A new research shows ginger is an effective natural anti-inflammatory to help reduce pain and inflammation. Traditional ayurvedic texts suggest ginger has therapeutic value for treatment of joint pain, motion or airsickness and clearing the microcirculatory channels to facilitate better absorption of nutrients and better elimination of wastes.
The latest research, reported in the Journal of Pain, ratifies its effectiveness to treat pain and inflammation. Dr. Krishna C. Srivastava of Odense University in Denmark had conducted extensive research into the anti-pain effects of ginger. In one study, Dr. Srivastava gave arthritic patients small amounts of ginger daily for three months and found majority of them had significant improvements in pain, swelling, and morning stiffness.
Dr. Srivastava also found ginger was superior to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Tylenol or Advil as NSAIDs work only one level – to block the formation of inflammatory compounds, while ginger blocks the formation of inflammatory compounds like prostaglandins and leukotrienes, and also has antioxidant effects that break down existing inflammation and acidity in the fluid within the joints.
In another study, four to 36 weeks of daily ginger doses (30 to 500 mg) achieved reductions in knee pain from osteoarthritis.
Researchers from the University of Georgia and Georgia College and State University examined the efficacy of multiple days of ginger doses for relieving experimentally induced muscle pain from 18 eccentric muscle exercises. For the study, student volunteers were tested on 11 consecutive days while taking ginger supplements. Seventy-four students were divided in three groups and given raw ginger, heated ginger or placebo. Results from responses data showed that both row and heat-treated ginger lowered muscle pain intensity after eccentric exercises by 25 and 23 per cent. Heat treating ginger, therefore, did not increase the analgesic benefit.
Indian Science Journal 