Pain? Instead of pills, try boswellia, coneflower or ginger!

Drugs for pain and inflammation, the so-called non-steroidal antirheumatic drugs, have a number of adverse side effects when used for a long time. Natural substances such as boswellia, ginger or curcumin can relieve chronic pain just as effectively.

Most of the drugs used for pain are called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Their principle of action is the same: they inhibit the production of an enzyme called cyclooxygenase 2, or COX-2 for short. This enzyme is involved in the production of prostaglandins, which are substances that contribute to inflammation.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs therefore have a significant anti-inflammatory effect, which ultimately leads to a reduction in pain. For example, inflammation is a major contributor to joint pain, and if it is suppressed, pain is reduced. However, NSAIDs also counteract the production of COX-2 in the brain, which has a direct effect on the intensity of pain. In addition, prostaglandin type E2 affects brain cells in the hypothalamus, which is responsible for thermoregulation. When we suppress the production of COX-2, the synthesis of prostaglandin E2 is also reduced, which is why NSAIDs also work against fever.

Side effects of medicines

So what is the problem? First of all, NSAIDs suppress not only the production of the inflammatory enzyme COX-2, but also a similar substance called COX-1. This enzyme is also involved in the production of prostaglandins, but these are prostaglandins that play an important role in protecting the lining of the stomach and duodenum. If there is not enough of them, the protection of the mucosa against the action of stomach acids does not work and it is disrupted, which can lead to life-threatening bleeding.

Non-steroidal antirheumatic drugs also increase the risk of heart attack and stroke after just one week of use (this is not the case with aspirin, which has a positive effect in small doses). They also increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease, kidney problems and possibly erectile dysfunction.

Get rid of chronic pain the natural way

It is true that there are already drugs that only suppress COX-2 production, but not COX-1. But an even better way is purely natural nutrients and herbs that work on the so-called epigenetic principle – they suppress the activity of the genes that produce the COX-2 enzyme in the body, but leave the production of COX-1 unchanged or even boost it. As a result, they are both strongly anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving.

The disadvantage of these substances is that they do not act immediately, but only after a certain period of use, but they are an effective way to suppress not only chronic inflammation, but also long-term chronic pain. Research has confirmed that a number of epigenetic changes occur in the DNA of chronic pain sufferers (biochemical reactions that suppress or increase the activity of certain genes, especially DNA methylation and histone acetylation). Epigenetic substances can reverse these changes and thus directly alleviate chronic pain.

Which herbs and nutrients can help you?

Boswellia – very effective in suppressing COX-2 production, but also suppresses inflammation through other pathways (e.g. by reducing levels of inflammatory cytokines). It is most often used in joint pain, because it is one of the few substances that can affect not only the pain causing inflammation (in arthritis and arthritis), but also the epigenetic processes related to the development of arthritis. Moreover, it is also effective in the treatment of chronic pain.

Baikal coneflower – this herb also has significant anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects. It has even proven to relieve pain in patients suffering from bone cancer.

Ginger – taking 500 mg of ginger extract twice a day for joint pain caused by arthritis has been shown to be as effective as taking 400 mg of ibuprofen 3 times a day. It is even effective for migraines.

Curcumin – it is one of the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory substances and thanks to this it is also effective against many types of chronic pain. Like boswellia, it also interferes with the epigenetic processes that cause arthritis. In addition, it also has strong anti-cancer effects, has positive effects on the cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems and has beneficial effects in autoimmune diseases.