Turmeric comes from the root of a plant in the ginger family and is the main spice in curry, but did you also know it may contain important properties to relieve pain?
Turmeric contains a chemical compound called, curcumin that has been used in Indian and Chinese medicine for hundreds of years. Recently, a study highlighted in the Annals of Internal Medicine, discussed a 12-week, double blind, randomized study where researchers studied curcumin. 70 people with painful knee arthritis took two capsules a day of a curcumin extract or two placebos. They also performed MRI scans of the participants to look for excessive fluid, swelling, stiffness and pain.
The researchers found that pain, stiffness and physical reports improved more with those who had the curcumin extract, but there were no differences in the fluid and knee structure.
Both Dr. Paez and Dr. Saranita believe this is a small, yet important study. Dr. Paez shares, "We know 20% of people over age 45 will experience knee pain associated with osteoarthritis. We also know finding the right treatment for each patient can also be challenging."
Dr. Saranita adds, "Studies like this are important because we always want to understand whether dietary changes can be helpful in managing pain."
Both Dr. Saranita and Dr. Paez believe more study is needed. Further, with any treatment you should always speak with your provider to determine whether adding turmeric to your diet might be right for you.
