Ginger works for pain.

You’re probably used to hearing about using ginger for morning sickness and nausea...but now it’s showing up in pain supplements such as Gingerflex.

The theory is that it works like an NSAID...inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX). But it may also inhibit lipoxygenase and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha).

Our Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates it as possibly effective for osteoarthritis and dysmenorrhea. Most studies found it doesn’t work as well as ibuprofen 400 mg TID for relief of osteoarthritis pain...and it can take up to 3 months to show an effect. Evidence for relief of menstrual pain is scant...but it may improve symptoms about as well as ibuprofen.

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