Herbs for Arthritis

Arthritis is a disorder of the joints (of the body) where the joints undergo swelling and considerable amount of pain. There are many classifications of arthritis and osteoarthritis is the most common type. If you are scared of popping a pill or getting an injection, here is an alternative to that. Read on to know more about herbs for arthritis.
Herbs for Arthritis
Are you experiencing joint pain or do you have swollen joints? Well, if so, then you might be suffering from arthritis. Osteoarthritis, the most common category of arthritis is mainly characterized by the inflammation of the joints. There are quite a few options from antibiotics or pain killers to Ayurveda for the treatment of Arthritis. Those who do not prefer tablets or syrups or injections, can always opt for herbal remedies for dealing with Arthritis. It is a safe bet to use herbal remedies as there are hardly or zero side effects of these herbs.

There are plenty of herbal remedies, which are used for reducing the pain in the joints. These are becoming more widely used around the world, no longer being restricted to the Orient.

Alfalfa: This is one of the most used and popular remedy for arthritis. It is basically a traditional remedy and a kind of cure for arthritis which has been passed from generations to generations. It is advised that instead of the Alfalfa powder, the herbal tea should be consumed for better results.

Ginger: The uses of this wonder herb are innumerable. Ginger tea and ginger compress are the easiest ways to tackle the swelling resulting from Arthritis. It is very widely used in India.

Ginseng Liquor An adaptogen, it helps the body to deal with any kind of stress. It has ginsenosides, which are at work when body experiences any kind of stress. Ginseng tea works wonders for treating arthritis. Asian Ginseng can aggravate the pain, so make sure you use American Ginseng.

Pineapple: Pineapple contains Bromelain, a chemical which prohibits swelling. It helps digest 'fibrin', which causes particular type of arthritis.

Sesame Seeds: The most important thing that sesame seeds have is the mineral copper. During the arthritis attacks, the nutritional needs of the body increase, which are recuperated with the help of copper.

Oregano: A powerful antioxidant, which helps prevent cell damage from free radicals. Free radicals occur in case of inflammation, growing age and degenerative arthritis.

Licorice: It acts like a cortisone and has crucial anti-inflammatory and anti-allergy effect. It has been used against inflammation since long.

Celery: Eating raw or cooked celery is a good remedy against rheumatism. It is rich in minerals and various parts of celery contain more than 25 anti-inflammatory compounds.

Turmeric: Turmeric is the star amongst the herbs in Asia, especially India. There is hardly a problem which cannot be dealt effectively by turmeric. The yellow pigment of turmeric, curcumin has considerable anti-inflammatory effect.

Wintergreen: Wintergreen is the major component of wintergreen oil. Go for the dried herb as it can be toxic, when used in the form of concentrated oil.

Rosemary: Rosemary tea is a good option for the improvement in arthritic condition. It is a quintessential American folk medicine.

Willow: It has a chemical called Salicin and it was touted as the original herbal aspirin. The willow bark tea works just like an aspirin and reduces pain and swelling.

Angelica: It is a herb which is used as a part of European folk medicine. There are 12 anti-inflammatory constituents in the western variety of Angelica. It has various anti spasmodic and pain relieving constituents.

Boswellia: It has an anti inflammatory action which has rare properties. It is much like non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs.

Well, if this is not enough, roots of wild yam, wild cucumber bark, roots of yucca, stinging neetle, red pepper, cayenne pepper, mustard plaster, black cohosh and a few other herbs are effective in getting relief from joint pain and inflammation.

I am sure, that by now, all those who are experiencing joint pain must have grabbed at least one herb from the plethora of herbs mentioned.

By Medha Godbole
Published: 7/3/2009
 
Use the feedback form below to submit your comments.
Your Comments:
Your Name:
Use the form below to email this article to your friends.
Recipient Email Address:
 Separate multiple email addresses by ;
Your Name:
Your Email Address: