What is Crampbark?

With a reputation for sedating nervous conditions and offering relief for asthma patients, crampbark is native to both North America and Europe. Additionally, as the name suggests, the herb has the potential to ease cramps and other medical concerns, such as colic, strained muscles, and painful menstruation. In this article, you will learn about herbal preparations, background information, and uses for crampbark.

Growing in woodlands, thickets, and hedges around Europe and the eastern part of North America, crampbark is propagated by seeds that are sown in the autumn season. This deciduous shrub reaches 13 feet in height , showcasing lobed leaves, white flowers, and red berries. During the spring and summer season, the bark of the plant is gathered when the plant is flowering.

Uses of Crampbark

Traditionally, the herb is associated with the Native American culture, as the Meskwaki people of North America used the plant to ease cramps, while the Penobscot treated swollen glands and cases of mumps with crampbark.

When muscles are overworked, crampbark could become a lifesaver for the aches and pains that follow. A great number of muscles have been known to respond to the components found in the herb, including the smooth muscle in the intestines, airways, and the uterus. Depending on the circumstances, a crampbark remedy may be taken internally or applied as a topical treatment. If you are looking to ease night cramping, with accompanied back pain, combine crampbark with lobelia for relief.

If you are suffering from arthritis that causes your joints to weaken and become painful, consider crampbark, which has helped individuals battle muscles that have become rigid and riddled with discomfort. Other uses for the herb include lowering high blood pressure, easing circulatory problems, increasing circulation to the hands and feet, fight spastic constipation, and calm stomach spasms.

Whether fresh or dried, it is the bark of the shrub that is used in herbal remedies. Users peel off the bark in strips. It is important to carefully approach the extraction of the bark so that enough is still left on the plant so that it can still survive.

How to Prepare Crampbark

When preparing crampbark, the herb is known to make effective lotions, decoctions, and tinctures. To treat menstrual pain, a decoction of crampbark should be taken every three hours. The suggested dose is ½ cup. Crampbark tinctures can serve as a long-term solution to tense muscles. However, if you wish to ease the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, dilute the ½ teaspoon of tincture with water and take two times per day. Crampbark tincture also makes a soothing lotion for achy muscles. Simply rub the remedy on the neck and shoulders when tension arises.