Sunday, January 25, 2009

Can stinging nettles help relieve Arthritis Pain ?

By Edith Richards

The simple answer for many is yes, and certainly acceptable for quick relief. Stinging Nettles have been used for thousands of years for there medicinal properties. Nature provides us with many plants and roots that will aid in the relieving of joint pain and inflammation, with the most radical being the common Stinging Nettle.

Science offers some insight and proof behind this age old folklore. Studies carried out at the University of Plymouth, indicate that this ancient remedy does actually work in many cases.

Arthritic volunteers underwent treatments at the University of Plymouth consisting of stinging nettle leaves being applied to the hands daily one week. The results were then compared to the effect of the white deadnettle leaf, (which does not sting), which was also applied daily for one week. Results indicated that the stinging nettle treatment significantly reduced the pain, and also diminished the level of remaining pain in the sufferers

How Does It Work

Serotonin and histamine, both of which are neuro-transmitters are contained in the plants leaf, as well as causing a sting, they are thought to trigger an anti-inflammatory action by the body and so relieve arthritis Pain relief was most likely to occur if a sting with nettle rash was produced on the skin. Other possibilities could be that the sting has an acupuncture-like effect, or that it acts as a "counter irritant" like capsaicin, an ingredient derived from peppers which is used in products like Ralgex.

This is an age old remedy, that seems to work for many people across the world. The stinging nettle is a freely available plant which grows in many countries around the world and its sting seems a safe treatment with little in the way of side effects. So nettles may indeed reduce the pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

How to Treat Your Arthritis Using The Stinging Nettle Treatment

The traditional way to treat your arthritis with stinging nettles is simply to grasp the plants stem with a gloved hand and then thrash or rub down the affected joint area with the leaves until nettle rash appears, repeat the same process for all affected areas, in many cases this will help reduce the pain and swelling quickly all be it for a short period of time.

Although proof does exist, that nettles can offer short term relief, the thought of thrashing yourself with them may not be one to relish. well the good news is nature has provided many long and short term answers for most types of arthritis and there are easier and far less extreme ways of reducing your pain and inflammation believe me.

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