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Herbal Remedies for Arthritis-Related Spinal Spurs

Spinal spurs are caused by local inflammation of a part of the spine. This inflammation causes the cells that make bone to deposit bone in the inflamed area. This eventually causes a bony protrusion called a spur. Since spinal spurs can pinch nerves that are next to them, a few of the symptoms of spinal spurs are numbness, tingling, weakness and pain in the areas of the body to which the affected nerve is connected.

  1. Curcumin

    • Curcumin is the yellow pigment of tumeric and can assist in treating spinal spurs that are caused by arthritis. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which may explain why it is helpful. To help treat spinal spurs with curcumin, take 500 to 1,000 mg three times a day on an empty stomach.

    Flax-Seed Oil

    • Flax-seed oil is another anti-inflammatory that can assist with reducing the inflammation associated with arthritis-caused spinal spurs, as well as ease the pain. To get the most benefit from flax-seed oil, warm some in a pan on the stove. Keep in mind that the flax-seed oil should only be warm, not hot. Soak a piece of muslin or cotton cloth in the warm flax-seed oil, ring it out and apply it to the affected area on the spine. The pack should be left on for 10 minutes at a time four times a day. To keep it warm, you can cover it with another cloth and a piece of plastic and then warm it up by putting a heating pad on top for a few minutes.

    Arnica

    • Arnica is an anti-inflammatory and can be of assistance in helping with the pain and inflammation associated with spinal spurs. Arnica can be applied to spinal spurs in two ways. The first way is to use it in a compress. Warm 50 ml of water on the stove and add one to two teaspoons of arnica tincture to the warm water. Next, soak a cotton cloth in the warm arnica water. After ringing out the cloth apply it to the affected area on the spine for no longer than six hours per day or skin irritation can develop. The second way is to purchase an arnica cream from a health-food or herb store and apply it to the affected area according to the directions.

      Keep in mind never to apply arnica to broken skin. Also, arnica is not to be taken internally because it can cause adverse side effects.

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