Using burdock - ways to make life easier for joints

Experiencing constant pain in the joints, any person will look for all kinds of remedies to eliminate this condition. At the same time, without even suspecting the existence of the most effective remedy, which is a common weed growing in every yard - burdock. The ways to use burdock for joint pain are varied. Ointments, compresses, and solutions for both oral and external use are prepared from it. These alternative treatments are often more effective than common short-term medications. Moreover, such therapy has almost no contraindications or side effects.

Large burdock description of appearance

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The plant is large, with an erect ribbed stem, from 60 centimeters to one and a half meters in height. Burdock has a large fleshy tap root and large leaves, making it difficult to confuse it with any other plant.

The stem is erect, ribbed, thick, reddish. Strongly branched in the upper part. The leaves are alternate, petiolate, broadly heart-shaped, mostly entire, less often notched-toothed.

The leaves are green above and gray-tomentose below. They reach up to 0.5 meters in length and the same width.

In the first year of life, only basal leaves develop in burdock. In the second year, the plant produces stems, blooms, and dies after the fruits ripen.

Burdock flowers are bisexual, collected in large spherical inflorescences-baskets with a lilac-purple corolla. Burdock blooms in June - August, and the seeds ripen in July - September. After the seeds ripen, the baskets fall off entirely from the stalks and are carried by animals and humans.

Photo: Pixabay

The fact is that the basket wrappers consist of hard, curved, clinging leaves, so they firmly cling to animal fur and clothing. We even have a saying: “He stuck like a burr.”

Which side should you apply burdock leaf for irritation?

With the help of burdock leaves you can get rid of irritation and allergies after insect or mosquito bites.

Which side to apply burdock leaf for irritation:

• Some of them accumulate a small amount of anesthetic on their noses, which can serve as a kind of poison. A bite often leaves red spots, irritation that is very itchy.
• Burdock leaves can relieve painful syndrome, as well as itching. It is necessary to crush the freshly torn leaf with your hands or beat it with a hoe. You can tap the back of the knife to release the juice. After this, the rough side of the sheet is placed on the sore spot.
• It is necessary to change such compresses every 2 hours, because after a certain period of time the flow of juice in the sheets stops, and all the beneficial substances are absorbed into the skin. Don't forget to renew the compresses.

Burdock
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To eliminate a headache, you need to know not only which side to apply the sheet to the head, but also to which zone. In most cases, applications are applied to the forehead area, but this does not always work. A burdock leaf on the forehead is effective if you have a mild headache from fatigue. But if a migraine is triggered by exposure to a virus, the cervical region or the back of the head hurts, then it is best to apply a burdock leaf to this part. If the headache is caused by high blood pressure, then burdock leaves are applied to the temples. Please note that for active action it is necessary to apply the fleecy side to the skin.

Where is burdock used?

Photo: Pixabay
For ordinary people, burdock is just a weed. In fact, the areas of application of this plant are large: from traditional medicine to use for cosmetic purposes.

Burdock leaves have a high content of ascorbic acid - up to 350 mg%. The roots contain up to 45% inulin, essential oil, organic acids, bitterness, phytosterol, resins, mucus, fat-like and tannins.

• The leaves of the plant help with headaches, burns, and relieve swelling of the legs. You just need to apply a fresh leaf to the sore spot. Leaves, smeared with sour cream, are applied for erysipelas.
• Fresh leaves along with coltsfoot leaves are applied to the chest for mastitis.
• An infusion of steamed leaves can be used to wash your hair against hair loss, especially after illness.
• A decoction of crushed dry root helps against old rashes, rheumatism, gout, syphilis, stone disease and congestion.
• The root of the plant can be boiled with lard and used to enhance hair growth.
• The leaves and finely chopped root can be boiled in water with the addition of cow butter, and the resulting ointment can be used to treat burns.
• Fresh or dry soaked leaves can be applied to wounds to heal them and to inflammatory seals to soften them.
• A decoction of the roots in a ratio of 1/10 with water is used to wash cows and horses with lichen, itching and hair loss.

Burdock is used in summer cottages. An infusion of leaves is used to spray garden trees and shrubs against caterpillars, cabbage butterflies and moths.

• To prepare the infusion, fill half a bucket of finely chopped leaves to the top with water. Let it brew for three days. Then strain the infusion and use for spraying.

Which side to apply the burdock to the knee: photo

INTERESTING : Overweight patients often suffer from arthritis and arthrosis. Due to excess weight, the joints are subjected to severe stress and wear out.

