Herbal Tea for Arthritis Pain

According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), arthritis is a condition that causes your joints and sometimes other parts of your body to become stiff and painful when moved. Arthritis is a condition that usually occurs among aging populations. There are, fortunately, traditional herbal tea remedies that have been used for hundreds of years to fight arthritic conditions.

Lei gong teng

• Lei gong teng (Tripterygium Wilfordii), has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat painful swelling of joints in many parts of Asia, according to acupuncture.com. A study published in the journal "Arthritis & Rheumatism" in July 2002 by Xuelian Tao and a team of researchers found that an extract of lei gong teng was associated with significant improvement in arthritic symptoms in 12 out of 21 patients who had not responded to conventional therapy for arthritis. According to acupuncture.com, lei gong teng should be cooked for at least an hour, before any other herbs are added and then for another 15 minutes. There are several potentially serious side effect to lei gong teng, but these are reduced by cooking it for an hour or two, according to acupuncture.com. Dosage is between between 5 and 12 grams. Overdosing could result in irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, damage to the nervous system and even damage to the internal organs, according to acupuncture.com. Lei gong teng may be difficult to find at health food stores but can be ordered from online retailers and can be readily found in most Chinese herb shops.

Reishi Mushroom

• The reishi mushroom is used in traditional Chinese medicine for a wide range of conditions and is also considered an overall longevity tonic. In a study published in the journal "Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry" in September 2006 by Y. W. Ho and a team of researchers, a compound in the reishi mushroom, called GL-PP, was found to be able to reduce the production of enzymes that are believed to lead to the inflammation that causes the swelling and reduction of movement associated with arthritis. Reishi mushrooms should also be boiled for and hour or more in order to make a therapeutic tea. According to acupuncturetoday.com, reishi has very little potential for toxicity but may cause dry mouth, nose bleeds or upset stomach if taken continuously for more than three months. Reishi is relatively easy to find at most health food stores and Chinese herb shops. Dosage is 2 to 9 grams of dried reishi per day, according to acupuncturetoday.com.