Chinese herbs have been used for thousands of years in the treatment of pain. Often the herbs are blended together and used in conjunction with other alternative therapies, including acupressure and acupuncture.
Back Pain
One of the most common complaints of pain involves the back. This type of pain can affect men and women. Chinese herbs for back pain relief include valerian root and passion flower. Both herbs are considered sedatives and should be used with caution. Valerian root is a muscle relaxer that also aids against insomnia. Passion flower has sedative qualities and promotes digestive health. Poor digestive health has been linked to back pain.
Headaches
Headache herbal treatments in Chinese medicine vary depending on the type of headache and the base cause of the headache. Different headache types include headaches with pain on one side of the head, migraines, sinus headaches or headaches from overindulgence. Chinese herbs used for headaches include angelica, ginger, mint leaf, Chinese licorice root, tang gui root and white peony root. Other herbs that are used in Chinese medicine for the pain of headaches are feverfew and skullcap.
Cramps, Spasms and Chronic Aches
Chinese herbs for pain relief of cramps, spasms and chronic aches include angelica, Chinese licorice root, white willow, gotu kola and cramp bark. These herbs are used alone or blended in combination depending on the source of the pain, and may be placed directly on the part of the body experiencing the pain, taken orally in a capsule form or placed in a tea. Some herbs may interact with other medications, so it is best to speak with a medical professional before deciding on a Chinese herbal regiment. A professional will also be able to tell you what herbs work best together for your specific aches and pains.
General Pain Relief
Sometimes we as humans have general aches and pains. This can be from lifting to much, getting an injury during sports, menstrual cramps, abdominal discomfort or any other reason that pain plays a part in our daily lives. Chinese herbs for general pain relief include yan hu suo, xiang fu, bai shao, sea cucumber, san qi, chen pi, reishi mushroom and gan cao.
Tags: Chinese herbs, aches pains, back pain, Chinese licorice, Chinese licorice root