Which side to apply the burdock to the knee, photo:

• Provoke the release of juice. To do this, the sheet can be crumpled or picked with a fork.
• Juice will begin to flow out of the holes. Do not place the sheet with the fuzzy side on a board or table.
• It is best if the fibers are not wrinkled.
• Apply the prepared compress to the sore knee and wrap it with a bandage.
• For a better effect, the application site can be insulated.

The healing side

Medicinal properties of burdock

• The root of the plant acts as a strong diuretic and diaphoretic. The dried root is included in blood purification preparations.
• It has been experimentally proven that consuming the root increases glycogen deposition in the liver. In fresh form or in extract form, burdock root is indicated for diabetes.
• Root extract improves blood and urine composition in gout patients. An infusion of roots is used to treat stomach ulcers, gastric bleeding, and chronic gastritis.
• An infusion of the roots in almond or olive oil is produced under the name burdock oil. It is used for external treatment and strengthening of hair.
• Fresh juice is effective against pathogens of purulent diseases, cancer of the esophagus, uterus and stomach.
• Fresh leaves are used to treat old purulent wounds and tumors by applying them to the affected areas.
• Preparations from seeds and the whole fresh plant can be used as a diuretic for edema, and for intoxication from insect bites and poisonous snakes.

Which side should you apply the burdock to your head?

The leaves are great for headaches. Both fresh and dried leaves can be used. If you use a dried product, you must first rinse it with boiling water to make it soft.

Which side to apply the burdock to the head:

• The fleecy side is used for the effect, as it helps to “wake up” the nerve endings, slightly irritating the epidermis.
• This improves its permeability, and the active substances from the leaf actively reach the required area. Dry sheets are usually softened over steam.
• You can create a kind of water bath. Place a colander in a pan of boiling water and add a few dry leaves. After a few minutes the sheet will become completely soft.

Burdock

Traditional medicine recipes

Photo: Yandex.Pictures
Externally, a decoction of the roots is prescribed for skin rashes, lichen, furunculosis and skin itching. The decoction is used in the form of baths and rubdowns. For one bath, boil 1/2 kilogram of roots.

An infusion of leaves or roots can be used as a gargle for inflammatory processes in the mouth and throat.

Burdock root infusion to treat colds

• For a cold, pour a tablespoon of dried roots into 400 ml of boiling water. Let it brew for 2 hours, strain. Drink the infusion hot, 100 ml, two to four times a day.

Alcohol tincture for the treatment of gastritis

• To treat gastritis, infuse burdock root powder in equal parts of alcohol and honey for a week. Take 3 times a day, a tablespoon before meals.

Decoction of roots for the treatment of anemia, diabetes

Pour one tablespoon of roots with a glass of boiling water, put on fire and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes.

• For anemia, take as a single dose.
• For diabetes and as a diuretic, take one tablespoon 3-4 times a day.

Infusion of roots for the treatment of pancreas

• For pancreatic disease, steep two tablespoons of root overnight in 600 ml of boiling water. Drink 150 ml 3-4 times a day before meals.

Headache treatment

• To relieve migraine headaches, pour boiling water over a leaf of freshly cut burdock or white cabbage and apply it to the back of the head. The procedure can be done at night: wrap your head in cellophane and cover it with a terry towel on top.

Burdock oil against hair loss

• In case of increased hair loss, finely chop 100 grams of peeled but unwashed root, pour in sunflower oil and place in the oven for 6 hours. Rub the resulting homogeneous mass into your hair an hour before washing. Wash off with nettle decoction.

Treatment of joints with burdock: which side to apply?

Most often, the leaves are used for compresses to eliminate various abscesses, bruises, and skin diseases. These leaves contain 70% of the daily value of vitamin B.

Treatment of joints with burdock, which side to apply:

• The leaves have medicinal properties; they are often used in the form of compresses to treat arthritis, arthrosis and other joint diseases.
• It is necessary to keep the sheet in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, beat it with a hoe and apply it to the joint with the “furry” side.
• Apply an elastic bandage and leave for 1.5-2 hours.

How to procure raw materials

Burdock roots and leaves are used as medicinal raw materials. Leaves for medicinal purposes are collected in May from sunrise to noon, in the first phase of the moon.

The roots of the plant should be dug up in late autumn, when the plant has already bloomed. To preserve the healing properties, do not wash the root; it needs to be slightly dried and removed from the soil with a brush. Then cut lengthwise and dry in a stove or oven.

The roots should be harvested in the third phase of the Moon, closer to sunset. It is not advisable to air dry raw materials.

Features of burdock as a medicinal plant

Burdock is a medicinal plant, although it is a weed. Most often, large and cobwebby burdock is prepared as a pharmaceutical raw material. What are the medicinal properties of this plant? What are the indications and contraindications for its use?

