Is arthritis making your life tough? Have you tried a dozen pain balms but ended up getting no results? Then it is time you tried ginger, which has properties that can relieve you from arthritic pain.

Would you like to know more? Continue reading this post.

Arthritis – A Brief:

There are certain ailments and physiological conditions that make life difficult and worse with time. One such condition is arthritis. The term arthritis covers a broad spectrum of conditions that affect the joints in the body like the knees. When you are afflicted with arthritis, the joints become inflamed, sore or stiff, leading to pain while you love (1). The major variants of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. While the elderly lots, especially those over 50 years are the most affected by arthritis, it may also affect men and women under 40 years of age. In some rare instances, kids can also be afflicted by arthritis.

Causes Of Arthritis:

There is no one single cause behind the onset of arthritis. The major causes are:

• Prolonged wear and tear of the knees and joints
• Serious Injury that leads to degenerative arthritis
• Genetic setup and susceptibility
• An overactive immune system

Sometimes, a combination of the aforesaid factors can also lead to arthritis. In most cases, the genetic structure and external factors may lead to the onset of the condition.

Ways To Treat Arthritis:

As unfortunate as it may sound, there is no cure for arthritis yet. There are treatment options available, but most of them focus on helping the victims cope with the pain and symptoms. The medications, especially NSAID class drugs, can alleviate the pain and inflammation, but they do not necessarily help in improving the conditions that lead to the onset of arthritis. Besides, administering such drugs can cause adverse effects. In extreme cases, surgery may be required to replace damaged knees. Some arthritis patients also benefit from seeking physical therapies aimed at pain reduction. Using natural extracts and herbs like ginger can be a viable alternative to help cope with arthritis.

Why Use Ginger To Treat Arthritis Pain:

Owing to the serious side effects of conventional NSAID medications that are used to treat arthritis pain, doctors and researchers are seeking newer and alternative remedies. Using ginger comes across as a potent alternative in this regard. This herb, used since ancient times for culinary needs, can be effective in treating arthritis pain (2). It has proven anti-inflammatory properties and using it is safe for most people, both topically and internally (3).

Studies Showing Ginger’s Efficacy In Treating Arthritis Pain:

A number of studies conducted in the last decade have shown that ginger can be used as a safe and effective remedy to cope with arthritis pain. The herb can also be used to treat pain caused by both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, as per the study findings.

1. One 2001 study, which was published in the “Arthritis & Rheumatism” journal, showed that ginger is more effective than placebo for treating arthritis pain. The study conducted by Professor Ray Altman, an ace rheumatologist, showed that highly-concentrated ginger can be useful for treating pain in arthritis patients. He conducted a large-scale study involving 250 volunteers afflicted with osteoarthritis. The findings of the six-week long study were unveiled by the coveted British Medical Association.
2. Another study that was published in 2008 in the British Journal Of Food and Chemical Toxicology revealed ginger’s efficacy as a potent anti-inflammatory agent (4). It was also corroborated by additional studies.

While the study findings are quite positive, scientists agree that more exhaustive and long-term studies are needed to find out the overall benefits of ginger for treating various arthritis cases. However, there is no denying the safety of ginger over conventional drugs.

Ways To Use Ginger To Alleviate Arthritis Pain:

There are a number of ways you can use ginger to treat arthritis pain. You may also choose more than one method to manage inflammation and pain better.

1. To Make Various Dishes:

Ginger can be used in myriad ways to prepare main meals and side dishes. For example, you can use it in soups and salads in a finely minced form. Grated ginger is often used to make meat or fish based dishes. Of course, you may use it to cook curries and lentils at home.

2. As Ginger Tea:

You may have heard the benefits of green tea, but having ginger tea is healthy and beneficial for coping with arthritis pain. It also soothes your stomach.

3. Ginger Ale:

Occasionally you may drink ginger ale. You need to mix freshly grated ginger with sugar and water. Boil the mix and let it cool. Strain the ginger pieces and mix club soda and lemon juice. Have it chilled with ice cubes.

4. Ginger Powder:

You can also use dried ginger and grind it in the food processor to make ginger powder. This can be used to make dishes.

5. Ginger Massage Oil:

Apart from taking ginger in various ways, you may also apply ginger root topically. Application of ginger massage oil is quite effective to treat sore and stiff joints. You need to mix ginger juice with orange essential oil and apply it to the joints.

The Best Way To Use Ginger For Arthritis Pain Reduction:

While it is possible for arthritis patients to apply ginger in numerous ways, it makes sense to know what the health experts and scientists say. Using it in the most potent form will bring you the maximum benefits.

You will benefit by using organic and fresh ginger in any form to get relief from arthritis pain. It is available in powder, oil, tea, and capsule forms. Scientists and researchers, however, say that having a ginger capsule gives the maximum benefit in this regard. This is owing to the fact that these capsules contain raw ginger extract in a concentrated form. However, you should have the capsules with food to evade chances of stomach upset.

The experts say that ginger tea or gingerbread may be beneficial and have nice flavors, but their impact on arthritis pain will not be as much as ginger capsules. You are not likely to suffer from side effects after taking ginger in any form. However, you should not take too much of ginger when you are already using blood-thinning medications. Using ginger can lead to reversing the effects of such medications, as it has been observed.

Try ginger if you suffer from pain that leaves you tossing and turning in bed. You will be glad you tried it!

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The post Is Ginger An Effective Remedy For Arthritis Pain? appeared first on STYLECRAZE.

by Daiwik Suresh Gejji via STYLECRAZE