Echinacea is usually taken as a tea or supplement but can also be applied topically. Though insufficient data exists to evaluate the long-term effects of this herb, short-term use is generally considered safe.

That said, side effects like nausea, stomach pain, and skin rash have occasionally been reported 4. You can find echinacea in most supermarkets and health food stores, though you can also buy it online.

Echinacea is a flowering plant frequently used to treat and prevent the common cold. Ginseng is a medicinal plant whose roots are usually steeped to make a tea or dried to make a powder.

Several varieties exist, but the two most popular are the Asian and American types — Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius , respectively.

American ginseng is thought to cultivate relaxation, while Asian ginseng is considered more stimulating 5. Although ginseng has been used for centuries, modern research supporting its efficacy is lacking. Several test-tube and animal studies suggest that its unique compounds, called ginsenosides, boast neuroprotective, anticancer, antidiabetes, and immune-supporting properties.

Nonetheless, human research is needed 6. Potential side effects include headaches, poor sleep, and digestive issues 7. Ginseng is available at most health food stores, as well as online. Ginseng is an herbal remedy frequently utilized in traditional Chinese medicine to boost immunity, brain function, and energy levels.

However, human studies are lacking. Ginkgo biloba, also known simply as ginkgo, is an herbal medicine derived from the maidenhair tree 8. Native to China, ginkgo has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years and remains a top-selling herbal supplement today.

It contains a variety of potent antioxidants that are thought to provide several benefits 8. The seeds and leaves are traditionally used to make teas and tinctures, but most modern applications use leaf extract.

Some people also enjoy eating the raw fruit and toasted seeds. However, the seeds are mildly toxic and should only be eaten in small quantities, if at all. Ginkgo is said to treat a wide range of ailments, including heart disease, dementia, mental difficulties, and sexual dysfunction.

Yet, studies have not proven it effective for any of these conditions 9. You can shop for ginkgo online or at supplement shops. Gingko is traditionally used to treat numerous illnesses, including heart disease, dementia, and sexual dysfunction, but modern research has yet to prove its efficacy for any of these purposes.

Elderberry is an ancient herbal medicine typically made from the cooked fruit of the Sambucus nigra plant. It has long been used to relieve headaches, nerve pain, toothaches, colds, viral infections, and constipation Some people prefer to make their own syrup or tea by cooking elderberries with other ingredients, such as honey and ginger.

Test-tube studies demonstrate that its plant compounds have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties, but human research is lacking Short-term use is considered safe, but the unripe or raw fruit is toxic and may cause symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea Elderberry is used to treat cold and flu symptoms, with some research suggesting that it may be at least mildly effective.

Its small, yellow flowers are commonly used to make teas, capsules, or extracts Its use can be traced back to ancient Greece, and SJW is still frequently prescribed by medical professionals in parts of Europe Historically, it was utilized to aid wound healing and alleviate insomnia, depression, and various kidney and lung diseases.

Many studies note that short-term use of SJW is as effective as some conventional antidepressants. SJW has relatively few side effects but may cause allergic reactions, dizziness, confusion, dry mouth, and increased light sensitivity It also interferes with numerous medications, including antidepressants, birth control, blood thinners, certain pain medications, and some types of cancer treatments Particular drug interactions could be fatal, so if you take any prescription medications, consult your healthcare provider prior to using SJW.

If you decide to try it out, SJW is available online and in numerous stores. Yet, you may need to practice caution or avoid it because it interferes with several conventional medicines. Turmeric Curcuma longa is an herb that belongs to the ginger family Used for thousands of years in cooking and medicine alike, it has recently garnered attention for its potent anti-inflammatory properties.

A person should always check with a doctor before taking supplements if they have a health condition or are taking prescribed medication.

A person should discontinue using an herbal supplement and contact a doctor immediately if they experience any of the following symptoms:. If a person develops symptoms of a severe allergic reaction , they or other people around them should immediately call or the local emergency number.