Kinds

Burdock, like plantain and chamomile, is an easily recognizable medicinal plant. There are about 20 types of burdock. Of these, three species are most often used in folk and scientific medicine, which are similar in botanical characteristics and biological activity.

• Burdock is felted, or woolly, cobwebby. A biennial herbaceous plant with a fleshy, fusiform, thick, large root. Height: from 60 cm to 2 m (sometimes up to 3 m). The stem is strongly branched, erect, ribbed. The leaves are large at the bottom and become smaller up the stem. The bottom is grey-tomentose, the top is smooth and dark green. The peculiarity of this species is its cobwebby-fluffy stem and glandular-hairy flower baskets.
• Small burdock. Its morphological difference from other species: the baskets are collected in racemes and are larger in diameter. The height of the stem can be from 50 cm to 1.5 meters. Most common in Europe and Western Asia.
• Burdock. Other names for this species are also known: common burdock, or real burdock, burdock, burdock. According to botanical characteristics, it is similar to felt burdock. The average height is 1.5 meters. On moist, fertile soils it can grow up to 3 meters.

There are also many hybrid species that grow along roads. Formed in close growing conditions. In hybrids, it can be difficult to determine the characteristics of one species or another.

Area

The burdock plant's distribution range covers the whole of Eurasia. Its main species can be found not only in Europe, but also in Siberia, Asia, and China. It also grows in North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand as an alien species. In the Central Russian zone it is found everywhere. Loves weedy places. Belongs to ruderal (garbage) species. It takes root well in vacant lots, landfills, gardens, orchards, along roads, fences, and near housing. In the wild it forms tall thickets. It can often be seen in ravines, gullies, forest plantations, as well as along the banks of reservoirs, in willow forests.

Procurement of raw materials

Burdock has been known in folk medicine since ancient times. Ancient herbalists describe recommendations for its preparation.

• Burdock. Botanical illustration from Martin Cilešek's book Naše škodljive rastline, 1892.

  Collection. It is preferable to dig up the roots of the first year burdock in the fall. The healing properties are retained in plants of the second year, but they need to be dug up in early spring, before the stems begin to grow. The leaves and apical part are collected during the flowering period. Depending on the climate zone and species, collection may begin in June and end in September.

• Preparation and drying. The underground part is shaken off the ground, washed, cleared of bark, and thin roots are broken off from it. Then the roots are cut into plates up to 10 cm long (the total length of the root can reach 60 cm). It is recommended to dry in natural conditions - on verandas, attics with good ventilation, under awnings. The roots are laid out in a thin layer. The finished raw material should be brown on the outside and whitish-gray on the inside. Burdock leaves are dried in the same way.
• Storage. Some herbalists state that the leaves can be stored for 2 years, and the roots can be stored for 2 to 5 years. Under the right storage conditions (protect from dampness and light!), raw materials do not lose their beneficial properties for a long time.

Healing effect

What are the beneficial properties of burdock root?

• Blood purifying.
• Secretory.
• Antitumor.
• Antifungal.
• Diuretic.
• Sweatshop.
• Bactericidal.
• Wound healing.
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Disinfectant.
• Absorbable.

What does burdock root contain? The most valuable substance is the polysaccharide inulin. This carbon removes radionuclides, strengthens the immune system, normalizes liver function, stimulates hair and bone growth, promotes calcium absorption, and has a beneficial effect on lymphoid tissue. This substance is also found in chicory, Jerusalem artichoke, garlic, elecampane, dandelion, and asparagus.

In addition, the following were found in the root: mucus, proteins, essential oil, organic acids, fats, glycosides, trace elements, tannins, phytosterols, substances with antibacterial and antifungal properties. The leaves contain a lot of mucus, tannins, essential oil and vitamin C.

Indications for use

What does burdock root cure? For what diseases is it most often used?

