Home Remedies and Herbs for Rheumatic Pain

Rheumatic is a nonspecific term for issues involving the joints or connective tissue. Therefore, rheumatic pain refers to joint pain, which can be caused by a variety of conditions and have numerous treatment options depending on the cause. Rheumatology is the study of these disorders.

What Causes Rheumatic Pain?

Rheumatic pain causes vary based on the condition or disease a patient has. A common condition that causes rheumatic pain is rheumatoid arthritis. This is an autoimmune disease where your body attacks its own tissues in your joints, leaving them inflamed.¹ Age, genetics, and lifestyle factors can all contribute to rheumatoid arthritis risk.² Another condition that causes rheumatic pain is fibromyalgia. It’s characterized by pain in the tissues, muscles, and tendons, and it usually flares in neck and shoulder joints, the elbows, the hips, and the knees.³ The cause of this condition is unknown.³ Rheumatic fever can also cause rheumatoid pain. This is the result of an infection seen in developing countries that leads to joint inflammation.⁴ Other conditions that fall under the field of rheumatology include:

• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Amyloidosis
• Connective Tissues Diseases
• Lupus
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Raynaud’s Phenomenon
• Scleroderma
• Sjogren’s Syndrome⁵

Rheumatic Pain Symptoms

Rheumatic pain is specifically characterized by:

• Pain or discomfort in the joints.
• Pain when the affected areas are in motion.
• Soreness to the touch in the affected areas.
• Stiffness in affected regions, especially after periods of immobility.
• Improvement after mild exercise but worsening after vigorous exercise.
• Worsening due to climate, such as barometric pressure or humidity.
• Improvement when warming the affected areas.⁶

Not all cases of rheumatic pain result in all seven symptoms. However, most people will experience at least four of the rheumatic pain symptoms mentioned above.⁶

Natural Remedies and Herbs for Rheumatic Pain

Rheumatic pain treatment options vary depending on the condition that’s causing the joint pain and swelling. However, some of the following rheumatic pain herbal remedies may help.

• Garlic - Garlic is a powerful rheumatic pain home remedy that acts to boost the immune system. It can be eaten as whole cloves or taken in capsules to help fight rheumatic fever.
• Dandelion - With dandelion’s immune-boosting and antioxidant properties, it can help combat rheumatic pain causes. It also has benefits for the liver and kidneys, which means it helps flush toxins from the body to reduce joint pain.
• Echinacea - Echinacea acts as a rheumatic pain natural cure by helping boost the immune system and treat rheumatic fever. It also contains anti-inflammatory properties to help ease the pain associated with other rheumatic conditions. Drink echinacea tea daily until symptoms subside.
• Stinging Nettle - Stinging nettle can be infused and used for its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. Drink infusions daily to reduce rheumatic pain symptoms.
• Eucommia Bark - Eucommia bark is a rheumatic home remedy that helps relieve chronic pain associated with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. It can be taken daily to ease joint pain.

Be sure to talk to your doctor about any medications or other herbs you’re taking before starting on a rheumatic pain herb regimen to ensure the herbs won’t interact with each other.

References

1. http://www.uofmhealth.org/conditions-treatments/cmc/arthritis
2. https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/rheumatoid.htm
3. http://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/images/fibromyalgia
4. http://umm.edu/health/medical/ency/articles/rheumatic-fever
5. http://umm.edu/programs/fpi-in-columbia/services/rheumatology
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK267/