Herbal Pain Relievers

People have been relieving pain for thousands of years before modern pharmaceuticals came along. Many are moving away from pharmaceuticals today, seeking more natural ways of treating pain. Drugs certainly have their place, but the herbal remedies can be helpful, with fewer side effects, and less expensive as well.

This article will discuss the types of herbal remedies that have been used since time immemorial, and which are in use today, and can be recommended as an alternative to drug treatment

The white willow tree grows in many places throughout the world, including Europe, North America, and Asia. The tree contains a substance within its bark that is known as salicin, which is the substance in aspirin (known as acetosalicylic acid). Many use the bark of the white willow tree as a type of natural pain reliever. It is useful for treating pain as well as inflammation, two of the main desirable properties that aspirin also accomplishes, but at the same time, it lacks the side effects that may occur from taking aspirin. Whereas aspirin affects your blood platelets, thinning the blood, the bark of the white willow tree does not. At the same time, it doesn't cause stomach bleeding the way that aspirin can.

Knowing that, it's clear to see why many people choose to take white willow tree bark in order to treat their pain. Studies have been conducted weighing the efficiency of white willow tree bark against that of aspirin, and they have shown that it is indeed a potent alternative to the more modern product. The studies even found that the bark was more successful at alleviating pain than aspirin. Separate studies have also shown that the bark can be a godsend for patients with osteoarthritis, as it was shown to help increase joint function.

Yucca is another type of herb that many people with chronic pain conditions such as osteoarthritis often take. It purifies the blood, and it works as an anti-inflammatory. In addition, like willow bark, yucca acts as a pain reliever. There are plenty of other herbs and plants that can offer relief from inflammation; amongst them include Devil's claw, turmeric, ginger, and glucosamine sulfate. All of these types of herbs can be found at a local health food store. These herbs can be less expensive than over the counter drugs as well.

St. John's Wort has been used for hundreds of years in European medicine in order to treat depression. It has been shown in clinical studies to be as effective as Prozac and other modern serotropin-inhibiting compounds. St. John's Wort has been prescribed in Germany and France for post-partum depression, and requires a prescription in those countries.

Some illnesses require modern drugs for treatment. Herbal remedies play an important role for some types of illnesses, however. You may want to consider stocking up on herbal remedies for everyday colds, flue and immune disorders. Their natural incgredients may help reduce side effects while providing the same or better palliative benefits than modern drugs.