Ginger for pain

Home remedies with ginger to relieve back pain

How to prepare ginger to improve pain

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a rhizomatic plant from the same family as turmeric or greater galangal. It is used for the medicinal properties that its active ingredients, gingerols and shoagoles, give it.

For pain, it is used externally in the form of compresses, which are soaked in a concentrated infusion and applied to the back or painful area.

The use of powdered ginger (dry) with water, as a poultice, directly on the skin is not suitable, because it causes irritation.

Ginger to relieve back and joint pain

Ginger compresses are used to relieve back pain and muscle tension caused by stress, for example. Ginger has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties that help treat pain.

It stimulates the circulation and blood supply of the muscles and is a stimulating and comforting remedy suitable for arthritis, fatigue, fibromyalgia, tiredness, carpal tunnel pain, pain in the female genital tract, etc.

In the form of gargles, the same infusion relieves toothache.

ginger infusion to make compresses.
How to prepare ginger infusion to make compresses

Recipe to prepare ginger compresses for pain

Ginger compresses take a few minutes to prepare and are used to relieve back or joint pain.

They should be prepared as follows:

  • Grate the ginger root, in abundant quantity.
  • Put water to boil.
  • Before the water boils, squeeze all the juice from the ginger, bring it to a boil for 1 minute and turn off the heat.
  • Cover and let stand until it cools down.
  • Soak a towel with the not too hot infusion. Try first on a part of the arm, to check that it does not cause irritation. The reddish coloration is normal, but there are people with sensitive skin who may have exaggerated reactions.
  • Apply the compress with the hot infusion -not burning- on the back or the sore muscle and cover with a dry towel. When the towel below cools down, soak it again in the hot infusion, and cover it again with the dry towel. Remove when cool, and repeat. So several times.
  • Repeat until pain is relieved. It cannot be done if the infusion is cold.

Ginger compresses in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is considered that the ginger compress on the back strengthens the kidneys. The kidneys are the organs in charge of vital energy, and they use this remedy with ginger to relieve stress, increase vitality and reduce physical and mental fatigue.

*Related information: ginger honey

punto rojo More information on properties and contraindications of ginger

This article was endorsed by Elisenda Carballido - Dietitian nutritionist. Postgraduate in Phytotherapy and master in Nutrition and Metabolism.
Editorial
Written by Editorial Botanical-online team in charge of content writing

26 April, 2023

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