Ginger is an herb with an underground stem covered by a brown skin with red, white or yellow flesh. It can be used medicinally or as a spice. One of the most popular medicinal uses of ginger is as an anti-inflammatory. The ginger plant produces gingerols, which are strong anti-inflammatory substances.
Several studies have shown that consuming ginger as an anti-inflammatory medication results in less pain and stiffness during movement for patients suffering from inflammatory diseases. The reduction in pain and stiffness is directly related to the anti-inflammatory properties of ginger. In one study, the improvement was measured by recording the circumference of the participants’ knees before ginger therapy, and measured again after therapy was completed. A significant reduction in knee swelling was observed, as well as reports of decreased pain.
Ginger seems to reduce swelling by working as an antioxidant by preventing the production of proteins known as cytokines, which signal inflammatory immune responses. Its antioxidant properties prevent nitric oxide from oxidizing into a biologically damaging free radical called peroxynitrite. Arthritis and colitis, common inflammatory diseases, are often caused by high concentrations of peroxynitrites in the body.
Side effects of using ginger as an anti-inflammatory are heartburn and diarrhea, but both are extremely rare. Typically, these side effects are only observed when the dose of ginger is extremely high. Ginger is also safe for children and pregnant or breast-feeding women. Anti-inflammatory drugs, by contrast, have a variety of serious side effects, including stomach and cardiovascular problems as well as bone loss, and their use is often restricted in children and pregnant or breastfeeding women. In some cases, using ginger as an anti-inflammatory supplement allows a patient to reduce the dose of anti-inflammatory drugs needed to function.
To use ginger as an anti-inflammatory, it can be either taken orally or used to create a poultice on the area that is swollen and hurting. The daily oral dose of ginger should be between 0.07-0.14 ounces (2-4 grams) for an adult, and is available in teas, juices, or supplement pills. To make a ginger poultice, chop up about one fourth of a cup of ginger, place it in a saucepan, and barely cover it with water. Heat the paste to soften the ginger, and then let it cool until it is a safe temperature to apply to the sore area. The paste can also be wrapped in a damp piece of cheese cloth and then placed on the sore area.