Ingesting turmeric leads to nosebleeds for some readers
Q: I took turmeric to ease my arthritis. It worked wonderfully for the pain, but I had excessive nosebleeds that disappeared when I stopped the turmeric. I hated to do that, since the spice has so many healthful benefits! I’d love to know about other natural options for pain relief.
A: You are by no means the only person to experience nosebleeds while taking turmeric. We received this note from another reader: “I had a torn meniscus that eventually led to complex regional pain syndrome. I tried turmeric as an anti-inflammatory treatment. Then I started to get occasional nosebleeds.
“About three weeks in, I got a very heavy nosebleed in the shower. It took about 20 minutes for it to stop. Two days later, another nosebleed started in the shower.
“It was horrific, and I ended up in the emergency room. The doctor was able to stop the bleeding. When I saw the follow-up ENT doctor, she confirmed that turmeric was the culprit.
“Turmeric is a natural blood thinner. Despite the benefits to taking turmeric, I will stay away because of my unfortunate experiences.”
There is not a lot of research on the anticoagulant activity of turmeric and its active ingredient curcumin. One study in BMB Reports (April 2012) suggests that curcumin has both anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant effects. Other potential complications include nausea, diarrhea, headache and liver enzyme elevations.
Q: Quite often, I experience excruciating pain in my feet and ankles. The doctor says the pain comes from nerve endings. I saw an ad on TV for Nervive. When I looked it up, I found that it is not a prescription drug but appears to be an herbal remedy. Are there home remedies for this pain from nerve endings?
A: You seem to be describing what doctors refer to as neuropathic pain.
The over-the-counter product Nervive Nerve Relief contains B vitamins (thiamine, pyridoxine and cyanocobalamin). It also includes the dietary supplement alpha lipoic acid, or ALA, as well as extracts of turmeric and ginger. We searched for clinical trial data on this formulation, but could find no randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind studies. The manufacturer includes this disclaimer on its website: “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
A recent review of alpha lipoic acid found that this antioxidant may be helpful for neuropathy that’s due to diabetes
(Pharmacological Research, March 2022). B vitamins, like those in this product, have been found helpful against low back pain (Semergen, November-December 2021). We would very much like to see a wellcontrolled clinical trial on this remedy. Please let us know if it works for you. Q: I so appreciate you writing about home remedies. When I had diarrhea as a little kid, my mother would grate an apple. Once it turned brown, she’d feed me a few spoonfuls. In addition, I’d have toast and plain rice for a day or two. She said it was pectin in the apple that eased diarrhea.
A: Thank you for your recollection. This sounds quite similar to the BRAT diet that is still recommended by some pediatricians for kids with digestive upset. It stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Bananas and apples are good sources of pectin which may help ease diarrhea. Rice and toast are considered easy to digest.