Pain, Frankincense, and Herbs
Many people are searching for natural pain relievers because they want pain relief with fewer harmful side effects. There are several herbs and other natural substances which do, indeed, relieve pain. One herb, is boswellia. Boswellia is also known as Indian Frankincense.
Boswellia has been used in Indian medicine for hundreds of years to treat aches and pains. It is native to India and most of the global production still comes from India.
Boswellia contains a natural, waxy resin that has long been used to make Indian Frankincense, a fragrant incense. When burned as incense, Indian Frankincense has a wonderful aroma of pine, lemon, and old wood, a scent often associated with old churches. The resin in boswellia also contains oils that possess an anti-inflammatory compound called boswellic acid.
These natural resin extracts of boswellia treat chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, bronchial asthma, osteoarthritis, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease. Boswellia has been thoroughly researched and is well supported by medical studies. Medical studies show it helps relieve osteoarthritis pain and may work for other anti-inflammatory conditions.
Boswellia may also may have some protective effect on the building blocks of joints including collagen. Another potential mechanism of pain relief is through boswellia’s ability to mediate the effects of auto-immune disorders, which are instrumental in causing pain from rheumatoid arthritis.
Like many herbs, especially herbs with stronger extracts, it may cause some abdominal upset. Often, this is temporary and disappears after a week or so of use. There are no known interactions with other medications, but it is always best to check with your health care provider. If you’ve been looking for alternatives to drug based pain relievers, one option to consider is Boswellia.
