Herbal pain remedies abound. They are gentler on the body than prescription pain remedies, although they are a bit slower to act and are milder. They make up for their mildness through their side effects. Some help increase circulation, others are antispasmodic.

Some effective herbal pain remedies include the following herbs, which can easily be found locally or online.

Muscles

Chamomile is known for its calming effects to the mind. It also calms the smooth muscle tissue of the body. Chamomile can be taken as a tea, an extract or in capsules for gentle relief. Other herbal pain remedies for muscles include yarrow, whose juice is exceptional for strengthening back muscles. Meadowsweet, when made into an infusion and rubbed on sore areas three times a day is good for muscle strain... especially when mixed with cramp bark and lobelia. An effective heat pack can be made with white or black mustard seed packs.

Digestive

Horsetail heals connective tissue, normalizes the bowels and can relieve lower back pain, which can usually be traced to digestive problems. It can be taken internally as a tea, an extract or in capsules. Ginger is another aid for digestive upset, pain and gas. Make it into a tea using fresh ginger slices. After it has simmered for half an hour, let it cool another thirty minutes. Strain and drink a cup. It may be sweetened to taste.

Anti-inflammatory

Bromelain is extracted from the pineapple plant, and it is a very powerful anti-inflammatory. Other very effective anti-inflammatories include valerian, Jamaican dogwood and St. John's wort. These are especially effective when used as a tea. Rosemary is another anti-inflammatory. It has several substances that work against inflammation, including camosol, rosmarinic acid, ursolic acid and oleanolic acid. Drinking a tea made of rosemary twice a day is helpful.

Another anti-inflammatory with other qualities like relieving spasms and pain is angelica. Drinking the room temperature tea can be very effective. It has had a long history in China and Europe for helping heal pain.

Stress

When muscle pain is due to stress, St John's wort, lemon balm, borage and valerian are all effective measures.

General Pain

Burdock soothes pain as well as purifies blood. It is available as an extract or in capsules. Cayenne pepper contains a component called capsaicin. Used in liniments and muscle rubs, capsaicin interferes with our perception of pain and triggers the release of endorphins.

Willow bark (Salix alba) led to the discovery of aspirin. Before that, it was used by the ancient Greeks as well as Native Americans. Willow bark tea still helps relieve pain. Cramp bark and Black haw are both members of the Viburnum family. They provide an anti-spasmodic effect and they relax muscles. They have historically been used for menstrual cramps, arthritis and muscle spasms. The tinctured form is best for pain relief.

Another common pain remedy is peppermint. Peppermint is known to ease muscle tightness and is used in liniments. Camphor is a related compound that can be found in hyssop, coriander and spike lavender.

Next time you have some aches and pains, reach for some herbal pain remedies. You may be surprised how much better they help you feel.