According to the CDC, an estimated 51.6 million people living in the United States experience chronic pain. And of those patients, many are prescribed long-term pain medications, steroids, and anti-inflammatory drugs to mitigate their symptoms.
While these medications may provide some much-needed relief, two significant complications come with this approach:
- Taking pain prescriptions for a long time can cause side effects and lead to dependency.
- Prescription pain medications dull symptoms, but they do not get to the root cause of pain and disease.
This is why more patients are turning to herbal remedies and natural medicine to treat their chronic pain.
Below is a list of 5 herbal remedies that have been shown to provide alternative pain relief.
Capsaicin
Capsaicin is an ingredient in chili peppers that gives them their hot, spicy flavor. Capsaicin works by temporarily desensitizing nerve receptors called C-fibers, which trigger a pain response.
This herbal remedy also helps treat pain in another way, by blocking a neuropeptide called substance P, which is associated with inflammation.
Capsaicin can be used as a daily oral supplement. It can also be used topically in the form of a cream or salve.
Moreover, you can also include capsaicin in your diet by incorporating cayenne pepper, red and green chili peppers, and sweet peppers into your meals.
Precautions:
As with all herbal remedies, it’s important to know that just because something is natural doesn’t make it 100 percent safe. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you take blood thinners, do not consume capsaicin.
Furthermore, if you’re allergic to bananas, avocados, kiwi, chestnuts, or latex, be advised you may also have an allergic reaction to cayenne.
Do not use this herbal remedy immediately before or after hot showers and avoid use with a heating pad.
Remember, less is more. Resist the temptation to take more capsaicin than is recommended on a supplement bottle.
Always wash your hands thoroughly after using capsaicin cream so as to not accidentally transfer the hot pepper to your eyes. (Ouch!)
Turmeric
Turmeric is a curry ingredient that contains curcumin, which is known to ease the pain of inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.
What makes this natural treatment one of the best herbal remedies for pain is that curcumin lowers the levels of two enzymes in your body responsible for causing inflammation.
Numerous studies have been conducted over the past 30 years, confirming curcumin’s effectiveness in treating a wide variety of neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, and autoimmune diseases.
This herbal remedy can be added to soups or stews. It can also be consumed as a tea. Taken in oral supplement form, turmeric can help reduce or even completely stop arthritis pain throughout the body.
Precautions:
While turmeric is generally regarded as safe, it is important not to take this herbal remedy with antacid, blood-thinning, or diabetes medications. It should also not be taken with NSAID pain relievers. If you are pregnant or nursing, talk with your doctor before using curcumin.
Boswellia
Boswellia is sourced from the frankincense tree. This herbal remedy may be helpful to chronic pain sufferers as it inhibits certain enzymes that cause inflammation.
Not only has this herbal remedy been shown to be effective in relieving pain and inflammation, it’s also been shown to support the vascular system and healthy blood circulation.
Boswellia is unique among herbal remedies for pain in that it decreases elastase, an inflammatory mediator often elevated in those with fibromyalgia.
Boswellia is most commonly taken in oral supplement form, but it may also be found in some natural pain-relieving creams.
Precautions:
Boswellia side effects are quite rare. However, it is important to note that heartburn, occasional nausea, diarrhea, or skin rash may occur. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use this herbal remedy.
Serrapeptase
Serrapeptase is an enzyme that specifically targets non-living tissue, breaking it down and eliminating it from the body.
Non-living tissue remaining in the body is a common problem for those with chronic pain, inflammatory, and autoimmune conditions. This can worsen your chronic pain and fatigue and also cause more serious health problems down the road.
Serrapeptase is also effective at blocking chemicals that cause inflammation, and it has been shown to be beneficial in helping the body recover after surgery.
Serrapeptase is most commonly taken as an oral supplement. It can also be found in certain natural skin creams designed to treat pain and inflammation.
Precautions:
This natural pain remedy should not be taken before surgery because it has a blood-thinning effect. If you’re taking blood-thinning medications, talk with your doctor before using serrapeptase.
Using more than one natural anti-inflammatory such as turmeric, garlic, or fish oil may increase bleeding risk.
Moreover, elderly individuals who use serrapeptase over a long period of time may experience gastrointestinal distress.
A rare, but important side effect to mention is also the thinning of mucosal secretions, which can, in patients with a history of lung problems, increase the risk of lung infection and pneumonia.
Pregnant and nursing individuals should avoid this natural remedy.
Arnica
Arnica is an herbal remedy derived from a European flower. As an herb, arnica can be applied topically to treat muscle aches, joint pain, superficial phlebitis, and swelling due to injury.
Because the herb is so strong, its only safe use is topical. However, arnica can be safely taken in oral form as a homeopathic remedy that dissolves under the tongue.
Homeopathic arnica has been shown to reduce swelling and inflammation, ease muscle soreness, and speed the healing of bruises when applied directly to injured area(s).
When taking arnica orally, always use it in homeopathic form. It usually comes in pellets that dissolve under your tongue. Alternatively, you can use homeopathic arnica cream to reduce soreness, swelling, and bruising.
Precautions:
There are no known interactions or side effects of using homeopathic arnica as an oral supplement or cream. The herb itself is too powerful and should never be taken orally. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor before using arnica.
Note: If you’re taking any prescriptions, talk with your doctor before introducing any herbal remedies as it’s important to make sure they won’t interact with what you’re already taking.
In Conclusion
Living with chronic pain can make life miserable. With these herbal remedies, you’ll have the opportunity to regain control of your health and reduce your pain to more manageable levels.
Medical Sources:
https://academic.oup.com/rheumatology/article/60/5/2231/5983716
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acsptsci.2c00012
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2024.1428440/full
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214785323003486
