For thousands of years, ginger has been used as an important cooking spice and a medicine to treat a wide range of ailments, including stomach upset, diarrhea, heart disorders, and arthritis. The benefits of ginger for relieving joint pain and swelling are now being studied in clinical trials of people with arthritis. However, more information is needed before ginger can be recommended for this use. As with any herb, consult with your doctor before using ginger medicinally.
About Joint Swelling
Swelling of joints occurs when fluid builds up in the tissue around the joint. Pain usually accompanies joint swelling and the joints look larger and abnormal in shape. Joint swelling can occur after an injury or result from various conditions, such as arthritis. If you have arthritis, you may experience swelling, redness, or warmth around your affected joints. Maintaining a healthy weight to reduce pressure on your joints, adopting a mild exercise program, and taking supplements, such as ginger, may help to relieve swollen joints from arthritis.
Preparations and Dosing
Ginger supplements are available in extract, tincture, capsule, and oil form. You can also prepare a tea from fresh ginger root. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, fresh ginger juice, extract, or tea can be taken in doses of 2 to 4 grams daily for arthritis. A warm poultice or compress of fresh ginger root may also be applied to swollen joint areas. Ginger oil may be rubbed onto the area of the swollen joints for relief.
Effectiveness
Some preliminary research has shown that ginger may reduce symptoms of arthritis. A study published in the journal "Medical Hypotheses" in 1992 showed that over 75 percent of people with arthritis who took ginger had varying degrees of decreased pain and swelling in their joints. However, another study, published in "Osteoarthritis and Cartilage" in 2000, failed to show any significant differences between ginger and placebo, or sugar pills, for relieving symptoms of arthritis.
Considerations
According to the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, ginger is generally safe but can cause some mild side effects such as heartburn, diarrhea, and gas. Applying ginger to the skin may also cause irritation. Avoid ginger if you have a bleeding disorder or heart problems because it may worsen these conditions. Also, ginger can lower your blood sugar and your doctor may need to adjust your diabetes medicines.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Ginger
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation: Ginger
- National Institutes of Health: Joint Swelling
- "Medical Hypotheses"; Ginger (Zingiber officinale) in Rheumatism and Musculoskeletal Disorders; K.C. Srivastava, et al.; Dec 1992
- "Osteoarthritis and Cartilage"; A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study of Ginger Extracts and Ibuprofen in Osteoarthritis; H. Bliddal, et al.; Jan 2000
- National Institutes of Health: Ginger
