Curcuma, the active ingredient in the spice turmeric, has pain-relieving qualities.
A small-scale 2014 study found that curcuma extract is as effective as ibuprofen for pain management in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis when a person takes it for 4 weeks.
Turmeric is also a common herbal remedy for reducing inflammation. To include turmeric in its natural form in the diet, try adding it to curries, smoothies, or juices.
Acupuncture is an alternative therapy that advocates believe can help reduce pain. Recent research supports these beliefs.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) state that acupuncture can help with certain types of pain, including:
- low back pain
- neck pain
- osteoarthritis or knee pain
It may also reduce how frequently people get tension headaches and could help prevent migraine headaches.
A 2018 meta-analysis found that acupuncture is an effective way to manage chronic pain. The researchers concluded that acupuncture could help with musculoskeletal pain, headache, and pain associated with osteoarthritis.
More research into the effects of acupuncture for other pain conditions is now needed, but increasing evidence is suggesting that acupuncture is effective for many types of pain.
In fact, acupuncture may help in more than 100 different conditions.