Prickly Ash Benefits

Native Americans turned to nature for health remedies and used Prickly Ash benefits to relieve pain associated with toothaches and arthritis. It relieves pain by increasing blood flow, and subsequently oxygen levels, to the affected areas.

How Prickly Ash is Used

Native Americans would chew pieces of bark from the Prickly Ash xazthoxylum americanum tree or crush the bark into a paste to place on the affected gum and tooth area.

The bark and berries both have medicinal properties. Internally, the herb can be taken as tincture or infusion as well as in capsule form with a glass of water; in addition, certain circumstances a poultice made from the bark is indicated.

The medicine is freely available for purchase in many natural heath stores.

Similar to many other natural remedies, it may not provide instantaneous results; beneficial effects differ from person-to-person and can be felt over a period of time, ranging from a few hours up to a week.

Applications

Practitioners of herbal medicine rely on this Prickly Ash for toothaches, gum irritation, rheumatism and conditions that benefit from improved circulation.

This remedy also assists the stomach, including pain relief and discomfort associated with:

• Colic
• Heartburn
• Parasites
• Indigestion
• Vomiting

It can also significantly decrease burping and belching.

In conditions related to the stomach and liver, where the organs are in a poor state, Prickly Ash will help regeneration repairing the organs, sometimes to their original states.

Drinking a tea made from boiling the bark of the tree in water can treat a range of ailments such as sore throats, stiff joints and gonorrhea.

Precautions

Side effects are minimal and, for many, avoidable if precautions and warning are taken.

Prickly Ash will aggravate the following conditions:

• Serious heartburn
• Gastrointestinal irregularities
• Ulcers

Due to potential adverse effects to a fetus or child, pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid taking this herb.

As with any herb or medicine, consultation with a medical or herbal professional is highly recommended before beginning a regime of Prickly Ash benefits.

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