Herbal Cures for Tendinitis

Tendinitis is the inflammation or swelling of a tendon, usually caused by overuse or injury, and can cause restricted movement and pain. While there are many over-the-counter and prescription medications available to treat pain and inflammation, many people choose an herbal approach to treating tendinitis to decrease the risk of unpleasant side effects or drug interactions. Check with your doctor before beginning any treatment.

Overview of Herbs

• To soothe swollen or inflamed tendons, try devil's claw or St. John's wort. Both herbs can help decrease swelling in an injured tendon, thereby reducing pain. Devil's claw also works as an analgesic, boosting its pain-relieving qualities. Ginger and turmeric also function as anti-inflammatory herbs that you can use for tendinitis. Cayenne, or capsaicin, can activate the nerves that respond to pain and then make them unresponsive to help relieve tendinitis pain. Willow has mild pain-relieving properties that may help alleviate very mild tendinitis pain. Licorice root can help reduce tendon inflammation by decreasing the production of free radicals near the injured area and by acting as a natural corticosteroid to suppress the body's immune response and help eliminate swelling.

How to Use Herbs

• Take devil's claw as a powder-containing capsule two to three times a day. You can also use devil's claw as a tincture. Use 10 to 40 drops four times a day for the best results, according to altMD.com.

  St. John's wort is available as an oil that you can apply externally to the affected tendon as needed. Use one to two full eyedroppers of St. John's wort two or three times a day as a tincture if you prefer. Do not take St. John's wort if you are taking birth control pills as it can reduce the effectiveness of your birth control.

  Consume up to eight 500 mg capsules of ginger per day. Alternately, you can take one-half to one tsp per day of ground ginger root or about one-third oz of fresh ginger. Do not use ginger if you have gallbladder disease.

  Use turmeric as 400 to 600 mg capsules three times per day for tendinitis. Do not use turmeric if you have ulcers or gallstones. Pregnant women should not take turmeric.

  Three 400 to 500 mg cayenne capsules per day or five to 10 drops of cayenne tincture per day can help with tendinitis. You can also apply cayenne or capsaicin creams directly to the affected tendons.

  Take willow as a capsule or tincture. Three 500 mg capsules per day or five to 10 drops of tincture three times per day are recommended for mild pain relief.

  Take licorice root as capsules, tincture or tea. Boil one half teaspoon of the herb in one cup of water for 15 minutes to make one dose of tea. One 500 mg capsule three times per day, 20 to 30 drops of tincture or three cups of tea per day will help you make the most of licorice root's anti-inflammatory properties. Do not take licorice if you have diabetes, kidney, liver or heart disease. People with high blood pressure and pregnant women should also not take licorice root.