Last Updated on September 3, 2023
For thousands of years, turmeric maintained prominence in Ayurvedic medicine, one of the oldest practices in the world. The concept of using natural herbs and spices for their healing properties is not a new one. With so many options available, which medicinal herbs are the best?
Curcuma longa is a species of ginger originating in Southeast Asia, which contains the powerful turmeric rhizome within its roots. Turmeric powder contains curcumin, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent responsible for most of its health benefits.
But, is turmeric good for back pain and nerve repair? Can it help relieve nerve pain from sciatica and herniated discs?
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Turmeric for Back Pain
Research continues to emerge, demonstrating significant benefits in using turmeric for conditions characterized by inflammation like asthma and allergies, IBS, and IBD. Curcumin can even help relieve fibromyalgia and muscle pain and arthritis and joint pain.
Recent studies suggest that turmeric can also help with upper and lower back pain. Curcumin has the potential to reduce inflammation and discomfort associated with sciatic nerve pain, spinal cord injuries, and herniated discs. Thus, it may be an effective natural treatment option for back pain.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica refers to the radiating pain originating down the sciatic nerve, which travels from your lower back (lumbar) through the hips and buttocks, and finally down each leg. During painful flare-ups, sciatica often only impacts one side of the body.
Sciatica usually transpires when a bone spur, a herniated disc, or the narrowing of the spine (spinal stenosis) compresses some part of the nerve. When the nerve is compressed, or pinched, this causes a tremendous amount of pain, numbness, and inflammation in the affected leg.
Several risk factors may raise your chances of developing sciatic nerve pain. They are:
- Age: Changes in the spine related to age, such as bone spurs or herniated discs, are a common cause of sciatica.
- Obesity: Excess weight increases spinal stress and can trigger changes in the integrity of the spine. A weight loss regimen can help prevent this particular risk factor.
- Occupation: Work that requires heavy lifting, twisting, turning, or extended periods of motor vehicle operation may increase the odds of developing sciatica.
- Prolonged Sitting: People with sedentary lifestyles characterized by lengthy periods of sitting are more likely to develop sciatica compared to active individuals.
- Diabetes: This condition affects the body’s ability to utilize sugar, which may increase your risk of nerve damage. Lowering blood sugar can help preserve nerve function.
Most individuals make a full recovery from sciatica, but it’s essential to seek medical attention if the condition worsens over time. Exercise regularly, maintain good posture, and use a natural anti-inflammatory to help reduce back pain and discomfort.
What is a Herniated Disc?
The term “herniated disc” describes extreme difficulty with one of the rubbery cushions, or discs, between the vertebrae that comprise the spine. A spinal disc contains a jelly-like center (nucleus) surrounded by a tough and rubbery exterior called an annulus.
Often called a ruptured disc or a slipped disc, these names refer to the same condition where the nucleus protrudes through a torn annulus and irritates a nearby nerve. A herniated disc may lead to uncomfortable symptoms such as arm or leg pain, numbness or tingling, and weakness.
Like sciatica, risk factors include excess body weight, sedentary jobs, and genetic predisposition. Smoking may also play a role as it lessens oxygen flow to discs, leading them to break down prematurely.
Why Turmeric Curcumin?
Research has shown that using turmeric for inflammation may target flare-ups and painful bouts with upper and lower back pain. By reducing the body’s natural inflammatory response, it’s thought that curcumin may help relieve nerve pain.
Turmeric is also a powerful antioxidant capable of improving the immune system response. It’s important to note that curcumin will not repair herniated discs, sciatica, or physical problems with the spine. But, it may reduce inflammatory back pain, improve oxygen and nutrient flow, and promote the healing process.
In this post, we’ll cover the studies demonstrating the effect turmeric has on reducing back pain, sciatic nerve pain, and discomfort associated with herniated discs and spinal injuries.
Is Turmeric Good for Back Pain?
Despite considerable efforts, the current treatment methodology for spinal cord injury (SCI) is largely supportive. Spinal cord injury is a type of neurotrauma that brings delayed scarring along with acute inflammation and chronic inflammation and back pain, making regeneration and therapy extremely difficult.
One study compared curcumin’s anti-inflammatory properties against leading treatment options for SCI. The results showed that curcumin could increase the likelihood of functional improvements and back pain reduction using multiple mechanisms of action.
