Some patients just don’t want to take NSAIDs anymore…or ever…but
they do want something to control their pain due to inflammation.
OrthoIllinois Chiropractic excitedly shares a natural approach using curcumin and
turmeric.
Often taken for pain relief for conditions like
osteoarthritis (1), NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) may
affect takers in different ways. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic hear from many patients who
struggle with pain meds, their effectiveness or lack thereof, and adverse side-effects.
A couple of new studies about curcumin or turmeric (aka ginger) will excite our
McHenry pain patients as these natural substances may be an answer.
One report shares that patients reach a new pain threshold
marker called PASS (Patient Acceptable Symptom State) with curcumin. With PASS,
patients reported satisfaction that their pain was sufficiently relieved. It
wasn’t totally gone, but it was now tolerable with curcumin. And as a bonus,
they didn’t report the side-effects that often accompanied their taking NSAIDs.
(3)
Curcumin is said to improve chronic constriction caused by
neuropathic pain. The researchers explain the more complex gene expression and
activation in the spinal cord and its dorsal root ganglia. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic just
wants our McHenry patients to know that adding curcumin to the diet
may be pain-relieving.
So what is curcumin? Curcumin is a
diarylheptanoid, big word not used everyday in McHenry. It is
the principal curcuminoid of the popular South Asian spice
turmeric, a member
of the
ginger family. Turmeric, as a spice, is a common ingredient in Indian
cooking. The spice (and supplement) comes from the underground stems (called rhizomes)
of the turmeric plant.
(2) Know any good Indian recipes? Try one out for
dinner tonight like
Eating Well’s Apple Latkes!
(4)
The curcuminoids are natural phenols, giving turmeric its yellow color.
It’s best known as a spice and a main component in curry powder. In India and
other parts of Asia, turmeric is used to treat many health conditions. It is
believed to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and perhaps even anti-cancer
properties. It may help to reduce inflammation and pain due to osteoarthritis
and rheumatoid arthritis, great news for our McHenry back pain
patients. (2)
Turmeric might also be medicinal. (2) Based on lab studies alone,
it may
- block the growth of certain kinds of tumors. One
study showed that turmeric extract containing curcumin could -- in some cases
-- stabilize colorectal cancer that wasn't helped by other treatments. But more
research is certainly needed.
- protect against types of skin diseases, Alzheimer's
disease, colitis, stomach ulcers, and high cholesterol.
- help treat upset stomach, scabies, diabetes, HIV,
uveitis, and viral infections.
So how much turmeric should you take? There is no
standard dosage yet. Ask about what's right for you at your next chiropractic visit to OrthoIllinois Chiropractic. Is
it safe? It is generally, but talk with your McHenry chiropractor
about your specific situation before adding it to your daily dietary regimen.
Contact OrthoIllinois Chiropractic today to discuss your dietary
approach to reducing inflammation.