Plants to relieve joint pain

Joint pain – morning stiffness, discomfort with movement, a sensation of locking – affects millions of people in France, at all ages. Whether related to osteoarthritis, inflammatory conditions, or muscular tension due to stress, they deserve special attention.

To better understand your pain, we mainly distinguish between:

• Osteoarthritis: a progressive wearing down of cartilage, often manifesting as pain during movement and a sensation of stiffness.

• Inflammatory disorders: various forms of joint inflammation (such as certain types of arthritis) that can lead to pain, swelling, and more pronounced stiffness, especially upon waking.

• Tendonitis: inflammation of the tendons, usually linked to repetitive motions, overuse, or poor posture.

Good news: nature is full of gentle and effective solutions to help your joints achieve greater comfort.

Understand before acting

Our joints rely on a subtle balance between cartilage, ligaments, and tendons.

Over time, repetitive movements, stress, or an unbalanced diet can weaken this balance. The body becomes congested, inflammation sets in, and pain appears.

Factors that can worsen joint pain

• Unbalanced diet: excess sugar, ultra-processed foods, red meat, or dairy products.

• Overweight: every extra kilo increases pressure on the joints, especially knees and ankles.

• Sedentary lifestyle and lack of movement.

• Chronic stress, promoting muscle tension.

• Repetitive movements or overuse of joints.

• Inappropriate daily posture (sitting at work, screens, etc.).

• Cold and humidity, often felt as aggravating factors.

• Natural aging of the joints, as in osteoarthritis.

Medicinal plants then act as true allies, gently, on three complementary axes:

• soothe inflammation and pain sensations

• support tissue remineralization

• promote the elimination of accumulated waste

A holistic approach, respectful of the body's rhythm.

Anti-inflammatory and soothing plants

Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum – roots)

Recognized for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, it is particularly useful for established joint pain. It helps to regain more flexibility and daily comfort.

Preparation:
As a decoction-maceration: 1 teaspoon in 500 ml of cold water, simmer for 3 minutes, then macerate overnight. Drink in 2 to 3 doses the next day. 20-day course.

⚠️ Use with caution if taking NSAIDs, anticoagulants, hypoglycemic treatment, or in cases of kidney failure.

Blackcurrant (leaves)

Appreciated for its gentle anti-inflammatory action, blackcurrant is often used in synergy with other plants. It naturally supports joint comfort, especially in cases of osteoarthritis.

Preparation:
As an infusion: 1 tablespoon per cup, infuse for 10 minutes. 3 to 4 cups per day.

Meadowsweet (flowering tops)

Nicknamed “vegetable aspirin”, it helps relieve pain and soothe inflammation.

Preparation:
As an infusion: 1 tablespoon per cup, infuse for 10 minutes (without boiling).

⚠️ Not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, people allergic to aspirin, and those on anticoagulants.

Turmeric (rhizomes)

A spice with powerful anti-inflammatory properties. For better absorption, consume it with a little olive oil and a pinch of black pepper.
Powdered:
½ teaspoon with 2 meals, always accompanied by a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of black pepper. 10 to 20-day course.

Ginger (rhizomes)

A plant with anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, ginger helps relieve rheumatic pain and maintain joint mobility.
As a decoction:

1. Cut 2g of fresh rhizome into 500ml of cold water

2. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes

3. Let infuse for 10–20 minutes off the heat

4. Strain, add honey or lemon to your taste

5. Drink 3 cups a day, preferably after meals

In cooking:
Ground ginger can be easily incorporated into curries, soups, smoothies, and cakes, or mixed with honey and lemon for a comforting drink.

Boswellia (Indian frankincense)

A natural resin used for millennia in Ayurvedic medicine. Very effective against osteoarthritis and chronic arthritis.
As a concentrated extract (standardized to 70% boswellic acids):

• 2 to 3 doses per day of 300 mg, with meals

• 3-week course per month, to be repeated as needed

⚠️ Not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Remineralizing plants

Nettle (leaves)

A true nutritional treasure, nettle is rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, and silica. It deeply nourishes tissues and supports bones, cartilage, and tendons. It is remineralizing and draining, ideal for supporting bone health, especially in cases of fractures or osteoporosis.

Preparations:

• Infusion:
  1 tablespoon of dried leaves in 250 ml of simmering water. Infuse for 10 to 15 minutes covered. Strain and drink 2 to 3 cups per day.

• Fresh juice:
  Press fresh leaves to fully benefit from their purifying properties. Ideal in spring, nettle harvest season.

• Mother tincture:
  For a progressive, deep-acting course, to be followed as needed.

⚠️ Not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Horsetail (aerial parts)

Recognizable by its horsetail-shaped stems, horsetail is exceptionally rich in silica, an essential mineral that helps fix calcium and maintain the strength of bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. It is particularly recommended for osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, or after a fracture to support bone consolidation.

Preparation:

• Decoction (recommended method):
  4 tablespoons of dried horsetail in 1 liter of cold water. Gently bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes over low heat, strain, and let cool.
  Dosage: 3 to 4 cups per day, preferably between meals.

⚠️ Not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, dialysis patients (end-stage renal failure), and people on diuretic treatment.

Lithothamnium (algae)

Harvested on the Breton coast, lithothamnium is exceptionally rich in natural calcium and magnesium. It is one of the most effective and easily assimilated remineralizing supplements by the body, ideal for supporting bone and joint strength.

