[sidebar]Whether it’s a splitting headache, an aching neck, stiff joints, or a sprained ankle, we’ve found a natural fix for what ails you. Just make sure that you keep your doctor informed about any treatments you try.
Beat migraines
Since the 17th century, healers have treated migraines with the herb butterbur (Petasites hybridus root). When German and American researchers tested it recently on 58 migraine sufferers—who took 75 mg of butterbur (Petadolex Butterbur Gelcaps, petadolex.com) or a placebo twice a day for 4 months—the herb takers had migraines about half as often, compared with a 26% drop for the placebo takers. Butterbur contains compounds that prevent blood vessel inflammation, a possible migraine trigger. If your migraines subside after 3 to 6 months of taking the herb, you can discontinue use (though you may need to restart treatment if the headaches return).
Ease headaches
Picture pleasant, tension-reducing images such as ocean waves, or visualize your pain as an object you can manipulate and banish from your body. That’s how visualization—aka guided imagery—can help keep headaches at bay. (A therapist can lead you through the technique, but you can try it at home, too.) In a monthlong study of 260 chronic tension-headache sufferers, about 22% of those who listened to guided imagery tapes 20 minutes a day reported that their aches were “much better” than before the treatment, compared with only 8% of the control group. CDs are available online at sites like Health Journeys.
Tame tennis elbow
Acupuncture is a miracle worker: When Mayo Clinic researchers gave 22 people with persistent tennis elbow four treatments with needles, 80% got complete and long-lasting relief; another 10% reported much less pain and improved mobility. “These patients had suffered for more than a year and had tried drugs, cortisone injections, wearing a brace, and even surgery,” says study author Peter T. Dorsher, MD. “Acupuncture was the first intervention that worked for most of these patients.” (Learn more about acupuncture with 6 Science-Based Benefits Of Acupuncture.)
Wipe out wrist pain
Whether you’re suffering from an inflamed tendon or carpal tunnel syndrome (caused by swelling of the tissue around the medial nerve, which runs from your hand to forearm), restricting the motion of your wrist could be the answer. Try a splint that prevents your wrist from bending as you sleep, says Robert Werner, MD, a professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Michigan. He asked 112 assembly line autoworkers with wrist pain to watch an ergonomic training video, then one group was told to wear a wrist splint at night; the other half went without. After a month, reports of pain and numbness in the splint group fell by half; symptoms in the other group, by a quarter. The improvement lasted for up to a year. Get the ergonomic training if you can, but try the brace too: Choose a rigid one that keeps your hand in line with your forearm, Werner says. You can find one at a pharmacy for roughly $15. Wear it while sleeping every night for about 6 weeks or until the pain subsides.
Soothe a sore throat
A combo of marshmallow and licorice roots and slippery elm bark calms sore throats by protectively coating irritated membranes, reports a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Sixty adults with inflamed throats drank either a tea containing these herbs or a placebo beverage four to six times a day for about a week. Those who downed the brew reported 48% less pain than the placebo group. Throat Coat, the tea used in the study, is available online and in health food stores. Some people are sensitive to the herbs in the mix; if you have allergies or high blood pressure, check with your doc before steeping a mugful.
Calm eczema
An immune system malfunction triggers eczema’s dry, itchy rashes as white blood cells release substances that attack skin cells. Cortico-steroids can quell the white blood cells’ reaction, but they may also irritate skin and, if used long-term, even cause bone loss. An alternative: B12 cream. In a 2-month multicenter study, German researchers asked 49 volunteers to put the cream on rashes on one side of their body and a placebo cream on the other. Nearly 60% said the B12 cream relieved symptoms—the placebo helped only 11%. Researchers say topical vitamin B12 inhibits the faulty immune response; the cream should be available in the United States later this year. Or you could ask a compounding pharmacist to mix up a cream at 0.07% strength. Visit the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists to find one.
Pacify inflamed joints
A mix of plant and tree bark extracts reduces joint pain just as well as NSAIDs such as Vioxx, found University of Exeter, UK, scientists. They looked at studies involving a total of 820 patients who took either the herb blend, called Phytodolor, or an NSAID three times a day for 2 to 4 weeks. Those who got Phytodolor not only felt as much relief as people taking NSAIDs, they also experienced fewer side effects such as stomach pain and dizziness. German researchers who compared the herb blend to aspirin found that Phytodolor was twice as effective at suppressing enzymes that induce arthritis swelling and pain. A better-known duo, glucosamine and chondroitin, has yet to convince researchers. It seems to help moderate joint pain but does little for severe cases. There is one other option: Studies on capsaicin suggest that this compound—found in chile peppers—helps relieve pain by interfering with a chemical that tells your brain you’re hurting. Over-the-counter creams are available at natural products stores.
