The musculoskeletal system is the most difficult to treat with herbs. This is because when joint damage happens after chronic inflammation, often the damage is done!
Fear not, anti-inflammatory herbs may be applied to mitigate further damage. When pain is experienced, then herbs that help reduce pain or are sedating can also be used. It is obviously better to identify problems before they occur and before they worsen, as this is when herbs will be most helpful.
If the underlying condition is based on autoimmunity, such as rheumatoid arthritis, then herbal medicine can help modulate the activity of the immune system.
Usually, the older an injury is or the more chronic the pain, the more difficult it is to provide an effective treatment. Again, this underscores the need to seek treatment as soon as possible.
So let’s get into some of the treatments that can help relieve joint pain…
The primary herbs to consider are vascular tonics, circulatory tonics, and topical analgesics. After this, the cardiotonics, anti-inflammatories, and analgesics should be considered.
An example formula would therefore be:
Ginkgo biloba (40mL) and Hawthorn (35mL) for their vascular tonic actions.
Valerian (10mL) for its analgesic actions.
Ginger root (10mL) for it’s circulatory tonic actions.
Cayenne (5mL) for it’s topical analgesic functions.
These are of course only examples of how a formula may be put together. If you are suffering from joint pain, arthritis, or musculoskelatal problems or injuries, please make sure you talk to one of your clinic practitioners.