There are over 100 different types of arthritis and over a dozen autoimmune diseases that cause joint pain. From growing pains to old age, joint pain happens to everyone. Arthritis pain and joint pain are incredibly common and can significantly affect your daily routine. Whether caused by rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or injury, chronic inflammation plays a large part in increasing pain and stiffness.
Even if arthritis isn’t present, inflammation wreaks havoc on your joints, making even simple movements uncomfortable. The good news? Several herbs provide natural, effective relief by reducing inflammation, promoting joint health, and even encouraging bone and joint repair.
Understanding Joint Pain and Inflammation
Inflammation, whether short-term or chronic, is a big part of joint pain and arthritis. It’s your body’s natural response to injury or irritation, but when it becomes chronic, it causes stiffness, swelling, joint damage, and pain. Conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease cause ongoing inflammation that can damage the joints and surrounding tissues.
If you have any of these conditions, your doctor likely checks your inflammatory markers regularly. These blood tests are a very common way to determine if inflammation is going up or down with your treatment plan. However, some people have “normal” blood work, even though they have intense symptoms. That’s why it’s so important to have a doctor who looks at the whole picture and considers your blood tests, scans, and physical or clinical symptoms. Each one of these diagnostic tools should be used together so there’s an accurate picture of your overall health.
If you have any symptoms of chronic joint pain, arthritis, or autoimmune conditions, you need to have a plan to handle your inflammation. Diet, herbs, and lifestyle changes reduce clinical symptoms and improve overall health. No one thing will heal you. It’s a joint effort. Herbs, however, contain bioactive compounds like rosmarinic acid, ursolic acid, and powerful anti-inflammatory properties that reduce inflammation, neutralize free radicals, and support the immune system. They can be an essential part of getting control of your health and wellness.
Internal Use: Herbs to Reduce Inflammation and Support Joint Health
Incorporating herbs into your daily routine can help manage inflammation, relieve pain, and promote joint health from within. Here are some of the most effective anti-inflammatory herbs for internal use:
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Active Compounds: Gingerol, shogaol
Benefits: Ginger relieves nausea, reduces inflammation, improves digestion, and supports circulation. It also helps ease muscle pain and menstrual discomfort.
How to Use:
- Ginger Tea: Simmer 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger root in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes. Strain and enjoy with honey and lemon.
- Herbal Blends: Pair with turmeric for an anti-inflammatory powerhouse or with peppermint for a soothing digestive herbal infusion.
- Tincture: Use 1-1 1/2mL in water up to 3 times per day to support digestion and circulation.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
Active Compounds: Curcumin, volatile oils
Benefits: Turmeric fights inflammation, supports joint health, improves digestion, and boosts cognitive function.
How to Use:
- Turmeric Tea (Golden Milk): Warm 1 cup of your milk of choice, add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, a pinch of black pepper, and honey to taste. Sip warm.
- Herbal Blends: Combine it with ginger for a spicy, anti-inflammatory tea, or add it to soups and broths.
- Tincture: This should be made with fresh herb. Take 1-5mL up to 3 times per day. Black pepper should be incorporated too, as it helps the body to absorb the turmeric. Take it diluted in water to support healthy inflammation levels.
White Willow Bark (Salix alba)
Active Compounds: Salicin, flavonoids, tannins
Benefits: White willow bark offers natural pain relief, reduces inflammation, and supports the body’s response to chronic pain. White willow bark takes a long time to kick in. If you know that you will be in pain
How to Use:
- White Willow Bark Tea: Simmer 1 teaspoon of dried bark in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes. Strain and drink 4-6 ounces up to 3 times per day.
- Herbal Tea Blends: Mix with ginger for added pain relief or with peppermint for a soothing tea.
Rose Hips (Rose canina)
Active Compounds: Vitamin C, flavonoids, carotenoids
Benefits: Rose hips strengthen the immune system, reduce inflammation, support healthy skin, and promote joint health. Their high antioxidant content helps combat oxidative stress.
How to Use:
- Rose Hip Tea: Steep 1–2 teaspoons of dried rose hips in 1 cup of hot water for 10 minutes. Strain and enjoy a fruity, immune-boosting tea.
- Herbal Tea Blends: Combine rose hips with hibiscus for a tart, vitamin-packed tea or with nettle for an anti-inflammatory infusion.
Stinging Nettle Leaf (Urtica dioica)
Active Compounds: Silica, phenolic acids, carotenoids, fatty acids, flavonoids, several vitamins and minerals
Benefits: Stinging nettle reduces inflammation, supports joint health, helps cleanse the blood, and promotes kidney function. It’s packed with minerals, making it great for boosting energy and strengthening bones, hair, and nails.
How to Use:
- Nettle Tea: Steep 1 tablespoon of dried nettle leaves in 1 cup of hot water for 10–15 minutes. Drink up to 4 cups of tea per day.
