Amber Jewellery

Apr 12, 2023

The benefits of Amber for infants

Although there is no conclusive scientfic evidence that Amber bracelets and necklaces work there is simply an overabundance of people that report positive effects from wearing amber of all ages. Particulalry in the case of infants, a lot of parents observe that their child is calmer and has less upset or cranky periods, whether due to less pain during teething or simply the calming effects of the jewellery is unknown, but a marked difference in their baby's demeanor and general wellbeing has been noted by countless parents. Some other effects that have been observed by parents when they have given their baby amber jewellery are: A considerable reduction in drooling, increased apetite and sounder and longer sleep periods. Whether a placebo effect or something real is up to the individual to decide. Some parents don't see any change at all, others notice a marked difference almost immediately and when they remove the jewellery have seen a rapid increase in their baby's irritability and upset in their general nature, thus returning to the amber jewellery. For each child and parent there will be differing results, but if you are mindful of the risks then perhaps, it is something you should try before doubting the successes of others.

So how does it work?

Succinic acid

The truth is, that no-one has ever done enough research or study on the topic to truly test the theories behind amber jewellery and teething. However, of all the ideas behind the mechanism involved the only one that seems to have any traction on a scientific level is the idea that amber contains succinic acid. This acid has been documented to have been used as a mild pain reliever and anti-inflammatory in ancient times, however doses etc. are unknown. To give you some idea of what succinic acid is, it is used as a sweetener in some processed food products, is a byproduct of fermenting sugar and commonly found in beer and wine, and on its own can be a mild skin and eye irritant.

The idea is that the acid leeches out of the amber and into your child resulting in consistant and mild pain relief. The issue here is that not all amber contains succinic acid and even if it does it is usually in a very mild dosage and perhaps not enough to make any dfference to a teething child. Baltic amber is reportedly the highest grade of amber and does indeed contain the acid, however from tests, it is reportedly only between 3-8%. The second issue here is that the succinic acid is trapped in the amber and generally needs to be heated to 200°C to be released. However there is evidence to suggest that when wet the reaction can occur at much lower temperatures, so perhaps with a little sweat or during bath times etc. the acid may be released.

Vibrational frequency of amber

Another theory, and for some of you this may be easy to digest and for others, perhaps a little harder. Every object has an energy field or frequency, some so dense and dull as to almost appear bereft, and others, so vivid and bright they can be seen by the human eye. We have seen energy fields react many times in objects like crystal glassware when shattered by a voice that resonates at the exact same frequency. The facts about the HEF or Human Energy Field have long been established and accepted by the scientific community and if you ever want to do some of your own research into this subject we recommend 'Hands of Light' by Barbara Brennan, who was a top NASA scientist before becomming an author. Our energy fields are very subtle and radiate or vibrate if you wish at different frequencies. We have all heard the term to raise our awareness, which is to to become aware at a higher frequency. A lot of our human understanding realtes to this concept, with the idea of lower and higher functioning lifeforms. This all relates to the vibrational frequency at which a body or mind operates. All things we come into contact with alter our energy field in some way similar to the effects of gravity between two objects and Isaac Newton's third law, in that 'Every action has an equal and opposite reaction'. So introducing a positive effect on our energy field reduces a negative one. The vibrational frequency of amber is said to be calming and soothing and perhaps works in a similar way to the effects of shattering the crystal glass by aligning our energy fields to a higher frequency, or perhaps simply one that cancels out the frequency emitted by your pain receptors, nerves and joints, thus reducing the pain experienced. This concept of cancelling out one frequency with another is accepted not only in scientific communities, but industrial and technological arenas as well. The creation and application of noise reduction amplifiers for use on construction sites and other loud industrial areas, uses a sound wave (which is a frequency) of equal and opposite amplitude to cancel out the sound wave caused by the noise from machinery, generators and jackhammers etc. and therefore greatly reduces the sounds (vibrations) picked up by the ear.

No matter what you choose to believe, there are simply too many parents and anecdotal stories to blithely write it all off as fantasy or mystical ancient beliefs by lesser minds. Believe... or not, but the only true way to understand our world is by seeing for yourself, so try it and see, or not. Either way, we do hope you find the answer to the teething woes of you children as it can be a terrible time for all of you.

A note of caution... Do NOT put your teething infant to bed unsupervised with any kind of beaded necklace around their neck or limbs as this may pose a choking or strangling hazard and can result in death. Please refer to our list of best safe practices below.

The best safety practices for your baby wearing amber jewellery

• Ensure that your product is indeed Baltic Amber by viewing a certificate of authenticity. If you are going to take the risk then ensure it is the correct product
• Never leave your baby unattended with an amber necklace or bracelet on
• Ensure that the necklace or bracelet you purchase has individual knotted sections securing the amber pieces in place
• Remove amber jewellery when putting your baby to sleep or leaving unattended
• Do not allow your baby to put the jewellery in their mouth or chew on the amber beads
• Check the amber beads for cracking
• Check that the knots securing the amber are tight and that the necklace or bracelet string is not damaged in any way
• Follow all manufacturer's or re-seller's safety instructions regarding the amber product

Amber for everyone!

Amber is not just a remedy for the ailments of infants, but can be utilised by anyone suffering from some form of pain. It seemingly has greater effect on joint, bone and nerve pain and is therefore ideal for those suffering from quite mild to chronic arthritis and even degenerative spinal and disc issues. It has also been attributed with anti-inflammatory effects, although once again these are unsupported by scientific evidence, but widely supported by anecdotal and historical observation, perhaps even being attributed to the placebo effect, but if it works for you, does it really matter why?

We are aware of at least one case of a man (a frequent customer and friend) that suffers from chronic arthritis and disc degeneration of the spine that uses amber as part of his pain management regimine. For him it has not only a calming and soothing effect but reduces the inflamation and pain in his neck and back around the area that his necklace is worn. We also have many customers that use amber for strains, sprains and arthritic pain, commonly in the hands and wrists. They advise us that wrapping an amber bracelet or necklace around their wrists helps alleviate the pain from inflammation due to arthritis, RSI, tennis elbow and carpel tunnel, to name a few

Amber has traditionally been accepted to be a powerful healing stone/crystal, even though it is neither, but simply petrified resin or sap. It is said to cleanse the body, mind and spirit and draw the toxins/disease from the body renewing the nervous system. It removes pain and negative energy, helping to alleviate stress and therefore increases the feeling of wellbeing and thus self-confidence, allowing for greater self expression and creativity. This higher state of being also encourages decision making, patience, spontinaity and perhaps allows for a clearer understanding that comes from a lack of negativity, solid grounding and life balance.