8 Natural Painkillers with No Side Effects
These days, people turn to pharmaceutical drugs as their first option for treatment. However, so often pharmaceuticals are neither the healthiest nor the most effective choice . Luckily, nature has given us a plethora of natural painkillers that can safely alleviate aches and pains. Best of all, they don’t have any nasty side effects.
Although over-the-counter medication can be extremely helpful in treating a myriad of health problems, using them in excess can have serious short and long-term side effects. Instead of making you feel better, they cause more health problems.
Pharmaceutical drug abuse is a problem that worries specialists around the world. It is especially troublesome because more and more studies are showing us the dangerous side effects of these substances.
For example, studies show that frequent consumption of painkillers like ibuprofen and diclofenac can be bad for your health. They can even increase your risk of having a heart attack.
The best natural painkillers
Many people rely on painkillers just to get through the day. They work well in the short-term to alleviate all kinds of symptoms. However, they are quite addictive and doctors don’t recommend taking them over a long period of time. Here we will share some great alternatives that can work as well as the synthetic kind. Next time you have pain, try one of these natural painkillers. Effective, but without the dangerous side effects.
Red chili peppers
Red chili peppers are rich in a compound called capsaicin. Capsaicin makes chilies spicy, and also makes them great painkillers. According to David Kiefer, assistant professor of the Integrative Health Center at the University of Arizona, the capsaicin in red chile peppers reduces the amount of a substance responsible for conveying pain from the affected area to the nervous system. He adds that this process may take a couple of days, but that it is very effective.
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Ginger
For centuries, people have used ginger root for medicinal purposes. Its anti-inflammatory properties are useful for treating arthritis and other joint problems. This root has powerful anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. You can prepare it as a tea, or use it as a topical ointment.
Matricaria
Matricaria is a very popular plant due to its alleged analgesic and calming effect. Specialists in herbal medicine claim that it can combat fever, headaches, stomachaches, toothaches, migraines and rheumatoid arthritis.
Although its analgesic properties aren’t yet scientifically proven, moderate use may be useful.
Garlic
In addition to being one of the most powerful natural antibiotics in the world, garlic is also one of the most powerful natural painkillers. Garlic can alleviate severe ailments such as headaches, migraines, sinus infections, neuralgias, and toothaches. That is because garlic contains capsaicin, the same compound found in red chile peppers..
Cherries
Yes, you read it right. This delicious fruit is also a powerful natural painkiller that can help you treat a variety of ailments. The University of Michigan carried out a study that determined that cherries are up to 10 times more efficient that pharmaceutical drugs when it comes to reducing the swollen tissue that occurs during a headache. Cherries contain anthocyanin, which is a powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory and calming properties.
Pineapple
Another natural painkiller that you’ll definitely enjoy is pineapple. This delicious and healthy fruit contains an enzyme called bromelain. It can reduce pain, swelling, and bruises after surgery, excessive physical effort, or injury.
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Valerian root
Valerian root is an excellent choice for people who want to naturally reduce pain while avoiding the use of commercial pain killers. This organic remedy can be used to treat muscle cramps and spasms.
It is also recommended for problems such as insomnia and PMS.
In fact, valerian root is so powerful that it is part of the active ingredients in many over-the-counter painkillers.
Clove
This popular spice is an excellent natural painkiller capable of alleviating serious headaches and toothaches. Cloves contain a lot of eugenols, which have anti-bacterial and anesthetic properties.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
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