Toss Advil, Grab Ginger?

Although typically the ginger root has been touted for its ability to quell nausea, recent research suggests ginger might contain analgesic qualities as well.

A study conducted by the department of kinesiology at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville, GA found that ginger lessened the experience of pain associated with injury in a number of otherwise healthy adults. 74 participants took 2 grams of either cooked or raw ginger or a placebo for 11 days. Next, each participant engaged in a series of exercises designed to create inflammation and muscle pain in the elbow-area. The two ginger groups reported on average 24% less pain than the placebo group, which suggests that the root played an important role in lessening the experience of pain. Although the effects of the root were not immediate, subjects reported less soreness the day after injury. This led investigators to conclude that ginger could help attenuate the day-to-day progression of muscle pain. These analgesic properties continue to be investigated but an increasing number of studies point to ginger as the miracle food du jour.

For those of you in favor of natural remedies over Big Pharma options, ginger might provide temporary relief for muscle soreness by reducing inflammation.