Why Joint Pain Gets Worse in Cold, Damp Weather
Learn why cold, damp weather can worsen joint pain and how warming topical herbs like Red
Willard Sheppy is a licensed acupuncturist (LAc) and Founder of Valley Health Clinic specializing in using Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat acute injuries and chronic conditions, and to improve sports performance and rehabilitation.
Red Emperor’s Immortal Flame comes in two forms — a fast-penetrating oil (liniment) and a slower-release salve — and most people never get told why, or which one actually fits what they’re trying to do. So we asked Hugh Turcotte, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M., the acupuncturist and herbalist who makes it, to explain it in his own words.
“I originally made the oil, and now I do make the salve,” Hugh says. “That was one thing that seemed kind of common sense to me — some people are not going to want a liquid. They’re going to want a solid that’s easier to travel with, or easier to work with.”
The oil (liniment) penetrates in about a minute — reach for it when you want fast, deep-acting relief and don’t need extended hands-on time. The salve penetrates more slowly, which sounds like a downside but is actually the point: it gives you more working time for massage, gua sha, or any manual therapy where you’re rubbing the area for five to ten minutes. Same herbs, same warming effect — different job.
“The salve is not as fast-penetrating as the oil — that’s what you give up when you go from the oil to the salve,” Hugh explains. “However, the salve allows for more work time. If you’re doing any manual therapy, if you’re just rubbing your knee for five or ten minutes, working with the salve is going to be a lot easier — because that oil is going to penetrate within a couple minutes. Probably a minute. And you’re going to feel like, okay, it’s not on the skin anymore. It’s gone past the skin.”
The liniment is built for fast, deep-acting relief with minimal hands-on time — a few drops, rubbed in, done. It’s the right call for quick applications between activities, before or after acupuncture or bodywork, or any time you want the sensation to move past the skin quickly rather than sit on the surface.
“This formula was designed with manual therapy in mind, from a clinical perspective,” Hugh says. “The longer you work it in — and disrupt the tissue underneath — the faster it’s going to go in, and the more it’s going to cross the skin barrier.” The salve’s slower release gives a practitioner, or a self-care routine, real working time instead of racing a fast-absorbing oil. It’s also the more travel-friendly, no-spill option — the reason Hugh made it in the first place.
| Oil (Liniment) | Salve | |
|---|---|---|
| Absorption | About a minute — it moves past the skin fast | Slower release, stays workable on the surface |
| Working time | Short. Apply and go. | Five to ten minutes of hands-on time |
| Best for | Quick relief between activities; before or after treatment | Massage, gua sha, and any manual therapy |
| Travel | Liquid in a dropper bottle | Solid — no spill, easier to pack |
| Formula | Identical herbs and warming effect in both | |
“On the label it says apply — rub it in for five to ten minutes. And that’s no joke,” Hugh says. “You go five minutes, it seems like a long time, but the effect will be even better. And all it is, is five minutes of your time. It’s worth it.”
For the full explanation of why longer contact time matters — the skin-barrier mechanics of it — see How to Use Red Emperor’s Immortal Flame.
If you find a heating topical that works better than Immortal Flame — and works consistently better — I'll wrap up shop and just refer you to them. But I do enjoy what I do, and I'm not looking for an out.
— Hugh Turcotte, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M.
“If you’re really comfortable with applying topicals, and that’s something you’re used to, go ahead and give Immortal Flame a try,” Hugh says. “It’s strong. You have to remember that — it’s going to be uniquely potent. So you can start small. But give it a try and see how it feels for you. I think you’ll find not only that it does what it says it’s going to do, but it might even surprise you — how well this works for joint and soft tissue pain.”
He also means it when he asks for feedback: “I’m always looking for feedback — good, bad, indifferent. I want to know my blind spots. So if you find there’s something about this that doesn’t work for you, something I could improve — either the delivery or some other aspect of it — please feel free to chime in. I really want to hear your feedback.”
New to Red Emperor’s Immortal Flame? Start with what’s in the formula, or see how far a single bottle actually goes.
Two formats. Same formula.
The fast-penetrating liniment for quick relief, and the slower-release salve for manual therapy and travel — both blended by acupuncturist and herbalist Hugh Turcotte from nine organic ingredients.
Product formulation and application guidance from Hugh Turcotte, L.Ac., Dipl. O.M., REIF Topicals and Waterfield Wellness, Woburn, MA.
These statements have not been evaluated by the US Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For external use only.
Same herbs, same warming effect — different delivery. The oil (liniment) penetrates in about a minute, making it fast-acting with minimal hands-on time. The salve releases more slowly, giving you five to ten minutes of working time, which is what makes it better suited to manual therapy.
If you want fast relief with a quick application, start with the oil. If you do massage, gua sha, or any hands-on bodywork — on yourself or a client — the salve gives you more time to work before it fully absorbs.
Hugh’s own instruction: five to ten minutes, and he means it literally. Longer contact time disrupts the tissue underneath and helps the formula cross the skin barrier more effectively.
No — it’s a different tool, not a weaker one. It trades penetration speed for working time, which is exactly what makes it better for hands-on therapy or travel.
Yes. Many practitioners keep both on hand — the oil for quick daily application, the salve for longer manual-therapy sessions or travel.
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