Try Willow Bark Tea for Headache and Fever

While searching some traditional cure for the sugar related diseases (diabetes), I have come across   willow bark tea. I wish to share the the wonderful medical value of this tea. I vividly remember, how my "Nana" (grandy from mom side)  used to cure us from such desi medicines and one of these was willow bark tea. he was a desi medical practitioner and did well during his lifetime.   It is a potent cure for headache and fever- a common problem with all and sundry.  The  willow bark contains a form of acetyl salicylic acid, also known as aspirin; duct tape to help with setting broken bones; and duct tape or superglue to treat plantar warts; and Kogel mogel to treat sore throat.  It is the bark from several varieties of the willow tree, including white willow or European willow, black willow or pussy willow, crack willow, purple willow, and others. The bark is used to make medicine. Willow bark acts a lot like aspirin, so it is used for pain, including headache, muscle pain, menstrual cramps, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis, gout, and a disease of the spine called ankylosing spondylitis. Willow bark is also used for fever, the common cold, flu, and weight loss. The use of willow bark dates to the time of Hippocrates (400 BC) when people were advised to chew on the bark to reduce fever and inflammation. Willow bark has been used throughout the centuries in China and Europe, and continues to be used today for the treatment of pain (particularly low back pain and osteoarthritis), headache, and inflammatory conditions, such as bursitis and tendinitis. If  combined with the powerful anti-inflammatory  herbal plant compounds (called flavonoids), salicin  can be pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects of the herb. During nineteenth century, salicin was used to develop aspirin. White willow appears to bring pain relief more slowly than aspirin, but its effects may last longer. Some evidence Suggests that it is less likely to cause gastrointestinal side effects than other pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil) and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, do. However, studies have not shown this beyond all doubt, and people who are prone to stomach upset may want to avoid willow bark. Willow bark appears to be effective for back pain. In a well-designed study of nearly 200 people with low back pain, those who received willow bark experienced a significant improvement in pain compared to those who received placebo. People who received higher doses of willow bark (240 mg salicin) had more significant pain relief than those who received low doses (120 mg salicin). Several studies show that willow is more effective at reducing pain from osteoarthritis than placebo. In a small study of people with osteoarthritis of the neck or lower back, those who received willow bark experienced significant improvement in symptoms compared to those who received placebo. A similar study of 78 people hospitalized with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip joint found that people who received willow bark had significant pain relief compared to those who received placebo. Professional herbalists recommend willow bark for the following conditions, however, more research is needed. There is no harm in trying the tea as it has no side effects.