Turmeric performs this task by stimulating the proliferation of the spinal cord’s neural stem cells, and by reducing free radical-mediated damage to the spinal cord. Curcumin also directly targets the inflammation associated with SCI, which helps expedite the healing process.
Another study examined curcumin’s effects on the sciatic nerve pain threshold in a group of 120 male rats. Following 14 days of curcumin administration, the study showed substantial decreases in the presence of NF-κB, a significant mediator of inflammation.
This result suggests that turmeric may help improve neuropathic pain by inhibiting proinflammatory cytokines. In other words, it may reduce the lower back pain frequently associated with sciatica.
Curcumin appears to be an excellent home remedy for inflammation and pain management by enhancing antioxidant capacity with minimal side effects. This benefit makes it useful for day-to-day aches and pains, but also for post-surgical recovery.
Further research shows an additional, lesser-known mechanism of action that often contributes to lower levels of back pain. Turmeric may mitigate pain linked to depression by reversing negative changes in serotonin levels.
There aren’t a significant amount of studies using turmeric exclusively for upper and lower back pain. However, it’s important to note how curcumin behaves within the body when deciding whether or not it may help treat your specific ailment.
Most back pain derives from the inflammatory response and free radical damage within the body. Research has shown that turmeric is one of the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory agents in existence. Its constituent, curcumin, is also a potent antioxidant with numerous molecular targets that may help with back pain relief.
Turmeric for Nerve Repair
Does turmeric help nerve damage? Besides being able to help nerve inflammation, it appears turmeric may also contribute to nerve repair. One study administered curcumin to a group of rats that sustained nerve crush injuries. The results found that curcumin successfully promoted functional recovery and nerve regeneration in the injured group.
Although this was an animal study, the results were promising. More human studies should be completed in this area to see if the effects are replicable.
How to Use Turmeric for Back Pain
Consuming more turmeric in food or drinking a turmeric smoothie won’t provide the natural pain relief you’re looking for. Here’s why: curcumin, the primary source of turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties, is only about 3.14% of turmeric powder. In other words, you’d need to add a ton of turmeric to your food to feel any benefit, which is hardly feasible.
You’ll need an encapsulated turmeric supplement with a higher ratio of curcumin to treat your back pain effectively. Make sure to get turmeric and black pepper together when purchasing your supplement. The addition of BioPerine (the patented form of black pepper extract) significantly increases the absorption of curcumin by 20 times.
Your supplement should also contain between 20-25 mg of AstraGin, a natural patented ingredient that supports a healthy gut environment while boosting turmeric uptake by another 92%. More absorption means greater pain relief.
Dosage Recommendations
How much turmeric should I take for back pain? The correct turmeric dosage for back pain depends on the severity of your condition. High-quality curcumin supplements are considered safe and well-tolerated, even at higher doses. We recommend you consume between 150-250 mg of curcumin per day for the best results.
If you find the back or nerve pain unbearable, we suggest you take a second dose 8 hours apart from the first. This way you can get rid of inflammation and keep it down throughout the day.
How long does it take for turmeric to work for pain?
Much like you’d see with other inflammatory conditions like arthritis, patience is going to be key here. While some people do see immediate results, it’s more common to feel a reduction in pain with 4-8 weeks of continuous use. Be consistent with your dosing regimen and give turmeric time to reduce systemic inflammation.
Potential Side Effects
What are the negative effects of turmeric? Turmeric side effects are quite rare, usually mild, and often only occur when ignoring the proper dosage protocol. Still, here are a few potential adverse reactions to remember when taking turmeric.
- Turmeric possesses a glucose-lowering effect. Diabetics should use extra caution.
- Curcumin is a natural anticoagulant and may cause issues if you’re taking blood thinners.
- Excessive dosages can increase the odds of developing a headache, stomach discomfort, or nausea.
Who should not take turmeric? If you are pregnant or nursing, do not consume curcumin in a medicinal amount. If it is before a scheduled surgery, do not take turmeric as it may lead to blood clotting issues.
Turmeric for Nerve Pain: Final Thoughts
Is turmeric good for nerve pain, sciatica, and herniated discs? The answer appears to be yes. Studies show that curcumin is an excellent all-natural anti-inflammatory that may help modulate and manage pain and help nerve inflammation.
If you’re having difficulties with back pain, contact a doctor or certified medical professional to discuss the possibility of incorporating turmeric and curcumin into your daily regimen.