How to Use Cat's Claw to Treat Crohn's Disease

Also called regional enteritis, Crohn's disease is a chronic condition marked by inflammation of the bowel walls and skip lesions. Many alternative medicine specialists recommend that patients use cat's claw to treat it, as cat's claw extract is thought to work to reduce inflammation of the internal tissues.

Things You'll Need

• Cat's claw extract
• Physician

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Instructions

Understand Cat's Claw Properties

• 1

  Use cat's claw to soothe internal inflammation. Crohn's disease is characterized by episodic gastrointestinal inflammation, which causes stomach pain and bowel movement irregularities.

• 2

  Benefit from the additional secondary properties of cat's claw. The herb also functions as an antioxidant, smooth muscle relaxant and immune system booster. It is thought to stimulate white blood cell production and fight harmful free radicals in the bloodstream.

• 3

  Talk to your doctor about whether you're a good candidate for cat's claw if you take any of the following: birth control pills or estrogen, cyclosporin, blood pressure medicines and water pills. Cat's claw is thought to have interactions with these drugs, which may reduce their effectiveness.

Take Cat's Claw to Treat Crohn's Disease

• 4

  Treat Crohn's disease using cat's claw by taking a daily dosage, or by using the herbal supplement whenever gastrointestinal discomfort flares up. Your doctor will advise you as to whether you should use it every day or only when your symptoms bother you.

• 5

  Use other remedies to manage your Crohn's disease symptoms if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Using cat's claw may heighten the risk of miscarriage.

• 6

  Be mindful of confusing cat's claw's side effects with symptoms of Crohn's disease. Both the disease and cat's claw can induce diarrhea, and you may not know which of the two is causing it. Other side effects include nausea and dizziness, which generally go away if you take the herb regularly. Many users report no side effects at all.