The authors note that many people who use herbal supplements do not disclose it to their doctors. This affects the clinical assessment and safety of specific herbal supplement-drug interactions. To help healthcare professionals better evaluate herbal supplement interactions in the body, a person should:.

Herbal medicines or supplements are natural compounds made from plant parts. Herbal supplements are available in many forms, such as pills, teas, extracts, and powders. People use them to treat chronic conditions, including anxiety, sleep problems, and low libido. Herbal supplements are not FDA-approved, and some natural products may be unsafe.

Herbal supplements can cause adverse drug reactions, so a person must consult a doctor before taking them if they are also taking prescription medication. Some people take dietary supplements to help reduce high blood pressure.

Do these supplements work, and are they safe? Learn what the research says. In this article, we discuss 12 natural pain relievers that people can try, including herbal remedies, yoga, and acupuncture. Shatavari, also called Asparagus racemosus, is a root used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.

It is believed to boost female reproductive health, but…. Dong quai is a Chinese herb people have used for centuries for medicinal purposes.

It may help treat menstrual disorders, but more research is…. Traditional medicine uses feverfew to treat conditions such as headaches and fever.

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What is herbal medicine, and what are the benefits? Medically reviewed by Kerry Boyle D. What is it? What is herbal medicine? How to take herbal supplements. Using herbal medicine safely. Table of herbal supplements. Herbal supplement What might it help? They might also feel your abdomen.

The herbalist will then decide which remedies you need. They will usually make it while you wait. Your herbalist may suggest that you go back for another appointment after a few weeks. How long you continue seeing them will depend on why you are using herbal medicine.

Some herbal medicines are safe to use but others may have severe and potentially dangerous side effects if used incorrectly. Some herbal medicines can interact with prescription drugs and other cancer treatments you are having. Check with your cancer specialist before taking any herbal medicines.

Some herbal treatments might affect the way your body processes cancer drugs. This means it could make the imatinib less effective at treating your cancer.

Some herbal medicines might increase the effect of cancer drugs. This means that you could have too much treatment. Other herbal medicines can interfere with some drugs. For example, Asian ginseng and bilberry can increase the risk of bleeding after surgery.

Some herbal remedies may make your skin more sensitive to light. Do not take them while having radiotherapy. Each type of herbal remedy might have side effects. Some are safe to use and do not have any noticeable side effects.

But some plants are poisonous to humans and can have serious and severe side effects. Always tell your doctor if you are using any type of herbal remedy. It might be helpful to ask your herbalist for a list of all the ingredients in your herbal remedy.

Then if you do have any side effects, your doctor will know what you have taken. You, your doctor or herbalist can report side effects.

You can report it to the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Authority MHRA. The MHRA is the UK regulatory body. It collects information about the side effects of drugs, including herbal medicines.

Let both your herbalist and doctor know immediately if you feel worse or ill while you are taking herbal medicine. There is no reliable evidence from human studies that herbal remedies can treat, prevent or cure any type of cancer. Some clinical trials seem to show that certain Chinese herbs may help people to live longer, might reduce side effects, and help to prevent cancer from coming back.

This is especially when combined with conventional treatment. But many of the studies are published in Chinese, and some of them don't list the specific herbs used.

Some journal articles don't give enough detail on how the researchers did the studies. It is difficult to know how reliable the research is and which herbs may be helpful.

But there are trials looking into this. Chinese researchers did a cohort study in A cohort is a group of people, so cohort studies look at groups of people. The researchers follow the group over a period of time. The researchers in this study looked at people with oesophageal food pipe cancer.

And who might develop a second primary new cancer of the head and neck. The researchers followed the group over 10 years. One part of the group received Chinese Herbal Medicine CHM and the other part did not. The results showed that the group of people who took CHM had fewer cases of a second primary cancer of the head and neck.

This was when the researchers compared them to the group that did not take CHM. The researchers suggested that CHM might prevent a second primary cancer of the head and neck in people with oesophageal cancer.

The results looked promising. But the people in the study received different types of CHM. This might make the results of the study less accurate.

