Pain Support Herbs

Some of our favorite pain relieving herbal allies include skullcap, valerian, turmeric, willow bark, St. John's wort, motherwort, black cohosh, wild yam, lavender, cayenne, kava kava, and rose. Essential oils of pine, lavender, peppermint, cinnamon, rose, clove, frankincense, rosemary, ginger, juniper, and birch also are used traditionally as pain relievers and are well- documented analgesic agents. Put 10-12 drops of any one of these essential oils in one ounce of a carrier oil such as olive or coconut. Shake well and then rub into painful, swollen joints to allay pain and inflammation.