Keep Pain Under Control With Herbal And Nutritional Supplements
Do you suffer from chronic knee pain? Does numbness and tingling disrupt your daily routine? Do your restless legs and feet keep you awake at night? These are all conditions we treat here at Spinal Healthcare & Physical Medicine.
While treatment options at our New Haven clinic vary from massage therapy and stretching to having injections and electrical nerve stimulation, it’s also often beneficial to take certain herbal and nutritional supplements as part of your treatment plan. The addition of a few daily capsules or cups of tea could help cut inflammation, fight numbness and tingling, and lower pain levels without resorting to regular pain killers. Here’s a look at some of the supplements known to help.
Supplements to Lower Inflammation
Knee pain is largely caused by inflammation in the joint. Then, nerve inflammation known as neuropathy can cause restless leg syndrome. Whether you’re dealing with these conditions or another inflammatory disease, consider the supplements recommended by WebMD to lower inflammation:
- Vitamin A: Lack of this vitamin can cause inflammation of the lungs, skin, and intestines. Therefore, taking supplements can fight a variety of inflammatory diseases.
- Vitamin B6: Also called pyridoxine, vitamin B6 is water soluble, meaning your body is constantly getting rid of it. You need to resupply your diet daily to lower your levels of C-reactive protein, which causes inflammation associated with heart disease. Vitamin B6 supplements are also linked with reduced rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.
- Vitamin C: As with vitamin B6, taking vitamin C supplements may lower your levels of C-reactive protein to reduce your risk of heart disease. Anti-inflammatory qualities could also help with joint pain.
- Vitamin D: Increasing your intake of this vitamin with supplementation reduces symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes. It also helps reduce inflammation caused by age-related diseases.
- Vitamin E: Taking more of the alpha-tocopherol type of vitamin E helps slow the release of inflammatory substances that could cause heart disease. In animal studies, vitamin E has also been shown to ease lung inflammation related to allergies.
- Tea: According to the Arthritis Foundation, green, black, oolong, and white teas are full of polyphenols, compounds that boost the immune system and fight inflammation. Drink it iced or hot, sweetened or not; you still get all the tea’s health benefits.
Supplements to Fight Numbness and Tingling
When these two symptoms appear in tandem, they are collectively known as paresthesia. Losing feeling in an entire limb can make it difficult to go about your day. Then, sensations including pins and needles, tickling, itching, and burning are distracting and painful.
While these sensations are associated with serious problems such as heart attack or stroke, they are more likely to be caused by nerve compression and injury. Fight these conditions with the following supplements:
- B vitamins: B vitamins are essential to a healthy central nervous system. Numbness and tingling could be a sign you lack these nutrients. This is most likely if you’re vegetarian because B vitamins largely come from animal sources. Supplementing with a B vitamin complex may ease your symptoms.
- Chamomile tea: Hormonal imbalances are one reason for tingling extremities, states 34 Menopause Symptoms. Chamomile can be an effective way to remedy this tingling. It’s as easy as replacing your usual morning cup of coffee with chamomile tea instead.
- Flaxseed oil: This herb is also beneficial for numbness and tingling because, according to Herbwisdom.com, the high essential fatty acid content assists with nerve impulse transmissions. It also protects against nerve damage linked with diabetes and multiple sclerosis.
Remember, these ideas are general suggestions. To help you avoid unpleasant side effects, be sure to seek professional assistance rather than experimenting with these supplements on your own. Contact Spinal Healthcare & Physical Medicine in New Haven for answers to your questions. You can also call us at (260) 493-6565 to set up an appointment.
Leave a reply →