There is evidence that some herbal remedies might prevent or relieve cancer symptoms. And that it might help with treatment side effects. But we need results from large clinical trials. This way we can know which herbs are safe to use alongside conventional cancer treatment.

A Cochrane review of studies in looking at preventing a dry mouth in people having radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. They found that there was not enough evidence to say that Chinese Herbal Medicine CHM can prevent the feeling of dry mouth.

This was in people who had radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy to the head and neck. Another Cochrane review of studies in found that there was not enough evidence to use CHM as a treatment for oesophageal cancer. But they said that it might help with quality of life.

And that it might relieve some side effects caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. A third Cochrane review of studies in looked at moxibustion. Moxibustion involves the burning of herbs above the skin at acupuncture pressure points. The researchers found little evidence to say that it helped with side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Or that it helped with quality of life in people with cancer. But the researchers felt that the evidence was not clear enough to rule out some benefits or risks of this treatment. They suggested better quality studies. Another review in looked at whether acupuncture and moxibustion could help with cancer related fatigue tiredness.

Some of the studies suggested that these types of Chinese medicine might help with fatigue. They say more research is needed with better quality studies. Chinese researchers did a review study in The researchers looked at studies that used different types of CHM.

The studies looked at how to relieve perimenopausal symptoms in women who had surgery, chemoradiotherapy or hormone treatment for breast cancer. Perimenopausal means the transition time to full menopause.

A review claims that curcumin shows a reduction in pain similar to that of Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs. However, researchers recommend turmeric as a safe adjunction to NSAID therapy rather than in place of it. Turmeric is also a common herbal remedy for reducing inflammation. To include turmeric in its natural form in the diet, a person could try adding it to curries, smoothies, or juices.

Acupuncture is an alternative therapy that advocates believe can help reduce pain. Recent research supports these beliefs. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health NCCIH states that acupuncture can help with certain types of pain, including:. It may also reduce how frequently people get tension headaches and could help prevent migraine headaches.

A meta-analysis found that acupuncture is an effective way to manage chronic pain. The researchers concluded that acupuncture could help with musculoskeletal pain, headache, and pain associated with osteoarthritis.

More research into the effects of acupuncture for other pain conditions is now needed, but increasing evidence is suggesting that acupuncture is effective for many types of pain. In fact, acupuncture may help in more than different conditions.

Yoga is a physical meditation practice that may offer a way to manage pain naturally. Managing back pain often includes stretching and physical therapy. Yoga provides this. It incorporates breathing exercises , self-care, and relaxation methods, so practicing yoga may also relieve pain related to stress or anxiety.

A study found that 12 weeks of yoga helped to significantly reduce lower back pain. The NCCIH states that yoga may help relieve lower back pain and neck pain, but that there is not enough evidence that it can help for other conditions, such as headache, arthritis, or fibromyalgia.

People experiencing chronic pain are increasingly turning to mindfulness meditation as a natural treatment. More research is needed, but initial studies are promising. A systematic review and meta-analysis looked at 38 studies and eventually concluded that mindfulness meditation can improve pain symptoms, depression, and quality of life.

However, the authors say that larger studies are needed to see exactly how effective it is. Essential oils, such as lavender oil and peppermint oil, may relieve pain naturally. This is also the case for certain herbs such as clove and feverfew. Acupuncture, yoga, and mindfulness meditation are thought to be natural pain relievers too.

Relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, and heat and cold treatment can be home remedies that alleviate pain quickly. When a person takes traditional pain relief medication as prescribed, with guidance from a qualified healthcare professional, it is a safe and effective way to manage pain.

Natural pain relievers, however, offer an alternative for people who want to avoid the long term side effects of pain relief medication. People can use essential oils by adding a few drops to a tissue or a steam bath and inhaling the vapor. People can also add the herbs and spices listed above to food.

However, if a person is unable to do that, they can instead take them as supplements. Not every natural pain reliever will work for everyone.

Some people may find that a natural option that works well for them in the long term. Others may not be able to manage pain naturally and may prefer traditional medication. Anyone with severe pain, including pain related to an existing health condition, should speak with a qualified healthcare professional.

