Author: Justin Sinclair.

There is now irrefutable evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of both herbal and nutritional medicines in managing the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis. Several double blind, randomised controlled studies have been conducted now showing that herbs such as Salix alba (White willow), Harpagophytum procumbens (Devil’s Claw) and Zingiber officinale (Ginger) have shown symptomatic benefit in this condition.

Zostrix, a topical preparation of the fruit of Capsicum frutescans (Chilli) has shown a statistically significant improvement in pain, which is important because pain stops the patient from doing exercise, which is crucial as reduced mobility has been implicated in increasing the progression of osteoarthritis and the pain experienced.

Furthermore, results from trials on nutritional medicines have also shown significant benefits. Trials on substances like Glucosamine sulfate have shown improvement in pain, joint stiffness and limitations of physical function. Similar results have also been shown for Chondroitin sulfate, Avocado/soybean unsaponifiables and Methylsulfonylmethane. Fish oils, due to their anti-inflammatory effect, are also an excellent choice for osteoarthritis sufferers.

So if you have been hesitant to try natural medicines for the management of your osteoarthritis, you can rest assured that many treatments are now available with scientific evidence to support their use.