Passion Flower and Twitching Remedy

Twitching is often caused by stress, anxiety and nervousness. While passionflower remedies used to treat these conditions and the resultant twitching are generally considered safe; it is important that you address the underlying cause of your twitching. Cut out caffeine and increase levels of exercise and rest to help treat conditions that contribute to twitching. If you continue to be bothered with twitching, consult your physician for conventional treatment options. Likewise, consult your doctor before taking herbal supplements.

Options

• Passionflower is a popular remedy in Europe used for the treatment of anxiety. Passionflower has a sedative and antispasmodic effect, according to Anne Cowper, a medical herbalist, and helps by relaxing muscle spasms and tension, calming nerves and alleviating pain. Cowper also indicates that passionflower can be used to treat shingles, sciatica, neuralgia, Parkinson's disease and colic, along with stress related twitching. It is available in tea form as well as in tincture form according to Cowper. Most tinctures are alcohol-based, so it is a good idea to dilute them with water to make it easier on your stomach according to Anne Cowper a medical herbalist in the book, " The Doctors Book of Herbal Home Remedies." Take 40 drops of tincture in eight ounces of water before or with meals. Alternatively, drink one cup of passionflower tea three times daily for relief. Put one teaspoon of dried passionflowers in a cup, pour in 8 ounces of boiling water, cover and steep for 10 minutes. Strain and drink. Passionflower is safe to take regularly, but is best taken as a medicinal tea during times of stress, rather than as an everyday tea.

  Passionflower also works well when combined with other herbs in tincture form. Connie Catellani, M.D., medical director of the Miro Center for Integrative Medicine in Evanston, Illinois, recommends a combination tincture form. Catellani states that valerian, passionflower and skullcap are particularly useful when combined to treat stress, anxiety and the often resultant twitching as found in the book, "The Complete Guide to Herbal Home Remedies". This is a common herbal combination that can be found in many natural health food stores. Skullcap along with valerian both have calming qualities and help to boost the effects of passionflower, according to Anne McIntyre a member of Britain's National Institue of Medical Herbalists and co-owner of the Midsummer Cottage Clinic in Oxfordshire, England, and as stated in the book, "The Complete Book of Herbal Home Remedies". Be careful to dilute this remedy according to package directions. The recommended dose is two droppers of the mixed tincture in one half cup of water three times a day.

  Consult your physician before adding any herbal supplement to your treatment program. If you still are experiencing symptoms of twitching, stress, anxiety or nervousness, consult your doctor for other treatment options. Do not take passionflower with an MAO inhibitor.