Cinnamonum camphora trees are native to China and Japan and are cultivated for their wood for the extraction of camphor oil. Marco Polo was the first to note that the Chinese used camphor oil as a medicine, scent and embalming fluid. Camphor crystals have strong antiseptic, stimulant and antispasmodic properties and are applied externally as balms or as a counter-irritant and analgesic liniment to relieve arthritic and rheumatic pains, neuralgia and back pain. It may also be applied to skin problems, such as cold sores, and used as a chest rub for bronchitis and other chest infections.

Camphor relieves pain, increases blood flow and treats infections.  As a pain reliever, Camphor is often an essential ingredient of products that specialize in treating backaches and muscle and joint aches caused by arthritis and other inflammations. It is rubbed directly on the skin as a cream. Users often feel a cooling sensation that adds to the feeling of pain relief. Although experts don't know everything about how it works, camphor most likely stimulates nerve endings that are sensitive to the cold.

But camphor can also be used to treat certain skin problems that cause pain, swelling and itching. It's often an ingredient in over-the-counter lotions that numb nerve endings, which reduces the itching caused by hives, rashes and allergies. 

Camphor is a popular ingredient in alternative therapies for treating acne and eczema, because it appears to reduce the redness and irritation associated with these troublesome skin conditions.