Herbal Remedies for Arthritis

Many of these treatments can still be utilized today. Now I haven't tried any of these for arthritis pain but I do know some of these herbal treatments for other things such as honey. However if you tried this let me know what worked.

#1. Alfalfa

Although this plant isn’t native to the States, Native Americans made full use of its healing properties when it did arrive circa the 1850s. The roots of the Alfalfa plant can extend deep into the soil, absorbing many of the earth’s minerals and nutrients. As a pain reliever, the leaves were eaten as vegetables or steeped in boiling water to make a tea, while the seeds could be ground up to make a flour.

#2. Black Cohosh

Still recognized today as an anti-rheumatic and taken in tablet form, the roots of the Black Cohosh plant can also be dried and used to make tea, which, when taken twice a day can ease the pain of arthritis. (Long term use should be avoided because of the risk of liver damage.)

#3. Boneset

Very often in the world of herbalism, the name or appearance of a plant will give a clue to its uses, and Boneset is no exception. Originally it was used to treat Dengue, also known as Break Bone Fever, but it later became known for its ability to relieve arthritic and rheumatic pain. The leaves and flowers can be used in hot water, not only for pain relief but also as a remedy for colds and flu.

#4. The Eucalyptus Tree

It was introduced to the USA in the late 1800s and was utilized by Native Americans in the treatment of arthritis. Making a hot poultice from the leaves and applying it to the affected joints provides relief. Eucalyptus trees can be grown in warm climates, or as indoor plants, but essential oil can be used when fresh leaves are not readily available, and when combined with a hot compress will ease the pain and stiffness of swollen, painful joints.

#5. Green Tea

Native Americans knew regularly drinking green tea was of benefit to bones and joints. The science behind it is that the chemicals in the tea block the cartilage-destroying enzymes responsible for arthritis.

#6. Willow Bark

Perhaps the most exciting of remedies used by the North Americans was that of Willow Bark. Such are its pain relieving properties that the salicylic acid found in the tree formed the basis of the analgesic we recognize today as Aspirin. The inner bark of the willow tree can be chewed, both as a pain reliever and as a famine food, and can also be boiled along with the leaves to make a pain relieving tea. Furthermore, the inner bark can be ground down and the sawdust can be used as flour.  Of course, Native Americans didn’t hold the monopoly on natural arthritis remedies. As we have already seen, the condition has plagued us since time began, and each era and each people had their own methods of treating it. The Ancient Egyptians, for example, employed some interesting techniques which I will not be discussing here because they are dangerous. 

#7. Honey

Very often in Ancient Egypt, honey would be applied to painful joints, as it was believed to ease the stiffness and pain associated with arthritis. They would also drink a glass of milk with and turmeric (which is known for its strong anti-inflammatory properties). Here are the 

#8. Carrying a potato! It was thought that by carrying a raw potato in your pocket, arthritis would be ‘absorbed’ by the vegetable and the pain would be gone!

Pain has plagued us for as long as man has been alive, and our search for relief has produced some extraordinarily effective methods with which to gain that relief.

And some…not so much.  But if you know where to look and what to do, Mother Nature has provided us with an overflowing medicine cabinet.