People usually suffer from acute back and neck pain due to muscle spasms. Pregnant women face muscle spasms due to sudden weight gain. Menstruating women suffer from muscle cramps because of the contractions of the uterine. The pain severity varies from person to person.
Muscle pain or spasms also reflect common side effects of chronic conditions such as McArdle’s disease, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis. Some herbs for muscle pain also act as natural pain relievers(1). Herbs are useful in giving relief from the pain and do not have any side effects. It also helps you to live a healthy life and get back to normal life.
Facts
1. Americans are suffering from pain as compared to heart disease, diabetes, or cancer.(2)
2. As per the National Center for Health Statistics, around 76.2 million participated in the survey and found that one out of four Americans suffered from pain. The pain lasts more than 24 hours, and millions of Americans suffer from acute pain.
Herbs for Muscle Pain
1. Ginger
Ginger is a root and acts as a natural pain reliever. It also increases recovery and reduces inflammation that happens due to exercise. Ginger is a medicinal herb that has been used for more than thousands of years. It acts as natural anti-inflammatory food. Ginger helps in relieving arthritis, nausea, headaches, muscle soreness, menstrual cramps, rheumatism, muscle pains, swollen veins, sprains, and backaches.
You must include ginger in your diet by adding the raw ginger to teas or smoothies. People use ginger supplements that are readily available online and in health stores. However, the herbs are a fresh ingredient and are more healthy.
You can consume raw or heat-treated ginger daily to decrease muscle pain. Ginger (2 grams in a day) helps in reducing muscle pain caused due to running. Always have a word with a doctor before consuming any new supplement. Some dietary supplements have side effects, and they may react with your existing medication.
[Also Read: Top 10 Essential Oils for Muscle Pain]
2. Clove
Indians have been using cloves for muscle pain for more than a decade. The clove oil or powder can also beat muscle spasms. People traditionally use cloves, and it is produced from the Eugenia caryophyllata plant. It is the best home remedy for pains. The clove gel is as effective as benzocaine gel.
Apply the gel on the affected area. It helps in lowering the levels of pain. Clove has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, and antifungal properties.
Apply clove gel on the affected muscles. You can also drink clove tea for inflammation.
[Also Read: Benefits of Using Clove Oil ]
3. Turmeric for muscle pain
Turmeric is useful for medicinal and culinary purposes. It has been proven to be a natural painkiller and used to treat heartburn, arthritis, stomach pain, joint pain, Crohn’s disease, and for reducing inflammation. As curcumin (chemical) is present in turmeric, it makes it anti-inflammatory substance. (3)
You can consume turmeric in different ways. Or apply turmeric paste on the affected area. You may drink turmeric tea or milk that contains turmeric. Add a tablespoon of turmeric powder in a hot glass of milk.
You can have turmeric milk or tea as per your required quantity. Even you may drink it at small intervals. If you are applying turmeric paste, then you can let it sit for a few hours. Even if you intake a large amount of turmeric, you will experience no side effects of it.
[Also Read: Relieve Muscle Pain With Natural Remedies]
4. Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha or Withania somnifera is a powerful herb. It has been used for around hundreds of years for treating numerous health conditions in Ayurveda, which is traditional Indian medicine. This herb is highly useful to decrease swelling as well as inflammation. It lowers the nitric oxide in inflamed tissues that further leads to reducing pain and swelling.
You can take 12ml of its root extract in a day. Ashwagandha has also shown up its effective results as it decreases inflammation markers, like C-reactive protein or CRP. The inflammation marker can increase heart disease risk.
If an individual takes 250-500 mg ashwagandha extract in a day, it can decrease 36% of CRP. Ashwagandha root extract (12 ml) in a day may raise immune cells level that helps in fighting against infection.
[Read: Cryotherapy To Freeze Pain]
5. Cardamom
Cardamom is a spice and produced in India, Bhutan, and Nepal. Especially in India, cardamom traditionally is considered as a herb and ingredient of medicine in Ayurveda. Owing to the Anodyne property of cardamom, joint pains, swollen joints, muscle pain, and inflamed back can get treated effectively.
Add a teaspoon of cardamom powder in one and a half water cup. Powdered or raw cardamom is perfect for offering relief from swelling and pain of muscles because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
[Also Read: Vitamins to Treat Muscle Pain]
Raw cardamom and its powder both help limit pain as well as swelling. It is perfect for treating swelling and inflammation of mucous membranes, throat and the mouth. Cardamom has no side-effects, you can consume it as often as you like.
While numerous people are using pain relief medication like ibuprofen, but there are some side effects of these pain relief. Herbs can help in reducing the swelling and inflammation. You can try the herbs as mentioned above or home remedies to get relief from it.
Apart from the natural pain killers such as cardamom, ashwagandha, turmeric, clove, you can do traditional practices like acupuncture and yoga. The herbal remedies can offer other health benefits along with relieving the pain. Herbs have antioxidant properties that help in keeping your body healthy. However, you may take your doctor’s help who can prescribe some medications based on your medical history.
FAQ’s
1. What Other Home Remedies Can You Use for Muscle Pain?
The acute muscle pain gets better by using the herbs for a few weeks. In many other cases, the pain does not go away for an extended period. Various other alternative treatments help in easing back pain symptoms. Alternative medicines include Chiropractic care, Acupuncture, Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation or TENS, Massage, and Yoga.
2. What Lifestyle Changes Help with Muscle Pain?
Reduce the chances of muscle pain by adopting a few positive lifestyle changes. You can take a healthy diet, do regular exercise, avoid sitting for a long duration, and maintain a good posture while sitting. Apart from these, use proper technique to lift the weight, avoid twisting and bending frequently, take enough sleep every day, stop smoking, etc.
3. Does Boswellia Help with Muscle Pain?
Boswellia is a herbal extract produced from the Boswellia serrata tree. Resin prepared from Boswellia extract has been in practice in Asian and African folk medicine for centuries. It helps in treating swelling, chronic pain, as well as other health conditions. It is available in different forms such as a resin, cream, or pill.
