Can Dietary Supplements or Other Natural Products Relieve Pain?

Can Dietary Supplements or Other Natural Products Relieve Pain?

A few dietary supplements and other natural products have shown promise for helping to manage certain pain conditions. For example: Omega-3 fatty acids of the types found in fish oil may have small beneficial effects on rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Probiotics may be helpful for symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. There’s evidence that the herb cayenne, administered topically (applied to the skin) may reduce low-back pain. Other herbal products that have been studied for low-back pain and that have shown some promise include comfrey and lavender essential oil, used topically, and white willow bark and devil’s claw, taken orally. However, the evidence for these herbs is not as strong as that for cayenne. For more information on these and other natural products for pain, download our eBook, “Pain: Considering Complementary Approaches.” It provides information on a wide variety of complementary health approaches that people may use to help manage pain. It also explains issues you should consider to make sure you’re safe when you use complementary approaches. Download the eBook