Save a sprained ankle
Hobble to your local pharmacy or health food store and pick up a tube of comfrey ointment. This weed, which grows in marshes, is high in allantoin, a substance that reduces inflammation and stimulates the growth of healthy tissue. Research shows that slathering comfrey ointment on the afflicted ankle reduces pain, tenderness, and swelling just as well as the usual treatment, a prescription anti-inflammatory lotion called diclofenac gel. After a week, comfrey users were better healed and had 92% less pain; the diclofenac group had an 84% drop. Steer clear of supplements that contain the herb, however—they could contribute to liver damage, warns the FDA.
Subdue foot aches
Think twice before you purchase pricey custom-made orthotics for heel pain known as plantar fasciitis, say foot experts. Activities such as running, stair-climbing, and even walking can cause the plantar fascia, the flat band of tissue on the bottom of your foot, to swell, bruise, or tear. Most people heal within 6 months on their own. The good news is that those with acute cases of foot pain may do just fine with store-bought heel cups that cost only a few bucks. Choose a firm version from your local drugstore, suggests Marlene Reid, DPM, spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association. Also try regularly stretching the muscles in your foot to build strength and rolling your arch over a tennis ball or soup can to help ease the ache.
Stifle surgery pain
Got a root canal scheduled? Recuperating in a sunny, music-filled room will help take away some of the hurt. A review of 14 studies involving 489 patients found that those who listened to pleasant music felt less pain—and required fewer pain meds—than those who healed in silence. “Music has about the same effect as one acetaminophen tablet,” says study author M. Soledad Cepeda, MD, PhD, a Colombian researcher who worked with Tufts University Medical Center scientists. Rolling up the blinds also helps, report University of Pittsburgh doctors, who found that back surgery patients recovering in sunny rooms required 22% less pain medication and felt less stress than those in dimly lit ones.
Stop nagging neck pain
The most common cause of a sore neck? Strained spinal muscles overtaxed by heavy lifting, sleeping in an uncomfortable position, or hunching over a desk. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen or aspirin can reduce painful inflammation, but new research shows that omega-3 fatty acids, the “healthy” fat found in fish, work just as well. In a University of Pittsburgh study of people taking NSAIDs for long-term back and neck pain, researchers added a daily 2,400 mg dose of omega-3s to the patients’ diets for 2 weeks. The researchers then asked study participants to taper off their NSAID use and continue with a daily dose of 1,200 mg of omega-3s for another 2 weeks. After a month, nearly two-thirds reported a significant improvement in pain. Omega-3 fatty acids impede the production of chemical messengers called prostaglandins; these trigger pain and swelling, researchers say. Take 1,000 to 1,200 mg a day for a month or two to get relief. (Fish oils also break up blood platelets, so avoid this treatment if you’re on blood thinners.)
3 ways to Beat Back Pain
1. Wear a heating pad. A Johns Hopkins University study found that putting on a portable heat wrap 8 hours a day for 3 days reduced the intensity of back pain by 60%, compared with going without one (both groups were also taking pain medication). The benefit lasted for up to 2 weeks. Researchers used the ThermaCare Lower Back Heat Wrap ($7.50). 2. You can also try a 600 to 1,200 mg dose of devil’s claw. This African herb has a long history of medicinal use. In recent research, it has been shown—in a total of 10 studies involving 1,567 participants—to ease chronic lower-back pain. Take it 3 times a day (you can find it in vitamin stores). Devil’s claw can cause an upset stomach in some people. 3. Exercise may sound like a bad idea, but a UCLA study of 610 men and women with chronic lower-back pain discovered that those who were active were 30% less likely to experience an increase in pain and disability than those who were inactive. People who fared the best did moderate types of exercise—swimming and walking, for example.
Sore muscles?
Attack the problem from all angles Prep your body. Take a mixture of isoleucine, leucine, and valine (amino acid supplements). In a study from Japan, 30 people who were given this combo before doing squats had far less muscle soreness and fatigue in the following days than exercisers who got a sugar pill. Branched-chain amino acids such as these work together to reduce muscle protein breakdown during exercise as well as stimulate muscle protein growth. These amino acids are available as a combo pill—about $27 for 240 tablets. Then try arnica pills. In a study of 82 marathon runners, those who took five D30 arnica tablets twice a day (the day before, day of, and 3 days after their race) reported less soreness than those given a placebo treatment. The D30 supplement can be found in vitamin stores and may be labeled with its full plant name, Arnica montana. Or, consider taking CoQ10. If you’re on cholesterol-lowering statins, they can block the production of the nutrient coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). This enzyme is key to muscle cell function. You can replenish your stores by taking 100 mg daily. That dosage can slash soreness in half, according to a study of 38 people done at Stony Brook University Health Sciences Center. MORE: The 100 Best Supplements For Women
