Musculoskeletal
OA, back pain, sprain, myofascial tension.
- Osteoarthritis of the kneeLoad, quads, and weight still beat capsules. Curcumin and boswellia have the extract trial file.7
- Nonspecific low back painMechanical back pain after red flags are out. Devil’s claw and topical capsaicin/comfrey are the plant file.5
- Osteoarthritis (general)Same extract file as knee OA, applied to other joints. Topicals for hands.4
- Neck pain / cervical strainMechanical neck pain after neuro screen. Topicals over internals.3
- Muscle tension / myofascial painLoad, sleep, and heat. Nervines if the driver is sympathetic tone.4
- Mild tendinopathyLoad progression is the treatment. Curcumin/boswellia are pain adjuncts only.3
- Acute sprain (external plants)PRICE/PEACE & LOVE. Topical arnica/comfrey are intact-skin adjuncts. This is not a fracture skip.3
- Sciatica (adjunct)Most disc-radicular pain improves. Plants are pain adjuncts. This is not cauda equina.4
- Gout flare (supportive)Colchicine/NSAID/steroid own the flare. Urate-lowering owns the next one. Plants do not replace that.4
- Fibromyalgia (adjunct)Education, sleep, graded movement, and (when used) SNRIs/gabapentinoids own this. Plants are modest adjuncts for sleep and myofascial comfort.5
- Plantar fasciitisLoad management, calf load, and time. Topical capsaicin or comfrey are comfort. Internal willow is a salicylate.4
- TMJ / masticatory myofascial painBite guard, PT, and NSAIDs first. Topical capsaicin is local. This is not giant-cell arteritis skip.4
- Lateral epicondylitisLoad management and time. Topical NSAID still exists. Capsaicin/arnica are intact-skin adjuncts — not a tendon release.4
- Hand osteoarthritisSplints, topical NSAID, and function. Topical capsaicin has the cleanest plant-derived file for hand OA.4
- Delayed-onset muscle sorenessTime and load. Arnica topical is mixed. Dark urine after a workout is rhabdo, not soreness.4
- Carpal tunnel (adjunct)Night splint and, when indicated, steroid or release. Topicals do not decompress a median nerve.3
- Statin-associated myalgia (adjunct)Confirm it is the statin. CK when weakness or dark urine. CoQ10 is not a plant. Turmeric is not permission to stop a high-intensity statin after an ACS.3
- Osteopenia (adjunct)Weight-bearing load, protein, vitamin D/calcium, and, when indicated, antiresorptives. Red clover is mixed isoflavones — not a bisphosphonate.3