The Story of an Infamous French Herbalist: Maurice Messegue

“I make a point of asking everyone who comes to consult me: “Do you like your job?” It’s so important for the morale; a patient who is happy in his work is always much easier to cure.”

Maurice Mességué

Maurice Mességué is a French herbalist who began practicing in earnest in 1947, a time when there were virtually no herbalists in North America. He primarily used hand and foot baths to administer herbs and was a champion of carefully harvested and prepared herbal medicines. 

I write this article using only two sources, both of them Mességué’s own books which were written decades ago. So essentially what follows is my summary and pondering of Mességué’s written work and I can not substantiate whether or not his amazing story is 100% fact. 

This article was originally published in the Plant Healer Magazine. Kiva just announced that there are only a few copies left of the first year's printed edition and they have no plans to reprint. This book is a treasure and is over 700 pages of diverse herbal knowledge. 

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Maurice Mességué is the author of numerous books. The two I referenced for this article include his autobiography and a book of materia medica. The title of his autobiography is Des hommes et des plantes which is translated both as Of Men and Plants and Of People and Plants was written in 1970. His book of materia medica is the Health Secrets of Plants and Herbs and was written in 1975. 

Mességué’s Roots

Born in 1921 in southwestern France, Mességué learned to use plants to heal ailments from his father who had learned it from his grandmother and so on down their ancestral line. His autobiography begins by saying,  “To know a river you have to know its source.” And for him, that source was his father, Camille Mességué.

Camille Mességué seems to have been a naturalist. He never did much work (for wages) and Maurice describes him as an observer of nature. He was known for several miles around (a great deal of distance before modern transportation) as a healer and helped a couple people a month with their various ills. He also was a water diviner (using a witch hazel wand) and a hunter. He never accepted money for his herbal treatments or his water divining. 

Mességué recounts his first lesson on herbal baths from his father. He was just a young boy and was having trouble with sleeping. His parents laid out a large copper basin and filled it with linden (Tilia sp.)  infused water. Maurice likens the deep sleep following a linden bath as a “drug induced sleep”. 

To heal people Camille Mességué used about forty different plants, hot water and laughter. He harvested and prepared all of the plants himself taking great care to harvest at the appropriate times. He preferred harvests during times of the new moon. He tells the young Maurice, “My boy, remember, never [harvest] when there’s a full moon; moonlight saps their strength. For plants to be at their best they need plenty of sunshine and very little moonlight.” 

Rosemary growing on a thousand year old wall in southern France

When Maurice was 11 years old his father died by accident from a self inflicted bullet wound. Mességué was put into boarding school where he was ridiculed and almost entirely friendless for three years. During that time he clung to the memory of his father, repeating in his head all that he had taught him about plants. Plants were his only solace, he harvested them, made teas from them and kept them near him to remind him of his heritage. 

In his youth Mességué never imagined himself taking up his father’s healing methods and certainly never imagined it would be his career. His father never took money for his “cures”. But he was occasionally questioned about using plants for medicine because of the reputation of his father. According to Mességué he was summoned one day to administer to Admiral Francois Darlan who was in charge of the entire French Navy. This was to be the first of many famous people Mességué would attend to. 

In 1944 Mességué was recruited for the STO or Service du Travail Oligatoire (Forced Working Parties). The STO was a “deal” between Germany and France, for every 3 French people who went to Germany to work one French prisoner of war was released. Mességué was forced to pack hurriedly and was escorted to board the train to Germany. He obligingly went in one door of the train and then promptly walked out another. After escaping the STO he said the only thing left to do was join the maquis, the guerrillas who found for the liberation of France. 

He survived the war efforts and in 1945 found himself as a teacher at a school in Bergerac, France. One day he came across a student who was suffering from a severe stomach ache. He gave him plants as a poultice and the next day the student was well again. Overtime he became known as a healer amongst his students. The students shared their “cures” with their parents and before long Mességué was seeing 15 patients a week! Upon learning of his administrations, the principle of the school was enraged and accused him of taking advantage of the parents. He ordered him to quit his herbal consultations at once. Mességué was outraged, especially since he hadn’t charged for any of his advice or herbs. He promptly left Bergerac and headed to Nice to take up his calling as a healer. He chose this town because an old friend of his father’s, who was also a doctor, resided there. 

Becoming an Herbalist

Mességué headed to Nice his head filled with exciting ideas. He would find his father’s friend and ask him for referrals. He would be in practice in no time! Upon meeting with the doctor shortly after arrival he was immediately rebuked. The doctor warned him he would be crazy to try to set up shop without a diploma. At this point in time Mességué had no understanding that one needed to be a doctor or have a diploma in order to help people. In two years time he would become very familiar with the legalities of practice. 

Undeterred Mességué found lodgings in Nice and had business cards made up, which he promptly posted to the front door of his residence naively thinking he would be booming with business in no time. Months went by with not one patient and when his money grew short he got desperate. 

Not having money for food Mességué asked a homeless beggar for tips on getting free meals. The man took him to a soup kitchen. While eating his soup Mességué noticed the man was covered in dry eczema which he constantly itched. Mességué offered to treat him, but the man refused. Finally Mességué, knowing the man’s affinity for wine, said he would give him a bottle of wine every time he came to his apartment for a treatment (hand and foot baths). The man agreed and soon, the eczema was gone. Nuns, who had previously taken care of the man, noticed the incredible improvement in his skin and began to start seeing Mességué for their own illnesses. Word of mouth quickly spread and he found himself with more patients than he could deal with. 

Rising in Fame

“I was often consulted by the professional classes. These are the intellectuals, the people who feel the need to get ‘back to nature,” who do not blindly admire progress for the sake of progress. They’re afraid that science is overreaching itself and they often stop and wonder: Where is the world heading? What are we playing at?”

Maurice Mességué

The second celebrity that Mességué treated was Mistinguette. Born in 1875 she was a famous French entertainer whose remarkable career lasted over 50 years. One could think of her as the first Marilyn Monroe. In 1919 her legs were insured for 500,000 francs! Mistinguette did not pay Messegue for his treatments, instead she taught him the ways of high society and introduced him to many influential people. 

Throughout his book Messegue claims to have treated the richest and most glamorous people of the times while also seeing a third of his clientele for free. From King Farouk of Egypt, to poet Jean Cocteau to high ranking political figures including Winston Churchill Mességué was constantly amazed that a son of a peasant spent time with such celebrities. 

Reading through his autobiography is like taking a stroll through time. As each famous person’s story was recounted I looked up the person on wikipedia to gain further insight into these movers and shakers of the 50s and 60s. Of course none of the entries mentioned Mességué. 

I’ve already mentioned that the only sources of information I’ve had to go on is Mességué’s own books. I have been unable to substantiate any of the stories he tells. Conveniently most of the famous people he treated died several years before his book was published. Or were those people specifically chosen for his book because they had passed on? While he shares the maladies and herbs given for most of the people he features in his book he withholds the treatment for some, stating he only writes about the maladies that were well known in the public eye, otherwise it is confidential. 

The only factual glitch I find in his book was regarding the treatment of Pierre Loutrel, known as Pierrot le Fou (Crazy Pete). Loutrel was the  “Al Capone of France” and was wanted as a dangerous criminal. Mességué claims to have treated him for an ulcer in 1950, but according to Wikipedia Loutrel died in 1946, a year before Mességué was in practice. Did Mességué misremember? Is wikipedia mistaken? Does that warrant a dismissal of all of Mességué’s claims? For me, I’ve chosen to believe his story and to relish the thought of an herbalist helping thousands of people, young and old, rich and poor at a time when herbalism was all but dead in North America. 

Legal Battles

“The act of healing did not begin in the twentieth century. Granted that science has made such great progress, it is true nonetheless that our ancestors had discovered plenty of methods of treating various afflictions.”

Maurice Mességué

Mességué’s rise to fame did not go unnoticed. His first court case was April 28, 1949 where he was charged with practicing medicine without a license. The defense was only allowed to call 28 out of the 50 witnesses to speak in support of Mességué. He was found guilty. The trial and ruling came as a strong emotional blow to Mességué, but he barely had time to notice. The next day there were hundreds of people waiting in line to see him. 

Mességué continued to practice herbalism despite the French government’s persistent opposition. He went to court over 20 times, was found guilty multiple times and had the cases dismissed a few times. Through each case he continued to raise a growing number of support. By his last court case he said there were 20,000 letters of written to the judge in his favor. 

Although he had strong words for some of the practices within the medical establishment, Mességué  did not denounce western medicine on the whole. He very much wanted to be accepted by the doctors and to be considered one of their colleagues. 

I began to realize just how dangerous medicine can be, and when I hear of babies being treated for eczema with shots of cortisone, or year-old infants being given barbiturates, I have no hesitation in calling it criminal folly. 

Maurice Mességué

His Methods

“Though my methods were sometimes puerile, I was rediscovering for myself the principle I was to apply for the rest of my life: Treat the patient rather than the disease.” 

Maurice Mességué 

Mességué almost exclusively used herbs in external treatments. He treated everything from arthritis to bronchitis to impotence to digestive problems with hand and foot herbal baths and poultices. Throughout his autobiography Messegue reminds us that there is no herbs for eczema, instead he always worked with people and not their disease. 

He used a pendant to help him with diagnosis and for choosing herbs although he states multiple times in his autobiography that he did not place any magical belief in the pendant. He was careful not to give a medical diagnosis, asking patients for the diagnosis of their doctor. He does attributes many ailments to “liver problems” or “kidney problems.” 

For Mességué the plants were of supreme importance. He felt that only wild harvested plants, growing far from cultivation and pesticides that had been dried to perfection offered the best healing abilities. 

“It was equally clear to me that I couldn’t go to some unknown shop in Paris and buy desiccated herbs that would have lost two-thirds of their virtue. I had to have my own plants, I had no confidence in any others, and so I crammed my suitcase with plants and bottles.”

Maurice Mességué

Mességué refused to treat tuberculosis and cancer and he refused to treat someone under the direct care of a doctor. Instead he specialized in people whose doctors had told them there was nothing more they could do. And while Mességué claims to have witnessed many miraculous cures he is quick to state that it is the power that God put in the plants that heals, not him. 

His “Herbal”, The Health Secrets of Plants and Herbs is filled with interesting information about some of western herbalist’s favorite plants. His love of the plants is very evident in his writings and immediately inspire me to book a flight to southern France to smell the thyme and gaze on the corn poppies. One hundred plants are included in his herbal and many have beautiful color plates as well. 

“Look at lavender, or at nettles or at mint. They are modest-looking plants. One could take them as the very symbols of humility. And yet these three plants alone can deal with as many troubles as can a family medicine-chest full to bursting.”

Maurice Mességué

Mességué’s Plants

Celandine (Chelidonium majus)  was one of Mességué’s most used and most revered plants. 

“My father introduced me to it. He used to say that it was both the best and the most wicked of herbs. He called it swallow wort and one day he showed me how the swallows took some of the sap to their little ones in the nest to protect them from blindness. It was not till much later that I learned that the Greek word Chelidon does in fact mean swallow.”

Mességué never used this plant internally, instead it was always used as a hand and foot bath as was his custom. 

Mességué considered celandine to be a premier herb for the liver. He says it is specific for jaundice, hepatitis and swelling of the gallbladder. As a member of the poppy family, it is a sedative and can also relieve spasms of the organs. 

He goes on to say he recommends it for every case of insomnia as well as rheumatism, gout, kidney troubles, asthma, bad nerves, chronic bronchitis, anxiety and serious allergies. Used as a compress it works as a vermifuge for uninvited guests in the digestive tract, ringworm and herpes. Celandine seems to have been in practically everyone of his formulas. 

Here is a description of the hand and foot baths as recommended by Messegue. 

Celandine water bath

• Boil 1 and 3/4 pints of water and leave it for five minutes. 
• Add a small handful of celandine flowers, leaves and roots. Let it macerate for 4-5 hours. 
• When it is done, boil 3 1/2 pints of water. Let this stand five minutes and then add to the herbal brew. 
• This brew can be used for eight days and can be reheated (not boiled). No new herbs need to be added to this mix. 

Mességué recommends boiling the water in china. He does not recommend metal or plastic for herbal preparations. 

Foot baths should be taken in the morning on an empty stomach. The water should be as hot as possible. The bath should last no longer than 8 minutes. Hand baths are taken in the evening before dinner. Again they should last no longer than 8 minutes and the water should be as hot as possible. 

Mességué’s Accomplishments 

Mességué practiced herbalism from 1947 on and saw tens of thousands of patients. 

In 1958 Maurice Mességué created the Wild Herbs Laboratories which later became the Mességué Laboratories. It was the first herbal business to be strictly “organic” and denounce any use of pesticides. The business still exists but I believe it has now been sold. http://www.Mességué.com

But I can promise you one thing-you won’t find the slightest trace of any chemicals. My herbs have grown free in their chosen soil, where nature intended them to grow. They were happy plants, and that’s important. When you’re happy you’re at your best.

Maurice Messsegue

In 1971 Mességué was elected the Mayor of Fleurance, a small town in southwestern France and home to his retail herbal store. He continued to serve as the chief magistrate until 1989. 

He is the author of at least ten books, not all of which have been translated to english. 

In 1994 he created the Institute of Maurice Mességué to continue his work. (I found a listing and address in a French directory but was unable to learn anything more.) 

Italy hosts five different spa and wellness centers which give treatments based on Mességué’s methods including hand and foot baths and his dietary regimens. They are called the Centres de cure Maurice Mességué. One of these is run by his son, Marc Mességué.

Conclusion

Maurice Mességué was a pioneer of herbalism. He was practicing in France at a time when herbalism was all but dead in North America. He is a strong voice for the plants, reminding us the best remedies grow outside our door and include our common weeds as well as fresh air and sunshine. Mességué is still living and is a ripe age of 91. 

I hope that by writing this book I am leaving a message for future generations. Let us hope that the destruction and pollution that our civilization wreaks upon nature will be brought to a halt; let us hope that our children in their turn will have the chance to admire the cornflower and the poppy an the wild rose and rejoice in their beauty... before they use them to ease their complaints! 

Maurice 

Mességué

Resources 

If you've enjoyed learning about Mességué, then I highly recommend going to the source. The two following books are the ones I cited in this article. 


Of People and Plants: The Autobiography of Europe's Most Celebrated Healer

Health Secrets of Plants and Herbs

I am currently writing a series of Plants in France. Check out the labels tag on the left hand column to read about some of Messegue's favorite plants. 

Herbal Remedies for Menopause

Supporting women through the Change of Life

Between the ages of 40 - 60 women undergo a change of life as their fertility declines and their monthly cycles stop. This natural cycle of life manifests differently for all women. Besides the physical changes, women also may find themselves going through life changes. This may include new interests and a new direction or purpose in life. This time can be challenging yet positive and enlivening. 

I want to give voice to the powerful and positive transition that can happen during this time. This article, however, is more focused on the physical changes that some women experience and how to assess these changes individually from a traditional herbal perspective. I’ll be drawing mainly on a differential diagnosis from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), however my goal is that those with no understanding of TCM will walk away better understanding the nuances involved during this change of life. My overall goal is to help people move away from treating symptoms to addressing patterns and underlying imbalances. 

Let’s begin by defining a few terms. The term menopause is often used in common language to describe many years of this transformative experience. The term menopause literally means the stopping of the monthly cycles. Thus menopause refers to a particular moment in time, the last menstrual cycle. Menopause is officially declared one year after the menstrual cycle has stopped. 

Perimenopause refers to the years leading up to the last menstrual cycle. Some women experience more noticeable changes during this time including erratic menstrual cycles, fatigue, hot flashes etc. 

Post menopause refers to the time after the last menstrual cycle and is declared a year after the last cycle. 

In Japan these peri-menopausal years are referred to as konenki translated as the “renewal years.” I think the english language could certainly use some better terminology for this transition. For this article I’ll use the term menopause as it is used colloquially. 

In recent years a lot of sensitivity has gone into reframing menopause, not as a disease, but as a natural process. “Hallelujah!” say many women as this is obviously important to recognize. However it is just as important to recognize that the severe symptoms that some women experience during this time should not be ignored or dismissed because it’s “natural”. 

We understand that menses is a normal cycle for most woman. It’s not a disease. However, heavy bleeding, severe pain from cramping, tender breasts and mood swings are not “natural”. These are symptoms of dis-ease and should be addressed.  

The same is true for perimenopausal symptoms. The cessation of menses is normal. Excessive menstrual flow, hot flashes and night sweats, mood swings, hair loss, insomnia, fatigue and irritability are not “natural”. Instead they are symptoms of an underlying imbalance and should be addressed. 

This article was originally published in the Plant Healer Magazine. This quarterly pdf publication continues to amaze me with its incredible diversity and depth of information. If you love herbalism, you'll want to subscribe today!
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Common menopausal complaints

In the western world many women experience the following during this time of transition: hot flashes, erratic menstrual cycles (both in length of cycle and length and flow of bleeding), lowered libido, increased headaches, dryness (notably dry vaginal tissues), insomnia, palpitations, irregular heart beat, fatigue, hair loss, bone loss, mood changes and changes in memory. 

The most common treatment for these in western medicine is hormone replacement therapy otherwise known as HRT. There is a lot of debate about HRT in the alternative health world, but this is beyond the scope of today’s article. 

Some practitioners of western herbalism approach these menopausal complaints with a western medicine mindset. They give herbs that contain phytohormones with the goal of balancing a woman’s hormones. Black cohosh, wild yam, and vitex are mainstays of these types of protocols. 

There are many excellent resources for this type of approach. Amanda McQuade Crawford, Aviva Romm and Jillian Stansbury are herbalists who write and lecture about using herbs for their phyothormone content. 

This article is going to focus on evaluating the individual and assessing common patterns associated with menopausal complaints. 

Proactive solutions

Of course the best ways to ensuring a breezy time of transition is living a consciously healthy life well before the time of transition appears. Furthermore actively consulting with someone trained in traditional herbal medicine can help correct imbalances before they are pathologies. Traditional herbal medicine excels at recognizing imbalances before they are entirely problematic. Prevention is key and women in their 20’s and 30’s who are actively engaged in creating vibrant health for themselves will benefit from this foundation for the rest of their lives. 

It is often touted that other cultures have less menopausal complaints than the women in our western culture. Diet and lifestyle are frequently the reasons given for this difference and many reasons are given in a soup du jour attitude. One study claiming increased amounts of soy in the diet the reason that asian cultures have less menopausal complaints. Another study showing dietary seaweed is the reason women in other cultures have an easier transition. Another study shows that cultural perceptions are the reason. 

I think we will be hard pressed to find the reason. Furthermore, we hopefully realize by now that there is no one diet or lifestyle for the whole population. Approaching people individually and constitutionally from the beginning of life will help us recognize and correct imbalances easily to promote a lifetime of vibrant health. 

Addressing menopausal complaints

Easily half of the people I see in my herbal practice come to see me because of menopausal complaints. 

In this article I will cover the three most common patterns that I see. Please keep in mind that these patterns are portrayed in a very broad and general way. There are many many distinctive patterns involved with this life process and much more specific ways of looking at it through particular organ meridians. A great resource for these are Healing with the Herbs of Life by Lesley Tierra. 

Shepherd's Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

Excess 

Let’s begin with a pattern that is more excessive in nature. This is by far the easiest pattern to address! 

An excess pattern has many signs of true heat. 

• Hot flashes. In particular these hot flashes are intense. Lots of heat and lots of sweating is involved. This is the person who has to change their clothes after a hot flash or change their sheets after having night sweats. 
• Loud voice, red tongue and possibly a red face, not just red cheeks, but the whole face (important distinction). 
• A lot of thirst.
• Fast pulse
• Possibly frequent headaches or headaches associated with menstruation. 
• Excessive menstrual flow. They keep bleeding and bleeding, going through many pads and tampons in one day. 
• This pattern often has heat in the digestive tract as well this may manifest as cold sores, mouth ulcers, sensitivity to spicy foods, ulcers, irregular bowel movements. 

To address an excessive pattern

There are two main strategies with type of pattern. First we want to use cooling therapies (herbs and lifestyle). Often referred to as eliminating and draining this include many of our bitter herbs. 

Herbs I frequently recommend for this: 

Fresh chickweed (Stellaria media)

Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale)

Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

Rose (Rosa spp.)

Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)

Motherwort (Leonorus cardiaca)

Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa)

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)

Secondly we want to support the adrenals using adaptogen herbs. We don’t want these to be too heating in nature. 

Herbs I frequently recommend for this include

Nettle leaf (Urtica dioica)

Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus)

Milky oats (Avena sativa)

Astringent herbs can be applied for this pattern as well. Rose (Rosa spp.) and schisandra (Schisandra chinensis) are ones that I frequently use. 

Deficiency

Deficient patterns are what I see more commonly in people I work with. This pattern is much harder to correct. In general it is always easier (in terms of duration and type of treatment) to eliminate and drain than it is to nourish and build. 

Deficiency patterns usually arise after many years of draining the system through bad diet, excessive stress, improper movement etc. If a menopausal woman is showing signs of deficiency after 48 years of not nourishing herself, it’s going to take some time to correct this! 

Deficiency patterns include: 

• Hot flashes with little sweating
• Lethargy, fatigue, especially from 3-5 in the afternoon. This person may start off strong and then peter out quickly. 
• Red cheeks and/or red nose (not a red face) 
• Heat in the soles of feet, palms of hands or chest
• Tinnitus
• Cold hands and feet
• Pale tongue, slow or weak pulse
• Sore lower back, weak knees
• Copious and clear urination

To address a deficiency pattern

In this pattern we want to nourish and build and many times restore moisture as well. Here we are thinking about moisture building herbs (demulcents and blood builders) and adaptogen herbs. 

My favorite herbs for this include 

Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus)

Ashwagandah (Withania somnifera)

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)

Dang gui (Angelica sinensis)

As always, diet is important to address as well. Although we all have different needs, people with deficiency patterns benefit from focusing on cooked vegetables, grains (if tolerated), organic and pastured raised meats, and warm foods. Raw fruits and vegetables are usually contraindicated along with iced drinks and fruit juices. 

Liver Qi stagnation

Liver Qi stagnation is a Traditional Chinese Medicine pattern that is frequently seen in today’s populace. This pattern can be in addition to either of the patterns above. 

Symptoms include 

• poor appetite
• mood swings
• quick to anger
• irregular menstrual cycle
• cysts that come and go, fibroids
• digestive complaints
• wiry pulse
• tongue may have curled edges or red edges
• alternating diarrhea and constipation
• fatigue and lethargy
• difficulty swallowing

The classic formula for this is a Chinese formula, Xiao yao san. It is made up of 

Bupleurum 6-9 grams

Dang gui 6-9 grams

White peony 8-12 grams

Poria 9-15 grams

Dry-fried atractylodes 3 grams

Baked licorice 3-6 grams

Mentha 1-3 grams

Fresh ginger 1-3 grams 

In western herbalism, liver moving herbs would be indicated, dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), calendula (Calendula officinalis), St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) etc. I have the most experience with the above formula. 

Dryness vs. Dampness

Most women I see during this transition have symptoms of dryness. Dry skin, dry mouth, dry hair, dry vaginal tissues (very common complaint). Dryness can manifest “false heat” symptoms. These include red cheeks or red nose, heat in the soles and palms and chest, night sweats, anxiety, dry stools, thirsty, scanty and dark urine. 

Using moisturizing and building herbs like shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), prepared rehmannia (Rehmannia glutinosa), marshmallow (Althea officinalis), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) etc, can help to balance the moisture in the body. Likewise healthy fats and oils can be optimized in the diet. Lots of high quality olive oil and coconut oil can be added to the diet. Fish oil and evening primrose oil can be supplemented. 

For administering these herbs I especially like using them as powders stirred into ghee and coconut oil and if appropriate for the individual, a little honey. Decoctions also work well. 

For symptomatic treatment of dry vaginal tissues a vitamin E capsule can be pricked and then inserted vaginally at night, and as needed. 

Signs of dampness may include edema, loose stools, thick coating on tongue, swollen tongue, heavy vaginal discharge and nausea. For these women we want to remove dampness using eliminating and draining herbs such as nettle or dandelion leaf. 

Conclusion

My hope is that this article helps the reader to understand that there are no herbs for “menopause” and no herbs for “hot flashes”. Instead we want to evaluate the individual and then come up with a customized analysis (excess, deficient, stagnancy) and then a customized plan based on that analysis. In this way we work with people and we do not diagnose or treat diseases. 


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Everybody Hurts Sometimes: Relieving Pain with Herbs

The following article was originally published in the Plant Healer Magazine. This quarterly digital publication delivers some of the best contemporary herbalist content. 






Pain, The Great Motivator

The sensation of pain is a great motivator for people to seek help. Whether you practice herbalism for your friends and family or are a clinician, pain is one of the most common complaints we hear. 

Most of us were raised to take over-the-counter (OTC) medicine when we experienced pain. These pills are usually cheap, easy to acquire and take, and are often effective in the short term. The obvious problems associated with OTCs are habitual use due to recurring pain (since they never address the real problem), which gives rise to a myriad of undesirable side effects ranging from digestive problems to death¹. 

It is common in western culture to view pain as an inconvenience. Many people I see want a safe herbal equivalent to OTCs so they can get back to their normal lives. It often takes a lot of coaching on my part to change their ideas and approaches to pain. 

Sometimes this is entirely unsuccessful. I have had clients who don’t want to change how they eat or who don’t want to pay for multiple sessions in manual therapy.  Instead they just want something to take the pain away. I believe people are free to make their own health choices. If they don’t want to address the underlying problem for their pain but are seeking safer alternative to over the counter pharmaceuticals, I help them find this solution.

Many times people have sought me out because they want a more holistic approach to their pain and are open to more drastic changes in their lives. I often work on a two pronged approach, doing what I can to stop the pain now as well as working on the underlying issue.

Many people new to herbalism are simply looking for the safe herbal equivalent to Tylenol and they will have a difficult time finding it. This difficulty gives rise to the erroneous idea that herbs are not effective for pain. As far as I know there isn’t that one (legally available and safe) herb that will stop all pain. Instead, herbs are highly specific to the type of pain. Herbalists will be much more successful in treating pain if they can differentiate the type of pain and the cause of the pain. 

This article is going to examine how we look at pain using traditional humoral and energetic markers. Having been trained as a planetary herbalist with a basic understanding of humoral western herbalism, Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, the following draws on my own hodgepodge understanding of all these traditions. I will strive to present it in a common language for general understanding.  

Before we can suggest herbs for pain we must know a lot more about the quality of the pain, the onset and severity of the pain, and the location of the pain. Please keep in mind there are a lot of different kinds of pain. Questions asked for chronic pain will differ significantly from questions regarding an acute injury. I trust the reader can draw these apart depending on the situation. 

Although I will highlight some of my favorite plants for pain, this article will be more about understanding the energetic qualities of pain, rather than a general review of the materia medica used for pain. However, I won’t stray too far into the philosophical mechanisms of pain and it is my hope that the reader will leave with practical applications for pain. 

Determining the quality of pain

For many laypeople pain is pain. 

For the traditional herbalist “pain” is a general word that needs to be explored more fully. To better understand the quality of pain we can look for insights into the thermal energetics (cold vs. hot), the humidity (damp vs. dry), whether the pain is from excess or deficiency, and whether there is an influence of spasms (wind) or of stagnancy. 

Cold vs Hot

Understanding whether the pain is influenced by hot or cold can be an important distinction in differentiating pain. Pain being influenced by cold or hot is not a woo-woo or ethereal concept. People with arthritic pain will tell you it’s worse in the winter when it’s cold. Or someone may know they tend to get pounding headaches in the heat of the summer.  Sometimes pain induced by an imbalance of temperature can be even more obvious, like pain from a sunburn, which typically feels hot.  

Aloe is a wonderful plant to sooth
the pain of sunburns, ulcers and herpes sores,
all are considered hot conditions. 

Here are some general questions one may ask to determine the temperature of the pain. 

Do you prefer cold/warm temperatures? Is your pain increased with coldness/warmth? Is pain ameliorated with cold/warmth? Do you notice more discomfort in the winter/summer? Palpating the specific area of pain, does it feel cold? Does it feel warm? If pain is systemic, does the person tend to feel cold or warm?

Of course answers are seldom black and white. The person may feel cold in their extremities, while the area of pain is hot or vice versa. In general we want to address acute situations before more chronic or constitutional considerations. 

For pain associated with coldness. 

The person who has systemic pain associated with coldness generally has a pale complexion and may be cool to the touch. They may have a dislike or even fear of the cold. I often hear from these people that they have trouble sleeping at night because they are so cold. They typically are wearing more clothes than anyone else in the room. Their tongue may be pale in color. If they have a coating on the tongue it will tend to be white. Their pulse may be slow. Pain associated with coldness tends to be chronic like arthritis or pain from fibromyalgia. The pain may be be dull or achy and constant. 

Plan of action

Generally these people can benefit from warming herbs. Warm teas, cooked whole foods with lots of spices and warm baths may all be helpful. Circulatory stimulants are commonly used for this type of pain and include ginger (Zingiber officinale), turmeric (Curcuma longa), cayenne (Capsicum spp.), bee balm (Monarda spp.). 

For Pain associated with heat

Signs of constitutional or systemic heat may include a completely red face, loud voice, fast pulse, red tongue with possible yellow coating. They may thrive in cooler temperatures and complain of wilting in higher temperatures. Other heat signs in the body may include ulcers on the lips, mouth, stomach or intestines. 

St. John's Wort eases nerve pain and pain caused by herpes lesions. 

Pain associated with heat might be radiating, throbbing, hot to the touch, and intense. Acute injuries often have some element of heat to them. Sprains or burns will often be warm to the touch. 

Plan of action

For systemic pain, bitter and heat-clearing herbs may be of benefit here. Herbs containing salicylic acid such as willow (Salix spp.) and meadowsweet (Fillipendula ulmaria) fall into this category nicely. Nerve pain often falls into this category and herbs like St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perfoliatum) and Cow Parsnip (Heracleum spp.) can be of great benefit. 

Pain associated with heat often has some element of inflammation present. We have amazing anti-inflammatory herbs such as turmeric (Curcuma longa), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), St John’s Wort (Hypericum perfoliatum), licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), and on and on and on. Usually diet and lifestyle will need to be reviewed as well.

Acute injuries (sprain, strains, bruises) benefit from the topical application of herbs such as liniments, poultices, fomentations etc. Hydrotherapy, which has a long history of traditional use, and herbal baths/soaks can be of great benefit as well. Blood-moving herbs can both relieve pain and reduce swelling. I often reach for a blend of arnica-infused oil and arnica liniment for acute pain in closed skin traumas. 

Arnica cordifolia

For visibly hot traumas like burns, cooling herbs work exceptionally well. Even someone who couldn’t identify a dandelion correctly can tell you that aloe relieves the pain of burns. I also use aloe for herpes sores as it can stop a blister from forming, can relieve the pain and help to heal the blister. 

Ice is often recommended in western science for acute injury. Ice is topically anesthetic and will temporarily numb pain. It constricts the tissue, slows circulation to the site of the injury and may lessen swelling. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine historically does not recommend ice.  I also do not recommend ice even in acute injury. Ice congeals the blood and creates stagnation. A recent study demonstrated that icing an injury stopped the growth hormone, which is essential to healing². 

Discussing the topic of icing an injury among modern day herbalists raises a lot of controversy from all sides of the issue. The best we can do is research the issue from different perspectives and then rely on our own experience from personal application.


Dampness

Pain associated with dampness is pain increased with humidity (humid environments, rain) and a feeling of heaviness, especially in the lower limbs. Dampness can often be a component of arthritic pain. The area affected may feel damp and appear swollen. Pushing on the tissues may leave an indentation for an extended period of time. 

Plan of action

Dampness usually presents with a hot or cold component that also needs to be addressed for the individual. Dampness can accumulate through environmental factors, such as living in a damp environment, or as a result of cold digestion. Herbs that drain dampness (diuretics) or transform dampness. Dietary intake can also be an important part of controlling dampness. 

Dampness may be involving the lymphatic system and in these cases herbs that move the lymph are helpful. Sweating therapies can also be of great benefit. 

Dryness

Dryness can also manifest with arthritic pain or joint pain. Joints may crack and have a sensation of friction. The person will also most likely have other signs of dryness such as dry hair, dry skin or dry mucosal membranes. 

Plan of action

Demulcent herbs or yin tonics and an increased intake of healthy fats and essential fatty acids are indicated. 

Excess

Chronic excessive pain will most likely be paired with someone who tends toward an excessive constitution. The pain may be increased after eating and be aggravated by pressure or touch. Eliminating herbs such as those found under the alterative classification can be helpful in treating constitutionally. 

Acute injuries such as sprains will fall under this category as well. 

Cottonwood buds can be made into a liniment or salve and are great for
painful bruises, sprains and strains. 

Deficiency 

Pain associated with deficiency may be dull, chronic, relieved by pressure, better after eating and accompanied with fatigue. These people can use building and tonifying therapies such as adaptogens, wholesome foods, blood builders etc. 

Wind

Pain associated with wind is pain caused by spasming or constricted tissues. Pain that moves around may be due to wind. 

Plan of action

Herbs excel at relieving pain associated with constriction and spasming whether it is muscle spasms in the back or neck, menstrual cramping, or even pain associated with the passing of kidney stones. From a modern perspective we know that many people are deficient in magnesium and symptoms of this include muscle spasms. 

Valerian - wonderful for spasmodic or "wind" pain.

Applying heat and herbs topically and taking antispasmodic herbs internally can work wonders on relieving pain. When indicated magnesium supplements can help relieve pain and the underlying cause of the pain. Antispasmodic herbs I use frequently include valerian (Valeriana officinalis), lobelia (Lobelia inflata) and cramp bark (Viburnum opulus.) 

Stagnancy

Stagnant pain is usually fixed and throbbing. The person can point with their finger to the exact location that is a problem. The area may feel hot or cold. 

Plan of action

Move the stagnancy with a category of herbs called blood movers in Traditional Chinese Medicine and that often fall under the category of emmenagogues in western herbalism. Stagnancy is usually accompanied by a deficiency or an excess as well as a thermal imbalance and all need to be addressed as well. 

Onset of Pain

Knowing the onset of pain can help determine the underlying cause. It can also help the practitioner understand the severity of the situation. 

One of the most powerful gifts we can give our clients is the gift of awareness. Helping a person to be conscious of their body, knowing how the pain starts to manifest, what triggers it and what makes it better can go a long way in empowering them to get out of pain.

Red flags for pain include sudden pain down the left arm accompanied with nausea (possible heart involvement), sudden vomiting followed by pain (possible appendix troubles), severe lower back pain that is constant and accompanied by a fever (possible kidney infection), sudden pain accompanied by any other persistent symptoms such as vomiting, extreme fever, constant diarrhea, bladder dysfunction etc. All of these should be handled by someone with the appropriate experience, most likely a medical physician.

 Lobelia - relieves muscle tension and spasms. 

Severity of Pain

The subjective experience of pain is often measured on a 1-10 pain scale. Here’s how I like to break this down. 

1 - 3 pain scale: Pain is noticeable but the person is able to ignore it for the most part and perform regular functions of daily life. Not normally a big concern for them. 

4 - 7 pain scale: Pain encroaches on their ability to perform daily life activities. Oftentimes they need some sort of pain management in order to function or else they must limit offending activities. 

8 - 10 pain scale: Life is becoming intolerable. Pain inhibits their normal daily life activities. Bed rest or large doses of pain medications are necessary. 

This pain scale can fluctuate tremendously and apply to constant pain or intermittent pain. Pain may be worse in the morning, worse at night, worse with a specific activity, worse at a particular time of the month in a particular season and so on. 

Getting a subjective record of pain is important not only for understanding the current situation but also for recording improvement or digression. It’s very common for people to report “no change” in their pain, although they show significant improvement when asked to quantify their pain on a scale.  Being able to demonstrate this to a client will help them to be optimistic about their path to wellness and keep them on track. 

Location of Pain

The location of pain can give us an obvious understanding of whether we are dealing with a headache or an ulcer. Very helpful! 

In Traditional Chinese Medicine the location of pain can help point to the underlying problem. Studying acupuncture meridians can be a helpful field of study. Some herbs are specific for particular areas of pain and specific types of pain. Studying simples and herbalism through the eyes of an eclectic physician can also be a useful guide to relieving pain. 

Reality Check

These energetic considerations are presented in a black and white format for an introductory understanding. People seldom present with one manifestation and are more commonly seen with a multitude of influences. An herbal formula created specifically for a particular person is often the most powerful means to stopping pain. 

Instead of a dogmatic truth to follow, I offer the above guidelines as something to refer to as a general understanding when understanding a particular person’s pain. These basic guidelines may provide additional assistance when a pain protocol is not working. 

For example, if someone consistently relied on willow bark as a general pain reliever but found that it wasn’t working in a particular instance, a further look into to the energetics of the situation as well as the person,  will hopefully guide them towards greater success. 

I want to acknowledge that there are also low dose botanicals that can be used to relieve severe pain. The application of these potentially toxic plants are beyond the scope of this article. 

The Underlying Cause

When someone’s major complaint is pain I am ideally applying a two pronged approach. Of course I want to relieve their pain soon, but I also want to address the underlying cause of the pain. The reasons for pain are as varied as the people you’ll see so I will cover only a few reasons that I see regularly. 

Sometimes by addressing the pain energetically we can also address the underlying cause. For example, if a person is experiencing pain because they have excessive coldness then applying warming and nourishing/building therapies may relieve their pain as well as the cause of their pain. 

Insulin resistance is rampant in this society and is an inflammatory disease by nature. It can be a factor in a number of pain problems such as gout, kidney stones and even arthritis. 

Food intolerances can also lead to a variety of painful conditions including arthritis, debilitating bowel problems and headaches. 

Structural imbalances can play a large role in pain symptoms. Referring people to trusted specialists in this area can be very useful. This may include structural integration, yoga, pilates, network spinal analysis, feldenkrais etc. 

Stress and emotional challenges can play a huge role in pain and should never be overlooked.

Conclusion

Acute or chronic pain can be a vulnerable experience. The more we know about the pain the better we can help to both relieve a person’s current symptoms and prevent the pain from reoccurring. 

1. http://www.nature.com/ajg/journal/v100/n8/full/ajg2005305a.html

2. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8087777/Putting-ice-on-injuries-could-slow-healing.html