• Treatment of joints and bones with burdock. It is useful to drink for rheumatism, radiculitis, arthrosis, osteochondrosis, gout, rickets. It relieves inflammation in joints, strengthens bones, and soothes pain. Taken orally, used externally in the form of compresses, baths and rubbing.
• Treatment with burdock of the gastrointestinal tract. The mucus contained in the herb is beneficial for the stomach and intestines. Infusions are drunk for chronic gastritis, stomach ulcers, to stop gastric bleeding, for digestive disorders, constipation, and hemorrhoids. Burdock has choleretic properties; it can be taken for gallstones, inflammation of the pancreas, and gallbladder. The herb also has antihelminthic properties.
• Treatment of kidney cysts with burdock. The root of the plant contains substances with absorbable properties. Burdock inhibits the growth of benign tumors in the body of various locations and nature. As a diuretic, it is prescribed for kidney stones, edema, and inflammation of the urinary system.
• Treatment of respiratory diseases with burdock root. Decoctions and infusions are taken orally as an antipyretic and diaphoretic for ARVI, flu, colds, respiratory inflammation and cough.
• Application in gynecology. Recommended for delayed periods to normalize the menstrual cycle. Burdock is also drunk for ovarian cysts and uterine fibroids.
• Application in endocrinology. The plant improves all metabolic processes in the body. Useful for diabetes (under medical supervision!). The plant improves the functioning of the pancreas and the production of insulin. There are quite a lot of positive reviews about taking burdock root for weight loss. The product cleanses blood, lymph, urine, rejuvenates the entire body, removes toxins and waste.
• Burdock root for oncology. Most often used for gynecological oncological diagnoses, stomach and esophageal cancer. Burdock is effective against cancer in the initial stages. It is also recommended to drink it to prevent malignant tumors, especially in old age.
• External use. Decoctions, ointments, tinctures, juice are used to treat wounds, burns, boils, trophic ulcers, acne, eczema, lichen, dermatitis, erysipelas, bruises, hemorrhages. Burdock also helps with mastopathy and neuralgia. It is used to treat the throat and oral cavity for inflammation.
• Detoxifying agent. It is useful to drink for various poisonings - food, alcohol, chemicals, heavy metals and poisons. There are positive reviews of burdock root as an antidote for bites from poisonous animals and insects.

Healing properties and rules of use

In the manufacture of various types of burdock-based products used for joint pain, different parts of the plant are used: rhizomes, leaves, fruits, stems. The healing substances contained in the plant accelerate metabolic functions, which contributes to the healing of the entire body as a whole.

The healing properties of burdock for joints include anti-inflammatory, analgesic, wound healing, and diuretic effects. The chemical composition of the plant is presented:

• vitamins;
• essential oils;
• fatty acids;
• proteins;
• tannins;
• inulin (polysaccharide);
• Sitosterol (reduces bad cholesterol levels);
• Minerals and many other valuable substances.

How is this composition useful? Leaves and other parts of the plant are used to strengthen, relieve pain and restore joints. Burdock is also valuable because it regulates the water-salt balance, therefore removing excess salt from the body. You can learn more about the benefits of burdock from the article “Therapeutic properties and contraindications - all the subtleties of using burdock in our article.”

This herbal therapy is an excellent alternative to popular and expensive medications. The only thing worth remembering is that taking burdock tincture orally is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women, as well as people with kidney failure.

Important! The collection of burdock for the manufacture of remedies for joint diseases should not be carried out in contaminated areas (near roads, factories, places with high radiation). In this case, you risk harming the entire body!

Does the plant help with joint pain? Yes, the use of burdock-based products is effective for a wide variety of joint diseases and at different stages of the disease. The use of the plant allows you to speed up metabolic processes, remove excess salts, relieve pain in the joints, relieve inflammation and irritation. Besides:

• There are a huge number of simple but effective recipes from burdock for joint diseases (tinctures, ointments, gels, compresses, decoctions).
• The weed is very common, so it is easy to find for making herbal medicine.
• There are a lot of reviews on the Internet from patients who have been helped by burdock remedies for sore joints.
• This is a remedy that has almost no contraindications (pregnant and lactating women, people with kidney failure), and can be used by anyone who is not allergic to this plant.

The active use of burdock in folk medicine is due to the effectiveness of the plant in the fight against various joint diseases:

• arthritis;
• arthrosis;
• bursitis (inflammation around the joint);
• rheumatism (inflammatory disease);
• joint injuries;
• painful sensations due to old fractures;
• gout (deposition of uric acid in body tissues, damage and deformation of joints);
• radiculitis.

Rules for the use of burdock for joint diseases:

1. Collect fresh and young plants, they contain much more useful substances.
2. When treating joints with burdock (tinctures, compresses, ointments), do not use polyethylene; it creates a greenhouse effect, which is undesirable with such therapy.
3. When making compresses from a plant, it is necessary to thoroughly wash and dry the raw materials, otherwise the water will prevent the penetration of beneficial substances into the skin.
4. The sheet on the side that you apply to the skin should be lubricated with vegetable oil. It effectively conducts beneficial substances from the plant into the skin, as if dissolving them in itself.

Important! A positive result will be observed with long-term use of the plant, because it is not a short-acting miracle remedy.