Here is a guide to 5 of the most popular herbal remedies and supplements that are known to ease arthritis pain.
- Dandelion leaves: you might just dismiss the dandelions in your garden as weeds but this hardy plant has been used as an effective herbal remedy across Europe for centuries. The leaves, eaten fresh, are high in vitamin A and vitamin C and are good for helping the liver to clear toxins from the blood. Boiled up as a tea, dandelion is used to relieve inflammation, one of the main symptoms of arthritis.
- Boswellia: dubbed the Indian frankincense, boswellia is a natural anti-inflammatory that is also good for increasing the blood supply to joints damaged by arthritis. Take it daily in supplement form.
- Ginger: with its natural anti-inflammatory properties, ginger is one of the best natural remedies for aching joints. Use as a massage oil on the worst affected area of the body or as a warm compress and in baths to ease inflamed joints. You can also drink ginger tea daily.
- Devil’s claw: found in the Kalahari desert in Africa, the fruit devil’s claw has been used by native tribes for centuries to treat arthritis pain. The roots of the plant act as an anti-inflammatory – take as a supplement or as a tea.
- Eucalyptus oil: heat treatments are often used to provide relief from joint pain and eucalyptus oil is a traditional natural remedy used in such treatment. The oil is heated and then rubbed sparingly over the inflamed joint before being covered with a strip of plastic. Use towels to keep applying heat to the joint for an effective pain relief remedy.