Tackle Winter Joint Pains

Reader Contribution by Samantha Collins
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At the ripe old age of 21, my knees ache and swell without notice, especially on those bone-chilling wintery days. (Luckily, this doesn’t occur year-round!) I’ve tried various knee braces and wraps, but none seem to ease my pain. I am not a fan of taking medications. So, I thought I would do a little research to find a natural way to ease my joint pains. Here is what I found:

According to a contributing writer Ruth Auston at eHow.com, these five plants can help ease joint pain

Aloe vera can heal more than a sunburn; it also can act as an anti-swelling agent. The enzyme called bradykiniase helps ease swelling and possibly pain.

Cabbage leaves.To help cool down inflamed knees, wrap the joint in blanched cabbage leaves. It is best to wrap the are in plastic wrap afterward for security and leave on over night. If the swelling does not go down, feel free to repeat the cycle every four hours. 

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) may also act as an anti-inflammatory and promote new cell growth. It is best used as a topical treatment. You can either mash the root to create a compress or use a comfrey tea-soaked bandage after icing the knee. Refrain from ingesting comfrey because it may be toxic.

Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)is a pain-reliever and an anti-inflammatory. Create a tea with 1 to 2 teaspoons meadowsweet flowers. You can drink up to three cups a day to help stop your pain.


Make a meadowsweet tea to relieve knee pain.
Photo by dreamo/Courtesy Flickr
 

Marigold (Calendula offinalis). Make a soothing cup of tea with a handful of marigold flowers. Let the flowers steep in hot water for about 15 minutes. You can also soak a compress in the left over tea and apply it directly to the knee.

I hope one of these remedies will help with my sporadic joint pains! Do you have joint pains? What do you do to ease joint pains in the winter?

  • Published on Jan 28, 2011
Tagged with: Reader Contributions
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