Musculo-skeletal Problems Last edited: 09 04 2011 07:50

Getting down to the bare bones

Herbs have been long used to relieve aching backs, muscle spasm and tightness, damaged tendons and tight or lax ligaments. Often herbs are applied externally to bring relief from pain and inflammation.

In medicine the term for movement of the body is articulation, expressing beautifully and completely what the various connective tissues of the muscle/skeletal system do; our bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments combining and cooperating to articulate and give expression to the body, giving us our ability to enjoy freedom of movement by which means we express ourselves; to dance, to run, to bear weight, to make music, to give birth, to reach out a hand; all beautifully orchestrated and carried out by our muscle and skeletal system.

It’s not just about wear and tear

It is not surprising then at times and at certain points in our lives we begin to feel the effects with sore and tight muscle, joints that suffer with wear and tear, tendons and ligaments that become tight or overly fixed and more serious issues such as rheumatoid arthritis. As we age, it is inevitable that our health ultimately declines and our healthcare needs increase and intensify. The philosophies employed by medical herbalists, using herbs in concert to strengthen many systems simultaneously, are ideally suited to these increased needs.

The medical herbalist’s method has many advantages for those using a heavy drug regime and for those who have adverse reactions to the drugs being used. It is well known that as the quantity of pharmaceutical medicines taken increases, so does the risk of side effects and drug interactions. Herbs are prescribed to work in co-operation with the body rather than to target specific symptoms. This reduces the risk of side effects. Your herbalist is also aware of how herbs and drugs may work together and conversely which herbs and drugs do not partner well together. This is important as the complexity of healthcare increases. It is also important that there is good communication between your GP and herbalist to ensure the best of healthcare.

For inflammatory conditions which affect the muscle and skeletal system such as rheumatoid arthritis the herbal approach is broad based and multi-factorial to match the many layers and wide distribution that is characteristic of autoimmune conditions. Herbal medicines are effective in relieving symptoms, reducing inflammation, repairing tissue damage, improving our ability to adapt to stress, improving mood, and at the same time encouraging the body to overthrow the initial cause of the condition. As with the Immune System, herbs are used to strengthen the affected tissues and provide the conditions to neutralise an infection. This serves to halt the cycle of inflammation and tissue damage triggered by the original causative factor(s).