Nettle And Arnica For Treating Joint Pain

Joint pain can be the result of various kinds of conditions or injuries. Rheumatoid arthritis is defined as an autoimmune disorder which results in pain in the joints and stiffness too. Osteoarthritis is another condition which results in growth of bone spurs and also leads to the degeneration of cartilage located at the joint.

It is accompanied by pain and swelling. Bursitis is another cause of joint pain. The bursae are the fluid-filled sacs that pad and cushion the bony prominences, thus allowing tendons and muscles to move easily around and over the bone.

Some of the useful remedies to help those suffering from joint pain include the use of arnica. Arnica has always been used for medicinal purposes. Quite often it is used for injuries like sprains and bruises.

Arnica in the herbal form is mainly restricted to external use as it can have serious side effects if taken internally. The main benefits of the arnica cream, is its anti-inflammatory and also its pain-relieving properties. These qualities come from the substance called “sesquiterpene lactone.” This reacts when in the body the way aspirin does. Arnica is known to be rich in antioxidants and also has huge levels of flavonoids. These are similar to tannins, insulin and carotenoids.

Nettle leaves are similarly known to aid in reducing arthritic pain. In one study, the juice of the nettle leaf was found to be equally effective at lowering the pain caused by arthritis as any anti-inflammatory drugs. Also nettle leaf juice is found to enhance the results of the anti-inflammatory drug known as diclofenac in the case of people suffering from osteoarthritis.

Besides drinking the nettle leaf juice or tea, another tradition to help relieve the pain from arthritis is to try the application of the freshly plucked leaves over any aching joints. Though this is known to initially cause an increase in the pain because of the stings, it finally helps to relieve the inflammation and reduce the pain. This effect is often referred to as the “gate phenomenon.”

When the skin over any painful joint gets stung, the spinal cord then reduces the pain signals that come from the underlying joint. Two separate studies have indicated that topical nettle stings application is helpful in relieving any arthritis pain for all those who can put up with the initial discomfort. Also consuming nettles in the form of either capsules or even tinctures is known to be helpful for arthritis.