Herbs For Arthritis And Back Pains
For years, I suffered from horrible back pain. It isn’t a pleasant feel sitting there when a twitch of pain shoots through your back as you move a certain way or strain it just right. The worst part is for years I was worried I had no hope of it getting better. I’ve tried everything short of surgery to find some sort of relief and nothing has helped. Then I discovered a wonderful medicinal herb called devil’s claw.
There are a bunch of different things you can do to relieve arthritis or lower back pain, many of which include medication and painkillers. I don’t know about you but I don’t like that drugged feeling and the truth is medication isn’t always the best solution. I feel much safer taking devil’s claw since it is an herb found in nature and used for years.
Devil’s claw extract was basically used to treat any type of condition or problem. For thousands of years, the Khoisan peoples of the Kalahari Desert used medicinal herbs as a way of fighting diseases and pain. It was then they discovered the many medicinal properties of devil’s claw root and put it into use as a remedy to treat pain and complications of pregnancy. They also began using devils claw as topical ointments to heal sores and boils, among many other skin problems.
Modern health has taken notice. Today, devil’s claw is used across a wide spectrum of health related issues. No where else is this more noticeable than in its use for treatment of degenerative joint diseases such as arthritis, for low back pain, and as an appetite stimulant and digestive tonic. The devils claw herb, also referred to as harpagophytum procumbens, contains compounds called iridoid glycosides which holds anti-inflammatory and painkilling properties, great at reducing lower back pain symptoms. All recent scientific evidence backs the use of devil’s claw herb for the relief of pain and inflammation in suffers of arthritis and other painful disorders. It’s also recently been discovered to be a wonderful and soothing treatment for fever, rheumatoid arthritis, skin conditions, and conditions involving the gallbladder, pancreas, stomach and kidneys.
Don’t take my word for it. A recent German health study looked at the use of devils claw as a medicinal herb for slight to moderate back, neck, and shoulder muscle tension and pain. The study spanned four weeks with thirty-one individuals taking 480 mg of devil’s claw twice a day. The remainder of the group received a placebo. The results were resoundingly in favor of using devil’s claw extract and health officials agreed. The study showed a significant reduction in pain in the group taking devil’s claw compared to the one’s receiving a placebo.
Living with chronic arthritis and back pain is an unpleasant experience and can make everyday activities seem difficult. It isn’t too late to manage the pain the smart way. Use devil’s claw to take care of your back and live your life to utmost fullest.
Susan Slobac is an herbalist who has studied the benefits of using medicinal herbs and other organic products. In this article, she explores devil’s claw, devil’s claw extract, and harpagophytum procumbens.
