Herbal medicines have been used for a long period of time to treat health problems. Nowadays, they are also used as pain relievers depending on the type of pain you have and the type of herbal medicine. As more experts are studying and researching about herbal plants, more people are now using these drugs to treat themselves.
However, for you to successfully use any herbal medicine, you need to have sufficient knowledge of the herb, how it works, its origin and whether it has any side effects. Herbal medicines compared in this post have been used successfully to relieve pain and decrease inflammation. Nevertheless, you should be cautious about the herbs you use because you can have unwanted side effects, allergic reactions or even unwanted interactions with other substances or medicines.
Here are some herbal medicines used for pain relief:
1. Feverfew
Over the years, feverfew has been used to treat stomach aches, headaches and toothaches. As people came to learn about the herbal medicine, it is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and migraines nowadays. Studies are underway to determine whether feverfew is effective and whether it can be used to treat other health problems. However, even though it does not have serious side effects when used, you can develop canker sores and irritation to the lips and the tongue. Therefore, it should not be used by pregnant women to avoid these mild side effects.
2. Turmeric
Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties because it contains curcumin chemical. Turmeric can be used to relieve heartburn, arthritis pain and inflammation. However, long-term use of the herbal medicine or high doses can cause indigestion and stomach disorders. If you have got a gallbladder problem, you should not consider using turmeric.
3. Capsaicin
The remedy is derived from hot Chili peppers. Capsaicin relieves pain by depleting substance P that’s used to relay pain from the peripheral nervous system (PNS) to the central nervous system (CNS). The remedy takes a longer period of time to work (a couple of days) but it is effective and has no known side effects.
4. Ginger
The ginger remedy can be used to treat muscle pain, joint pain and inflammation because it has special phytochemicals. When extracting ginger, you should be very cautious because phytochemicals can be damaged, depending on what they are exposed to or the method of extraction. If you don’t know how to do it, consider getting advice from an expert.
5. Devil’s claw
Although more research is needed, this South African herb is effective in treating lower back pains and arthritis. The remedy has no side effects when taken at a therapeutic dose. However, when used wrongly, it can have mild side effects. The remedy is not to be used by pregnant women, people who have gallstones, stomach ulcers or intestinal ulcers.
Herbal therapies are yet to be studied thoroughly. Therefore, you should be cautious about the herb you are using or planning to use to relieve pain. Make sure you’ve done a thorough research about the herb and contacted a healthcare professional for advice, clarifications and opinions about the herb.
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