They can advise how best to manage this. Chronic pain is complex, and it can take some time to work out the best methods for pain relief.

Read about various pain relief techniques here. A number of natural and non-drug remedies may help relieve the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Find out how rest, flotation therapy, acupuncture, and others…. Back pain is a widespread and potentially debilitating problem.

Learn which home remedies can relieve back pain quickly and help prevent it in the…. Some people with osteoarthritis may find that natural treatments ease their symptoms.

Learn about the natural treatment options, including heat and…. Waltham, MA: Elsevier B. Gardiner P, Filippelli AC, Low Dog T. Prescribing botanicals. In: Rakel D, ed. Integrative Medicine. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health website.

Using dietary supplements wisely. Updated January Accessed November 24, Information for consumers on using dietary supplements. Updated October 21, Updated by: Linda J.

Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A. Editorial team. A guide to herbal remedies. Herbal remedies are not regulated or tested like medicines.

Herbals are not Medicines. Here are some things you should know about herbals: Herbals are not regulated like medicines.

Herbals do not need to be rigidly tested before they are sold. Herbals may not work as claimed. Labels do not need to be approved by any authority. It may not list the correct amount of an ingredient.

Some herbal remedies may contain ingredients or contaminants not listed on the label. Natural Does not Mean Safe. Here are some examples: Kava is an herb used for anxiety, insomnia, symptoms of menopause, and other ailments. Some studies show it may work for anxiety.

But kava can also cause severe liver damage. The FDA has issued a warning against its use. John's Wort may work for mild to moderate depression. However, it can interact with birth control pills, antidepressants, and other drugs. It can also cause side effects such as stomach upset and anxiety.

Harvest leaves just before flowering. Rosemary is the great reviver. This perennial woody herb stimulates energy and optimism and sharpens memory and concentration by bringing more oxygen to your brain.

A row of these long-lived and drought-tolerant plants makes a beautiful, bee-friendly evergreen hedge. You may only need one plant in your garden — a little goes a long way. The leaves are commonly added to cough formulas.

Give this handsome and stately biennial plenty of space, and stand back in wonder. The sturdy, yellow-flowered stem will emerge from within a rosette of thick, hairy leaves, reaching skyward nearly 6 feet.

Many cultivars exist beyond the straight species, including sweet-tasting citrus varieties that are perfect tummy remedies for children. Read more about the health benefits of thyme.

Long recognized for its sweet perfume, lavender also boasts medical benefits as a mild antidepressant that may also benefit your nervous system, according to some studies.

Add lavender oil to your bath to alleviate stress , tension, and insomnia. Woody lavender plants prefer hot, sunny, and dry environments. The fresh flowers are tasty in small doses when added to salads , honey , butter , lemonade, and even shortbread cookies.

The NCCIH reports that chamomile is one of the best herbs for treating colic , nervous stress, infections, and stomach disorders in children. These easy-to-grow herbs bring health benefits to your garden as well as your family.

Many attract beneficial insects, including bees. They can also help repel harmful pests from more sensitive plants nearby. Be sure to choose plants that suit the light, water, and temperature conditions of your garden. For example, rosemary, lavender, and mullein are best for warm, dry spots in full sun.

Cilantro and mint prefer rich, moist areas with shade. For additional tips, check out these gardening apps. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

For plant identification, garden planning, and planting things in season, check out these best gardening apps! Phosphatidylcholine is known to boost cognition, but its potential benefits don't stop there.

Here's what you should know about this herbal remedy. Research suggests rhodiola and ashwagandha work well together, but you may want to take them at different times of day. While research is still evolving, ashwagandha shows potential in addressing various aspects of fertility, including libido, hormone levels, and sexual….

Rhodiola is best known for its benefits with physical performance and endurance, less so for weight loss. Rhodiola rosea may provide some early benefits within the first couple of weeks of use. Many studies show that taking ashwagandha daily can increase testosterone, but there isn't a clinical agreement on dosage.