Herbal Remedies for Fibromyalgia

For depression, consider St. John's Wort. For the joint and muscle pain, consider cayenne. For sleep problems, think of valerian root.

These herbal remedies are just 3 of the choices available to someone who suffers with fibromyalgia. Herbs can provide an effective complementary approach to treating a disease that seems to be so difficult to diagnose and treat.

Fibromyalgia is not only difficult to treat (due to the sheer number of symptoms), but there are also very few prescription medications that are designed specifically for this disease. Because of this, your physician is likely giving you a combination of medications, that may or may not interact well with each other. If you can reduce your dependency (even a little) on these harsh prescription medications, then you are going a long way toward improving your quality of life.

Depression is often a symptom of fibromyalgia, and St. John's Wort is an effective herbal remedy for depression. St. John's Wort works to relieve depression by inhibiting the neurotransmitters that influence mood. It also helps to relieve stress and anxiety. If you are planning to use this herb, be careful that you do not take it while you are taking conventional antidepressants.

The joint pain and muscle pain that accompanies fibromaylagia can be maddening, if not relieved. While doctors may prescribe analgesics, many of these are not effective unless they are taken in combination with other drugs. You may want to consider taking cayenne then. Cayenne contains capsaicin, which inhibits the neurotransmitters responsible for sending pain signals to the brain. It is best used when applied topically, rubbed on the affected areas of your body.

Valerian root may help to make those sleepless nights a thing of the past. Valerian has been used for centuries to help restore healthy sleep patterns. Used medicinally since ancient Roman and Greek times, this herbal remedy has been proven through various clinical studies to be an effective sleeping aid. (Source: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Valerian.asp).

One of the benefits of using Valerian for sleep is it helps to eliminate many of the dangers associated with prescription sleeping pills, not the least of which is dependency. The herb itself has very few side effects, although some people complain that they develop gastrointestinal problems, as well as headaches. Others have complained that they feel slightly dizzy when they take this natural remedy.