Remedies Using White Willow Bark

If you want a natural pain relief medication, take white willow bark extract. It is one of the best alternatives to aspirin. The most active ingredient in willow bark is salicin which produces salicylic acid. Aspirin contains acetylsalicylic acid or ASA which is a derivative of salicylic acid.

Aspirin produces faster pain relief but may cause side effect to the stomach lining. Furthermore, studies found that aspirin may block the synthesis of prostaglandin. Prostaglandin has many functions in the body including regulating inflammatory mediation and calcium movement.

Unlike aspirin willow bark has more benefits and medicinal uses and has been used as an herbal remedy for various ailments. This is because it contains other natural plant chemicals and compounds such as tannins and flavonoids.

Centuries ago, willow bark was already used to treat fever. The bark has also been used as a cure for headaches, removing warts, reducing joint pains and a treatment for nausea. It was also a remedy to treat malaria.

White willow extract has also been used as a natural remedy to treat pinworm infection which is an intestinal worm infection.

Research found that white willow has anti inflammatory, astringent and antiseptic properties. Controlled studies on humans showed that willow bark has the potential to treat lower back pain, joint pains, muscle aches and pains, cartilage problems, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Willow bark may also help treat bursitis, flu, menstrual cramps and toothaches.

Willow bark is also used to treat many skin problems such as psoriasis. Salicylic acid is one of the ingredients used in over the counter acne medications. It is one of the natural home remedies to remove warts and treat infected ingrown hairs.

A clinical study found that the frequency of migraine attacks was greatly reduced when white willow bark was taken together with feverfew and St John's wort.

A mixture of garlic oil combined with willow bark oil has shown to be effective in the treatment of otitis media or middle ear infection.

If you wish to take willow bark, it is available in capsules, liquid extract, tinctures, tablets, willow bark powder and willow bark tea. It's more convenient than looking for the bark of the white willow tree and trying to figure out the proportions and dosages. If you do want to make your own willow bark tea, you can buy the cut and sifted bark or the willow bark powder.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking any medication please check with your doctor before taking this herbal supplement. If you are allergic to aspirin, you will most likely be allergic to willow bark too.

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