Are you in pain? You don’t have to reach for over-the -counter pain killers, or even the heavy pharmaceutical hitters prescribed by your doctor; there are literally hundreds of natural pain killers waiting for you in the abundance of nature. You can count on plants and herbs to alleviate everything from arthritis pain, to headaches, to burns – read on to find out more.
Many pharmaceutical pain medications, while effective and useful at times, can be downright dangerous, but there is another solution to your pain problem. “Almost always, if we find pharmaceuticals doing the trick, we’ll find a plant doing the same trick—and doing it more safely,” remarks botanist James A. Duke, PhD, author of The Green Pharmacy Guide to Healing Foods.
James N. Dillard, MD, author of The Chronic Pain Solution says:
“No matter how well you prescribe medication, chronic sufferers don’t get complete relief. It’s an enormous problem, and the medical community is doing a bad job solving it.”
Before you do anything else though, you have to ‘quit the junk food that riles up the body’s pain system.’ The modern Western diet comprised of highly refined foods, sugars, and refined carbohydrates, while devoid of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc., is going to block the ability of other non-pharmaceutical remedies to halt pain.
Once you’ve done that, you can turn to the many herbs that truly deliver. There are also over 60 different essential oils for pain that have analgesic properties. Analgesic means that a substance has shown to relieve or reduce pain. So many plants have pain-relieving properties.
Here are just a few natural pain killers.
15 Natural Pain Killers
- 1., 2., and 3. Ginger, Turmeric, & Holy Basil – This set of herbs forms a sort of trinity in Ayurvedic medicine. All of them have anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric (a curry ingredient) contains curcumins which ease inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, according to the Methodist Research Institute in Indianapolis. “Each herb has its own scientific database of evidence,” says James Dillard, MD, author of The Chronic Pain Solution.
- 4. Devil’s Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) – This ominous sounding herb is actually great for treating numerous health conditions, among them are liver problems and heart burn. It also has anti-inflammatory effects and can reduce pain from arthritis, headaches, and low back discomfort. The University of Maryland Medical Center has published several studies that had great success treating Osteoarthritis with Devil’s Claw.
- 5. Birch Leaf (Betula Lenta) – The leaves from the Birch tree act much like cortisone, a prescription drug used to treat endocrine disorders, arthritis, lupus, skin disease, autoimmune disorders, and more. A main chemical compound found in Birch leaves is methyl salicylate, similar to salicylic acid used in aspirin. It is anti-spasmodic, analgesic, astringent, antifungal, diuretic, detoxifying, reduces oxidative damage to skin (stopping wrinkles), and enhances circulation. It also promotes enzymatic secretions in the body. It is truly one of the first powerful pain-relievers ever used.
- 6. Wintergreen Essential Oil – Also among natural pain relievers, Wintergreen Essential Oil contains 85-99% of methyl salicylate, the same component of aspirin.
- 7. White Willow Bark (Salix alba) – The active ingredient in white willow is salicin, which the body converts into salicylic acid. This tree’s covering lowers the body’s levels of prostaglandins, hormone-like compounds that can cause aches, pain, and inflammation. What’s more, white willow bark doesn’t upset the stomach or cause internal bleeding like many over-the-counter aspirins. Turn to this herb for relief from menstrual cramps, muscle pains, arthritis, or after knee or hip surgery as it promotes blood flow and reduces swelling.
Related: 6 Foods and Herbs for Arthritis and Inflammatory Pain
- 8. Capsaicin (Capsicum) – Found in hot chile peppers, this natural remedy does wonders for pain. Capsaicin, the active pain-reducing ingredient, temporarily desensitizes nerve receptors called C-fibers which cause the pain response. Capsaicin also diminishes soreness for 3 to 5 weeks while the C-fibers regain sensation. A single 60-min application in patients with neuropathic pain produced effective pain relief for up to 12 weeks. Patients at the New England Center for Headache decreased their migraine and cluster headache intensity by applying capsaicin cream to their nasal passages.