Preparations:

• Powder: ½ teaspoon (about 2.5 g) per day, to be mixed in a glass of water, yogurt, or a smoothie. Preferably during a meal for better absorption.

• Capsules: available for convenience, to be taken according to the dosage indicated on the packaging.

Draining plants

Our joints sometimes suffer from the accumulation of small acidic waste that our body can no longer eliminate properly. This is where draining plants come in – their role is to help the kidneys clean up and evacuate these residues that crystallize in the joints and maintain inflammation.

Ash, birch, horsetail, dandelion, and blackcurrant are valuable allies in this gentle cleansing work. In addition to their draining action, these plants – most of them well-known in our French countryside – also promote good blood circulation and have pain-relieving properties. A few weeks' course can make a real difference, especially in cases of gout or chronic inflammation.

Ash (leaves)

Discreet but formidably effective, ash leaves are valuable allies for gently draining the body. Diuretic and depurative, they help eliminate uric acid and crystals that form in the joints and kidneys. They are particularly recommended for arthritis, gout, and kidney stones.

Preparation:

• Infusion: 1 tablespoon of dried leaves in a cup of simmering water. Infuse for 10 minutes covered. Strain and drink 3 cups a day, preferably between meals.

⚠️ Not recommended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, dialysis patients, and people on diuretic treatment.

Birch (leaves and buds)

Birch is one of the gentlest and best-tolerated natural diuretics. Where chemical diuretics can irritate the kidneys and cause mineral loss, birch leaves and buds promote the elimination of excess fluids while preserving the body's balance – they can even help regenerate the kidneys and reduce their inflammation. An ideal plant for deep drainage, without aggressing the body.

Preparation:

• Infusion: 1 tablespoon of leaves and/or buds in a cup of simmering water. Infuse for 10 minutes covered. Strain and drink 3 to 4 cups a day, preferably between meals.

⚠️ Not recommended in case of renal or cardiac edema, aspirin allergy, and birch pollen allergy.

Horsetail (aerial parts)

You already know it as a remineralizing plant — but horsetail is also a gentle natural drainer! It stimulates the elimination of excess fluids and helps the kidneys evacuate acidic waste accumulated in the body. Particularly recommended in cases of water retention, kidney stones, urinary infections, gout, or excess uric acid — gently and without aggressing the body.

Preparation: Follow the preparation method indicated in the Remineralizing Plants section above.

Dandelion (leaves and roots)

It is often considered a weed — yet, dandelion is one of the most generous plants for our joints! Its leaves and roots have a powerful draining effect: they naturally increase urine production and help the body get rid of acidic residues that accumulate in the joints. Particularly recommended in cases of gout or arthritis.

Preparations:

• Juice: Press or crush fresh leaves and roots. Drink 2 to 3 tablespoons before each meal. For a deep detox effect, do a one-month course in spring — the ideal season to pick fresh dandelion.

• Infusion: 1 tablespoon of dried leaves in a cup of simmering water. Cover and infuse for 10 minutes. Drink one cup before each meal.

⚠️ Contraindicated in case of pregnancy, breastfeeding, heart or kidney disease, and bile duct obstruction.

Blackcurrant (leaves)

Less known than the berries, blackcurrant leaves are nevertheless true allies for the joints. Recognized for their diuretic and depurative properties, they support the liver and contribute to the elimination of uric acid, while helping to reduce water retention. A choice ally to easily integrate into a daily herbal tea, alone or in combination with other draining plants.

Preparation: Follow the preparation method indicated in the Anti-inflammatory Plants section above.

💡 The right drainage reflex

For optimal effect, remember to drink enough water throughout the day during your draining course — this helps the kidneys eliminate waste more easily. And to avoid waking up at night, prefer your draining herbal teas before 5 PM.

Joint Comfort Herbal Tea: a synergy of plants for your joints

Rather than acting in isolation, the ideal is to create a synergy of plants, to support the body holistically.

It is with this in mind that we created our Articular Comfort Herbal Tea. A blend of blackcurrant, nettle, meadowsweet, dandelion, and rosehip, designed to:

• soothe inflammation

• support tissues

• promote elimination

Directions for use:
2 to 3 cups per day, preferably between meals, for a 3-week course.

What if you took gentle care of your joints, day after day?

Taking care of your joints is not about finding a miracle solution.
It's about adopting simple, regular, and kind habits towards your body, day after day.

A herbal tea, a moment for yourself, a breath...
And little by little, regain more comfort and fluidity in your movements.

To go further, discover our other articles on joint health:

• 👉 Joints: what to eat to suffer less?
• 👉 Essential oils: the joint pain reliever

Sources:

• Gayet, C. Le grand atlas des plantes qui soignent. 57 remèdes naturels pour combattre les maladies de notre temps. BioSanté Éditions, 2022.
• Tendinite, arthrite, allergies… Maîtriser le feu de l’inflammation. Plantes & Santé, N°267, mai 2025.
• Pamplona-Roger, G. Guide des plantes médicinales. Encyclopédie Vie et Santé.

 

Under no circumstances should the information and advice offered on the MerveilleNature website replace a consultation or diagnosis made by a doctor or health professional, who alone are able to adequately assess your state of health.