areas of skin as this can expose you to excessively high doses of these drugs.
Summary
Blue-Emu is a brand of topical pain reliever containing emu oil. It is available over-the-counter and generally safe to use. Although there is little proof that emu oil exerts any notable benefits other than skin moisturizing, ingredients in Blue-Emu products (like lidocaine and trolamine salicylate) may exert pain-relieving effects.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jeengar MK, Kumar PS, Thummuri D, et al.Review on emu products for use as complementary and alternative medicine.Nutrition.2015 Jan;31(1):21-7. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2014.04.004Sherwood D, Gill B, Schirmer D.Does emu oil have a role in the relief of no-specific pain? A systematic review of clinical trials involving emu oil.J Musculoskel Dis Treat.2020;6(1): doi:10.23937/2572-3243.1510074Blue-Emu.About us.Blu-Emu.Frequently asked questions.DailyMed.BLUE-EMU MAXIMUM PAIN RELIEF- trolamine salicylate cream.DailyMed.MAXIMUM STRENGTH BLUE EMU PAIN RELIEF BLU EMU- trolamine salicylate spray.DailyMed.BLUE-EMU LIDOCAINE PAIN RELIEF CREAM- lidocaine cream 4% cream.Afshar M, Ghaderi R, Zardast M, et al.Effects of topical emu oil on burn wounds in the skin of balb/C mice.Dermatol Res Pract. 2016;2016:6419216. doi:10.1155/2016/6419216
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Jeengar MK, Kumar PS, Thummuri D, et al.Review on emu products for use as complementary and alternative medicine.Nutrition.2015 Jan;31(1):21-7. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2014.04.004Sherwood D, Gill B, Schirmer D.Does emu oil have a role in the relief of no-specific pain? A systematic review of clinical trials involving emu oil.J Musculoskel Dis Treat.2020;6(1): doi:10.23937/2572-3243.1510074Blue-Emu.About us.Blu-Emu.Frequently asked questions.DailyMed.BLUE-EMU MAXIMUM PAIN RELIEF- trolamine salicylate cream.DailyMed.MAXIMUM STRENGTH BLUE EMU PAIN RELIEF BLU EMU- trolamine salicylate spray.DailyMed.BLUE-EMU LIDOCAINE PAIN RELIEF CREAM- lidocaine cream 4% cream.Afshar M, Ghaderi R, Zardast M, et al.Effects of topical emu oil on burn wounds in the skin of balb/C mice.Dermatol Res Pract. 2016;2016:6419216. doi:10.1155/2016/6419216
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Jeengar MK, Kumar PS, Thummuri D, et al.Review on emu products for use as complementary and alternative medicine.Nutrition.2015 Jan;31(1):21-7. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2014.04.004Sherwood D, Gill B, Schirmer D.Does emu oil have a role in the relief of no-specific pain? A systematic review of clinical trials involving emu oil.J Musculoskel Dis Treat.2020;6(1): doi:10.23937/2572-3243.1510074Blue-Emu.About us.Blu-Emu.Frequently asked questions.DailyMed.BLUE-EMU MAXIMUM PAIN RELIEF- trolamine salicylate cream.DailyMed.MAXIMUM STRENGTH BLUE EMU PAIN RELIEF BLU EMU- trolamine salicylate spray.DailyMed.BLUE-EMU LIDOCAINE PAIN RELIEF CREAM- lidocaine cream 4% cream.Afshar M, Ghaderi R, Zardast M, et al.Effects of topical emu oil on burn wounds in the skin of balb/C mice.Dermatol Res Pract. 2016;2016:6419216. doi:10.1155/2016/6419216
Jeengar MK, Kumar PS, Thummuri D, et al.Review on emu products for use as complementary and alternative medicine.Nutrition.2015 Jan;31(1):21-7. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2014.04.004
Sherwood D, Gill B, Schirmer D.Does emu oil have a role in the relief of no-specific pain? A systematic review of clinical trials involving emu oil.J Musculoskel Dis Treat.2020;6(1): doi:10.23937/2572-3243.1510074
Blue-Emu.About us.
Blu-Emu.Frequently asked questions.
DailyMed.BLUE-EMU MAXIMUM PAIN RELIEF- trolamine salicylate cream.
DailyMed.MAXIMUM STRENGTH BLUE EMU PAIN RELIEF BLU EMU- trolamine salicylate spray.
DailyMed.BLUE-EMU LIDOCAINE PAIN RELIEF CREAM- lidocaine cream 4% cream.
Afshar M, Ghaderi R, Zardast M, et al.Effects of topical emu oil on burn wounds in the skin of balb/C mice.Dermatol Res Pract. 2016;2016:6419216. doi:10.1155/2016/6419216
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