- 9. Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA) – GLA can be found in numerous seed oils. According to University of Maryland, people who consume these essential fatty acids are able to reduce nerve pain associated with diabetic conditions.
- 10. Cherries – Due to the presence of compounds called anthocyanins—the same phytonutrients that give cherries their rich ruby hue – you can count on cherries to tamp down pain. Muraleedharan Nair, PhD, says, “They block inflammation and they inhibit pain enzymes, just like aspirin, naproxen, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories.” Cherries are said to have the highest anti-inflammatory content of any food, making them great for remedying issues such as arthritis.
- 11. Aquamin – Derived from red seaweed, aquamin is a powerful pain reducer, too. In a study published in Nutrition Journal, of 70 volunteers, Aquamin users reduced arthritis pain by 20% in a month and had less stiffness than patients taking a placebo. Helping to diminish inflammation and helps to build bone, aquamin is rich in both calcium and magnesium, too.
- 12. Arnica – An excellent herbal rub to use after intense sports, an acute injury, or even post surgery, arnica is a well-known natural pain killer among athletes and yogis. It is derived from a European flower, and has anti-inflammatory properties, although the true nature of its healing action is still unknown.
- 13. Peppermint (Mentha piperita) – Peppermint is most often used as a natural remedy for toothaches, discomfort from bloating and gas, joint conditions, skin irritations, headaches and muscle pain.
- 14. Boswellia – This herb is sourced from the frankincense tree. Its resin is used to thwart chemical reactions that cause inflammation, and thus pain. Ayurvedic scientists have used Boswellia for centuries to treat arthritic conditions, as well as inflammatory bowel disease.
- 15. Bromelain – This natural pain-reducer comes from the enzymes present in pineapple stems. Research shows that it reduces levels of prostaglandins, which are hormones that induce inflammation. Bromelain may benefit people with arthritis and conditions marked by musculoskeletal tension (like TMJ syndrome), in addition to those suffering trauma-related inflammation. The enzyme also promotes healing in muscles and connective tissues.
- 16. Cranberry Juice – Having a bout of ulceritis? Ulcers usually result from a pathogen called H. pylori which attacks the lining of the stomach and small intestines, but cranberry juice can kill it – reducing pain. Instead of turning to antibiotics, destroy the bacteria causing your ulcers and urinary tract infections with cranberries.
no marijuana? It’s better than all these things
Well said. All though, I would have added papaver somniferum.
Psilocybin has also been linked with a greater ability to cope with chronic pain and the fear and anxiety associated with terminal illness.
not only heel pain but any type of pain.
just place the plate on the painful part for 20 minutes
If you break your leg, no pot is gonna kill THAT pain.
Right, maybe you think cranberry juice, or ginger will do a better job of it?
Opium is natural, and if done responsibly, can be an effective, safe, natural pain killer.
If I broke my leg, I’d use high-grade pure, liquid opium, in combo with high-grade high-potency CBD & THC strains of cannabis.
We’ll get there. Also, yea, certain psychedelics may modulate how one interprets pain, and may also offer legitimate pain relief too.
Actually, Kratom is MUCH better.
LOL. There another natural “HERB” that works very well. I would add Dit Da Jow to the list. It’s under-rated, but it does work wonders. If it’s good enough for MMA fighters, it will definitely relieve normal people’s pain. haha
Thanks for the tip !
Kratom…Green Hulu Kapuras…from Original Harvest…check out on FaceBook Kratom Support Group (the original). They are the best. They will help you from the start. Many being cut off frm. meds. belong to our group. Also, a great book about Kratom called the Amazing Power of Kratom by Kurt Dermott. $1.99 Amazon Everything you need to know about Kratom. Peaceful healings.
With most things having to be derived and then applied somewhere rather than eaten, I have to agree with Richard to some extent.
Glean what you can from the article, and the comments, and do your research. Onward in this quest for relief!
