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Rooted

Musculoskeletal

Hand osteoarthritis

4 plants

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Heberden/Bouchard nodes and first-CMC pain. Topical capsaicin has human hand-OA data — burning is the point. Oral curcumin is a systemic inflammatory-pain adjunct, not a joint-space drug. White willow is salicylate-class risk. Acute hot swollen MCP in a younger adult is inflammatory arthritis until proven otherwise.

Primary plants

  1. Cayenne (Capsicum annuum)
    1
    CayenneHuman data

    Capsicum annuum

    Topical capsaicin: human data in hand OA. Wash hands. Do not touch eyes or mucous membranes.

    Typical. 0.025–0.075% cream qid as tolerated to intact skin.

    Safety. Burns. Broken skin: no. Wash hands.

  2. Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
    2
    TurmericHuman data

    Curcuma longa

    Curcuminoid extracts have OA pain-scale data. Culinary powder is not the trial product.

    Typical. Extracts often 500–2000 mg curcuminoids/day in various delivery systems.

    Safety. Rare DILI. Bleeding at extract dose. Gallbladder caution.

Supportive plants2
  • Indian frankincense (Boswellia serrata)
    Indian frankincenseHuman data
    Boswellia serrata

    Boswellia OA trials borrowed to the hands.

    Typical. AKBA-standardized extract as labeled.

    Safety. GI upset.

  • Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)
    ComfreyHuman data
    Symphytum officinale

    Topical, intact skin, short. Some OA-adjacent topical data.

    Typical. Cream as labeled, limited duration.

    Safety. Never internal.

When this is not enough

  • Hot swollen MCP/PIP in a young adult, psoriasis with DIP, acute crystal arthritis, neurologic hand wasting

Rooted is a private clinical reference for licensed practitioners. It is educational, not a treatment protocol, and not a substitute for the chart, the exam, or pharmacy review. Plant medicines interact with drugs and can harm liver, kidney, heart, pregnancy, and children.

All musculoskeletal diagnoses