Botanicals for Pain Management - Naturopathic Perspectives

www.drfeliciaassenzand.com

In light of its legalization in Canada, cannabis has been receiving a lot more attention lately, especially when it comes to its medicinal use and ability to help with pain management. While cannabis does seem to show promise in the area of pain management, what’s even more noteworthy is that all this hype can help increase awareness into the power of plants in general and the important role they can play in healing. Many plants have been used for centuries for concerns like pain management and now even have the research to back them up.

Pain is a symptom of an underlying issue. In other words, pain is the body’s way of saying that something is not quite right. The best way to address pain, then, is to address whatever might be causing it. However, the cause of pain may not always be straightforward. This is where it might come in handy to use botanicals or other techniques to help manage pain while working with a health-care professional like a naturopathic doctor to find the root cause of your pain. In the meantime, let’s discuss five tried-and-tested botanicals that can help with pain management.

Turmeric

Turmeric, or Curcuma longa, is a plant in the ginger family. It is the bright-yellow spice that is such a big part of South Asian cuisine and is often combined with other spices like black pepper and ginger. While adding colour and flavour to South Asian dishes, turmeric also seems to have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. With inflammation being such a common cause of pain, anti-inflammatory herbs or botanicals like turmeric are great tools in pain management. The part of turmeric that seems to be most useful in pain management is the root. Turmeric root contains curcumin, the active constituent that gives turmeric its yellow color and has been attributed to its anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric and curcumin have been studied for their ability to combat inflammation and have been shown to be effective in lowering pain and improving mobility in conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.[1][2] Turmeric has even been shown to be a useful alternative to conventional pain-management treatments like ibuprofen and NSAIDS.[3][4] What’s even more interesting is that curcumin is actually better absorbed when combined with black pepper. Black pepper seems to enhance the absorption of turmeric, leading to a stronger anti-inflammatory effect. It would appear that South Asian tradition had it right all along and that these two spices complement each other quite well, not only in taste but also in managing pain and inflammation.

Comfrey

Comfrey, or Symphytum officinale, is a hardy herb with rough green leaves and small, pale yellow or purple flowers and grows in abundance. It is also known as “knitbone” or “knitback,” likely because of its traditional use in healing injuries such as broken bones, sprains, or even muscle injuries. When used topically (in creams or ointments, for example), comfrey has not only been shown to help with pain when caused by an immediate trauma or injury, but it has also been shown to be effective in helping with more chronic pain ailments such as back pain or joint pain associated with osteoarthritis. In fact, a 2010 study found that applying an ointment containing comfrey root significantly helped decrease upper and lower back pain.[5] The parts of the comfrey plant that seem to be most effective for helping with pain management are the leaves or extracts from the leaves. While comfrey has traditionally been used orally, it seems that there is some toxicity associated with ingesting the plant, so it is best used on the skin’s surface only.

Olive Oil

You may not think about it too much when you add olive oil to make your salad a little tastier, but it is quite the anti-inflammatory. Much of the research into the health benefits of olive oil are around heart disease and cardiovascular health. And while it is true that olive oil seems to shine in helping with heart health, partly due to its anti-inflammatory properties, these same properties make it helpful in managing pain. As we previously discussed, inflammation and pain seem to come hand-in-hand, so it makes sense that an anti-inflammatory like olive oil would be useful for managing pain. One of the main constituents in olive oil that may be involved in its pain-relieving effects is oleocanthal. In fact, this constituent has been investigated for its similarities to the pain-relieving effects of ibuprofen.[6] With its heart-health benefits and anti-inflammatory pain-relieving effects, olive oil is a great way to help manage pain.

Cayenne

Yes, we’re talking about using hot pepper for pain here. Cayenne, or Capsicum annum, the same hot pepper that’s often used to add flavour to various food dishes, has a role in pain management as well. The main constituent in Cayenne that seems to help with pain management is capsaicin, and it has shown promising results in treating all sorts of different types of pain such as joint pain, nerve pain, and others.[7] It has even been used in treating pain associated with migraines. The best explanation for how it works seems to be that it acts as a counterirritant. What does that mean? It basically means that applying Cayenne or capsaicin to the skin temporarily causes mild irritation of the skin, which distracts from the deeper underlying pain. The nervous system is essentially too busy processing the irritation from the newly introduced heat sensation to process the old chronic nagging pain. Other herbs/constituents that work this same way include peppermint (cooling instead of warming) and camphor. As you may have realized, though, this is usually a temporary fix. If the reason why the pain was there in the first place is not addressed, once the capsaicin wears off, the old nagging pain may resurface. However, if what’s needed to address the pain is some calm, pain-free rest time so that the body can heal, then Cayenne is definitely a great candidate to help provide that reprieve.

Boswelia

Boswelia, or Boswelia serrata, also known as Indian frankincense, has been used traditionally in Ayruvedic medicine for a variety of health concerns such as arthritic pain or skin conditions. Boswelia is a tree found in India, Africa, and Arabia. The part of the tree that seems to have the most medicinal benefit is the gum or resin found by pulling away the bark of the tree. While boswelia has been traditionally used for pain associated with many conditions such as traumatic brain injury or even menstruation cramps, it has been most studied for its use in helping to manage pain associated with arthritis as well as ulcerative colitis.[8] It appears that the gum resin from boswelia has anti-inflammatory effects and pain-relieving effects, and that it may even slow down the breakdown of cartilage that leads to arthritis pain in the first place.[9]

Well, there you have it! Five plants that can help with pain management that aren’t cannabis. As with any medicine, botanical or not, there may be certain risks associated with taking botanical medicine for pain management. There may be side effects, allergic reactions, or interactions with other medicines you may be taking. And, as previously mentioned, there’s also the risk of not addressing a deeper issue that may be causing your pain. It’s always best to work with a health-care professional who understands these risks and can work with you to use these herbs/botanicals safety.