Your hip joint is a common location for pain. MayoClinic.com states that hip pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint that can be caused by many problems or conditions. In many cases, the exact location of your hip pain can help your doctor determine the cause of your pain and what treatments may be helpful. A botanically trained health care professional can provide you with information about herbs that may be beneficial in treating your condition.
Hip Pain
Hip pain is any pain that you feel in or around your hip joint. Problems within your hip joint or problems with the structures -- muscles, ligaments, tendons and connective tissue -- surrounding your hip joint can cause hip pain. Your hip pain may also be caused by problems elsewhere in your body, including your lower back. Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, is a common cause of hip pain in middle-aged and elderly individuals.
Herbal Treatments
Herbal treatments for hip pain usually target the swelling and inflammation that often accompany hip problems and pain. However, certain herbs may also have analgesic action, or the ability to relieve your pain. According to Dr. William A. Mitchell Jr., naturopath and author of "Plant Medicine in Practice," certain herbs, when taken internally or applied topically, act as anodynes, or pain-relieving agents. Examples of anodynes include wild yam, bitter apple, ginger, peppermint, meadowsweet, fennel, jasmine, sage, aconite, Jamaican dogwood, stone root, pineapple and feverfew.
Most Commonly Used Herb
One of the most commonly used herbs to help treat hip pain is devil's claw. According to Mitchell, devil's claw has anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-arthritic action, which makes it a helpful remedy for musculoskeletal problems such as hip pain. Devil's claw, notes the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, may be especially helpful in treating osteoarthritis-related pain or discomfort. Devil's claw is a plant indigenous to the southern and eastern regions of Africa. The plant's tubers are used to make herbal medicine.
Considerations
Herbal remedies can cause strong reactions within your body. Herbal remedies should be treated with the same caution as pharmaceutical drugs, which also exert strong effects on your body. If you are pregnant, you should exercise caution when taking any herb, as some herbs are known to interfere with your pregnancy or stimulate menstruation. Some herbs have blood-thinning action and should be avoided if you have disorders such as hemophilia. Talk with your doctor about procedures, alternatives and risks before taking herbs for your hip pain.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Hip Pain
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Hip Pain
- "Plant Medicine in Practice;" William A. Mitchell Jr., N.D.; 2003
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Devil's Claw