- Herbal Tea Blends: Combine nettle with peppermint for a refreshing daily tea or with rose hips for an immune-boosting blend packed with vitamin C.
- Long Infusion: For a stronger tonic, steep 1 ounce of dried nettle in a quart of hot water for 4–8 hours. Strain and refrigerate. Drink up to 2 cups per day for a mineral-rich infusion.
- Tincture: Take 1-4mL up to 3 times per day, diluted in water.
Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum)
Active Compounds: Eugenol, ursolic acid, and rosmarinic acid
Benefits: Holy basil, also called tulsi, reduces inflammation, lowers stress, supports respiratory health, and helps the immune system better handle chronic conditions. It also promotes mental clarity and relaxation, making it a powerful adaptogen for combating stress-related issues.
How to Use:
- Holy Basil Tea: Steep 1–2 teaspoons of dried holy basil leaves in 1 cup of hot water for 10–15 minutes.
- Herbal Tea Blends: Combine holy basil with peppermint and lemon balm for a refreshing stress-relief tea or with cinnamon and black pepper for immune support.
- Tincture: Use 2-4mL of tulsi tincture in water up to three times daily.
Burdock Root (Arctium lappa)
Active Compounds: Inulin, arctiin, and polyphenols
Benefits: Burdock root supports liver health, acts as a powerful blood cleanser, has anti-inflammatory properties, and promotes healthy digestion.
How to Use:
- Burdock Root Tea: Simmer 1–2 teaspoons of dried burdock root in 2 cups of water for 15–20 minutes. Strain and enjoy warm.
- Herbal Tea Blends: Combine burdock root with dandelion root, cinnamon, and a touch of ginger for a delicious digestive support blend.
- Tincture: Take 1-4mL up to 3 times per day diluted in water.
External Use: Compresses, Salves, and Soaks
Using herbs externally helps soothe pain and reduce inflammation in sore joints. To learn more about herbal medicine making, check out The Herbal Collective. Here are some herbal remedies for external use:
Herbal Compress
Make this as a tea and use it as a compress.
- Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp burdock root
- 1 tbsp willow bark
- 1 tbsp nettle leaf
- 1 tbsp marshmallow root
- Instructions:
- Simmer herbs in 2 cups of water for 15 minutes.
- Soak a clean cloth in the warm tea and apply it to the affected area for 15-20 minutes.
Joint-Soothing Soak
- Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Epsom salts
- 1 tbsp rose hips
- 1 tbsp nettle leaf
- 5 drops of wintergreen essential oil
- Instructions:
- Add herbs and salts to a warm bath.
- Soak for 20-30 minutes to reduce pain and stiffness.
Anti-Inflammatory Salve
- Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup olive oil infused with turmeric and willow bark
- 1 tbsp beeswax
- 5 drops of wintergreen essential oil
- Instructions:
- Melt the beeswax with the infused oil over low heat.
- Stir in essential oils and pour into a small jar.
- Apply to sore joints as needed.
Lifestyle Changes for Joint Pain Relief
Herbs work best when paired with a healthy diet. Though herbs have amazing effects on their own, the most important part of getting pain and inflammation under control is adjusting your diet. But not just any diet…an anti-inflammatory diet.
There have been several studies done on arthritis, joint pain, autoimmune diseases, and systemic inflammation being significantly worse with a diet of processed, high carb, high starch, low nutrient foods. Everyone has different trigger foods. These are foods that drastically increase inflammation and pain. It takes some time and trial and error to figure it all out.
Exercise is of course important too, but if you’re in too much pain to get a decent workout in, don’t stress about it. Walking and stretching are plenty while you get control of your pain. As you can, try to add some light weights, and increase as your body allows. That old saying “motion is lotion” is 100% true!! If you lay around because you hurt, the pain will only get worse. It’s hard, but it helps. While you’re building up your strength and stamina, focus on these natural ways to manage inflammation:
- Include fatty acids like omega-3s in your diet to reduce chronic inflammation.
- Eat a balanced diet rich in antioxidants and essential nutrients like vitamin C.
- Look into an elimination diet to help you discover what foods trigger inflammation in your body. Trigger foods are different for everyone. Caffeine, sugar, and gluten are HUGE triggers for me, but you may be able to have a cup of coffee with creamer and a bagel every morning without issue. If you do start the process to discover your triggers, know that it takes a long time and it’s a very slow process. I promise it’s worth it though!
- Stay hydrated and invest in a high-quality electrolyte. I like re-lyte lemon-lime, but a pinch of Celtic sea salt and a squeeze of lemon is incredibly effective.
Combining herbs, the right foods for your body, and consistent movement are powerful tools for easing joint pain and supporting joint health. Pairing these three things together will help boost the health benefits and give you a holistic approach to inflammation management and pain relief.
Here’s to delicious herbal teas, happy, healthy joints, and feeling your best!
To learn more about herbs that can be used for autoimmune disease and pain control, check out these two youtube videos:
