Comfrey Root extract

[mark-Perth]

Ive come across this article about comfrey root extract relieving pain. My pain specialist a while ago gave me a copy of a talk he did in the US about topical pain management and it was discussed in his talk as something that has been used in some cultures for pain relief for many years.

Has anyone tried it at all or know much about it?

Comfrey Root Extract Ointment Relieves Back Pain Fast

Comfrey Root Extract Ointment Relieves Back Pain Fast

Main Category: Back Pain
Also Included In: Sports Medicine / Fitness
Article Date: 21 May 2009 - 50 PDT

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[Efficacy and safety of comfrey root extract ointment in the treatment of acute upper or lower back pain: results of a double blind randomised placebo controlled multicentre trial Online First Br J Sports Med 2009; doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2009.058677]

An ointment containing an extract of comfrey root quickly and effectively relieves back pain, finds industry sponsored research published ahead of print in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

The authors base their findings on 120 people with upper or lower back pain who were treated three times a day for five days with either a dummy ointment or one containing comfrey root extract.

The participants were all aged between 18 and 60 and rubbed on 4 g of ointment at each application.

They were asked to assess their levels of back pain, and to what degree this interfered with normal movement, using validated pain and mobility scales on four separate occasions before, during, and at the end of the study period.

Neither the trial participants nor the researchers knew who had been given the comfrey root extract ointment.

Only one person given the comfrey root extract ointment had taken a regular painkiller (paracetamol) for a cold.

The results showed that pain intensity fell by an average of 39% between the first and fourth assessment among the 60 people treated with the dummy ointment.

But among those treated with the comfrey root extract ointment, the fall in pain intensity averaged 95% between the first and fourth assessment.

Comfrey root also was also fast acting, relieving pain after an hour.

Several previous studies have also compared the effectiveness of comfrey root preparations with regular anti-inflammatory creams for the relief of muscle and joint pain. The results indicated that comfrey root was more effective.

Source
British Journal Of Sports Medicine

[ajj1001]

[Efficacy and safety of comfrey root extract ointment in the treatment of acute upper or lower back pain:

Its talking about use in acute pain but would be interesting to see if it would be useful in addressing chronic pain. Not heard of anyone using it.

[dalhousie]

I tried the tea when I was suffering chronic pain with my first disc problem & to be honest I didn't notice any significant improvement. To be fair though things had been REALLY bad for a long while . I must have diligently tried everything under the sun with medical & alternative therapies. I ended up with advanced degeneration & my spine had collapsed so I had it fused.

It may give benefit for less severe cases or acute episodes.

[KBear]

It would definitely be worth a try, seeing as how it is non-invasive. Heck, just give me the placebo effect and I'll take it! Amazing how much the mind plays a role in pain.

[ajj1001]

Found another couple of studies citing it as useful in injuries. It is available in local healthfood shop for £3 so might worth a go.

[Justin]

Hey Mark,

Interesting find. The reduction in pain intensity in the group treated with Comfrey Root Extract Ointment was exciting to read. I will have to access the full-text publication in the British Journal of Sports Medicine to see the details of this study.

Ruth--thanks for sharing your experience with the community.

It will be interesting to look into how the route of administration (oral vs. topical) might play a role in Comfrey Root's efficacy. First-pass metabolism through the liver may play a role...I'll have to dig deeper in to this.