Toni Garton
I have chronic pain and went to a doctor (now the first line of the hippocratic oath which is “First do no harm”, now it is :Cover your .ass”. I am trying to find something that will work, since the pain clinic cut my meds to 3 a day from 10 a day of Norco, then Oxy, then morphine. The Dr. Hesseltine actually told me that I have not built up a tolerance and he was not going to get sued on account of me. So, if anyone out there lives in the Inland empire DO NOT GO TO INLAND PAIN MANAGEMENT.
I have tried medical marijuana, it helps but not enough. Any suggestions?
What’s the pain caused by? Have you altered your lifestyle to incorporate exercise and lower stress? Good for getting off the pain killers, but pain is pain… I know I hate it. Try natural remedies (stronger cannabis if possible), turmeric & ginger tea, celery smoothies, etc. Can you get to a Naturopath in your state?
just so you know marijuana comes in different types and strains. some work for me some don’t they all help my seizures though, “the cheese” is calming i could sleep allot better, on the other hand “girl scout cookies” felt more of a high.. I would suggest trying different types. and im so jealous you even have access to medical my state is only just now gettin it on the ballet
kratom is your best bet,not tinctures or extracts just the leaf powder.
The opiates present in a massive amount of ‘pharmaceuticals’ are derived from still derived from the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum. This amazing plant provides; codeine and morphine two of the most powerful analgesic chemicals that humans have yet to discover. Along with the various chemicals present in cannabis, nature can provide much more potent pain relief than ginger and chilli.
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Nice to hear about ginger and turmeric. How do you use it though? I have both ginger and turmeric in my spice cabinet. Do I get some empty gelatin capsules and make pills of it?
Chezron, turmeric can be added to just about any food. The flavor impact is slight, and I love the yellow color it gives foods. HOWEVER, to really kick up the anti-inflammatory property of turmeric, add crushed or ground black pepper.
Just mix them together and add to foods.
“One study found that when even 2g of curcumin was ingested, its serum levels were very low. However, when 20mg piperine was added to curcumin the bioavailability increased by 2,000%.”
So, if you use turmeric without mixing it with black pepper, you are only getting a small amount of the wonderful antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and pain relievers that turmeric offers.
Add curcumin to the mix and you shoot up the health benefits, to include cancer-fighters.
I hope this helps,
That’s what I can’t stand about articles on “natural pain meds”, like this. People are looking for remedies for REAL pain: sprains, breaks, pulls. Especially now, when fed & state govts are cracking down on relief. They don’t want ANYONE feeling okay. THIS isn’t helpful at all. Crunchy/granola writer of fluff.
…give the fascist DEA and their (so-called ‘democratic’) socialist elite/uber rich top-GOP hybrid mono-party a tad more time for their Af-fascistable Health/Medicine Control Act to leach throughout the politico-legalist’s enforcers’ gun-belts…and ALL of these natural remedies shall bring the iron boot of the US police state down upon those who produce, blend, (I do not want to use the term “distribute” because that’s a word the US Gestapo has ruined) …and merchant these products PLUS, the sufferers of medical malaise who need them.
The post-WWII Gnat-see wallflowers have come-of-age…hey, my dad’s generation nailed their generals and army…however, gnat-see was never a military stratagem. Ever. It’s a civilian, political ideal and heavily legalistic. It comes from academics and scholarly, rat-finks. Adolf lead a coup. He joined what already had existed. Those jerks flooded here ever since WWI, betwixt these two World Wars through umbrella groups in NYC and after WWII thanx to “Operation Paperclip.” Most went straight into university, the arts and media…the ‘message’s kernel survived in the elitist’s minds.
And now, it is really beginning to show.
From what I have read in these comments… Most, obviously have had more experience with drugs than they have had with pain management.
For headaches, I use a capsaicin based nasal spray Called Sinol-M that works so fast. It has the feeling you get when you eat wasabi or horseradish. I received my sample at the New England Center for Headache from Dr Alan Rapport.
No doubt, This is very good information about natural pain killers. Thank for sharing this informative material with us.
how about milk weed
This product is amazing!
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