By Greg Podsakoff
Herbal pain relief is something that millions of people a day look for, since pain is something that all people deal with from the day we are born. When we are young and hurt our knees, we experience it. When we are old, and joint creak and ache, we know all to well what pain is. It is our bodies way of communicating with our brain that something isn't right. Sometimes however, the pain we feel can be more of a problem than the original reason we have the pain! Of course there are many pain killers in the market for mild pain or prescription painkillers for extreme pain, but most are chemical based and can cause side effect or even addiction.
So what (if any) natural herbs for herbal pain relief are available?
The good news is, there are some herbs that are very capable of providing pain relief, but the best herb for the job will depend on the type of pain.
White willow is a well known and popular herb for pain relief. In fact, it is the source of many modern pain killers such as aspirin, and some of the stronger prescription medications. White willow also has properties of the NSAID's such as Aleve, and Ibuprofen.
White willow is an all natural anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is the reason for many chronic pain, such as arthritis, infection, and chronic injury type pain such as chronic back pain due to accident, etc. The benefit of white willow is it is all natural herbal pain relief, and it doesn't have all the traditional risks and dangers of chemically created non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. One specific example is that aspirin isn't to be used by children, because it can cause a debilitating syndrome called Reye's syndrome. White willow doesn't carry this same risk. However before using white willow for you or anyone else, consult a doctor, as there could be some other side effects or negative drug interactions.
The reason white willow works is because it contains Salicin. Salicin converts into salicylic acid as it is digested. Salicylic acid is the active ingredient in aspirin. White willow is gentle on the stomach, so the stomach and digestive ulcer issues that can occur with aspirin are much more rare with white willow for herbal pain relief.
When looking for a white willow product for pain, be sure to find one of top quality. Quality is extremely important for both safety and effectiveness. Be sure any white willow product you purchase is a 100% pure white willow gel cap.
Another item worth knowing is that white willow may not work as expected if a person regularly takes large amounts of chemical pain killers. If a person takes 2 extra strength Tylenol, it may take 3-4 white willow gel caps to get the same result. It can take a longer period of time (days or even several weeks) for white willow pills to have effect for someone who regularly takes chemical pain killers.
This is just one herbal pain killer of several that have scientific evidence of their effectiveness. It is important to consult a medical professional before taking any pill, herbal or otherwise to treat any medical ailment... but for those who are experiencing pain, and don't want the complications associated with chemical painkillers, white willow isn't the only herbal pain reliever, but it can provide the herbal pain relief you need.
Greg Podsakoff is the editor of Herbal Remedies That Work. For more herbal pain killers, including the most effective herbs of all at stopping pain, visit http://www.herbalremediesthatwork.com/
Source:www.isnare.com |
