Turmeric for Pain Relief

Turmeric with powerful anti-inflammatory effects is one of the best natural remedies for pain relief that can be found in almost every home. A relative of ginger, this vivid yellow-orange spice is common in Indian, Southeast Asian, and Middle Eastern cooking.

Curcumin – the main active ingredient in Turmeric – has received worldwide attention for its multiple health benefits, which appear to act primarily through its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

If you have a headache, backache, knee pain or any other type of pain, your first impulse may be to reach for a pain medication.

While certain circumstances may require a prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication, it may also be possible to find some of the relief you need from a variety of natural pain relievers. Many herbs and spices have a long history of being used to relieve inflammation and pain.

These natural pain relievers fall under a category of treatment known as alternative medicine.

Relieving pain and inflammation with natural remedies has a lot of benefits, but keep in mind that these natural remedies can sometimes interfere with other medications you are taking.

And also not all natural pain relievers have been well studied in humans, especially when it comes to dosage.

If you’re dealing with pain or chronic issues, it’s best to talk with a doctor before taking any natural remedies. Holistic or whole health professionals, which are physicians who base their treatments on holistic(whole health) principles.

Turmeric as a natural pain reliever

Turmeric — and especially its most active compound, curcumin — have many scientifically proven health benefits, such as the potential to improve heart health and prevent against Alzheimer’s and cancer.

Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant.

These benefits are best achieved when curcumin is combined with agents such as piperine, which increase its bioavailability significantly.

Did you know?

Ingesting curcumin by itself does not lead to the associated health benefits due to its poor bioavailability, which appears to be primarily due to poor absorption, rapid metabolism, and rapid elimination.