Pain seems to be a constant in today’s modern world. Even when it’s mild, such as a simple tension headache, it can interrupt your daily life. Who can think clearly and finish that paper or pay attention to your kid’s homework when your head is pounding? The bad news? Your work load won’t stop and wait for you just because you have a headache. This is why many people resort to taking NSAIDS, such as the popular ibuprofen.
It’s true that popping a couple ibuprofen will make the pain disappear pretty quickly, but like most pharmaceuticals, your body takes a hard hit every time you take these painkillers. Ibuprofen is commonly known for increasing the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and ulcers. It also has been linked to other problems such as:
- Anemia
- Increased risk of dying from the flu
- Genetic damage
- High blood pressure
- Miscarriage
- Hearing loss
Check out the top 10 completely natural alternatives to ibuprofen.
1. Cayenne Pepper
These spicy little veggies are one of Mother Nature’s most healing substances and are great at pain relief. The effective ingredient in cayenne pepper, capsaicin, stops the body from making Substance P, the neuropeptide that sends pain signals to your brain.
2. Devil’s Claw
This herb from South Africa has been used in Europe for hundreds of years to fight inflammatory conditions such as muscle pain, joint pain, and arthritis. Studies show that this herb works about as well as most over the counter pain relieving drugs. In fact, some people were able to lower their dose of NSAIDS or eliminate them completely once they started taking this African herb.
3. DMSO
When DMSO is combined with Sweet Relief cream, it makes a powerful duo that is hard to beat. DMSO is a natural pain killer that was first synthesized back in 1866. This is a completely natural compound that comes from MSM and be taken internally or used externally. A DMSO based cream is perfect for sore joints, overworked muscles, or sprained joints. When used in combination with capsaicin, the effectiveness appears to be even more powerful.
4. Ginger
Although this spice is often taken to stop nausea and vomiting, it also works great when it comes to pain relief. Ginger is both an analgesic and has some powerful anti-inflammatory compounds, as well as antioxidants that act to fight pain on a cellular level. Ginger works for everything from headaches to muscle aches, menstrual cramps to joint pain. Try some ginger tea with honey rather than ibuprofen for your next headache.
5. Cat’s Claw
This anti-inflammatory plant grows mainly in South America. It blocks the production of prostaglandin, which only furthers feelings of pain and increases inflammation. Taking between 250 and 1,000mgs one to three times per day will stop most pain but be careful as taking too high a dose can cause diarrhea.
Looking for more pain remedies? Here are another 5 remedies from NaturalON here
Source: NaturalON – Natural Health News and Discoveries.
