Home Medicinal plants and herbs What is echinacea for?

What is echinacea for?

by Alivia Nyhan
Published: Last Updated on

In North America, conical flowers grow with purple petals similar to those of daisies, plants that the indigenous people used to use as medicine and later adopted by the colonists. The use of this plant, called echinacea , spread in such a way throughout the world of medicinal herbs that today it is one of the most popular, that is why at FastlyHealwe explain in detail what echinacea is for and its main benefits

Use of echinacea in natural medicine

The name echinacea refers to a whole family of herbs that includes 23 types of plants, of which 10 are capable of giving the body’s defenses the necessary boost to deal with infections and diseases . Although after the discovery of antibiotics the use of echinacea lost popularity, the resurgence of natural medicine has brought it back.

The role of the plant has been especially focused on treating the symptoms of the common cold and flu . It has also been used preventively before these conditions become present in the body, however echinacea has proven not to be of great help in this regard and, in fact, it is recommended not to take it if it is not as a symptomatic treatment. .

But this medicinal plant is not only used for influenza but for other infectious diseases, such as those that attack the urinary tract, the bloodstream, the genital areas, for example herpes, and for inflammation of the tonsils, as well as for the common cough.

It is also known to be used in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatism, migraines, indigestion, skin wounds, burns, ulcers, boils, abscesses, and hemorrhoids.

Precautions in the use of echinacea

Yes, this all sounds like a kind of miraculous panacea, and in fact it is not a bad idea if you want to lean more towards the use of medicinal herbs or naturopathic medicine and you are considering taking echinacea. However, and although since pre-colonial times it has been used in this way by North American Indians, you should always consult your doctor before taking it to know how much it suits you.

And, despite the fact that echinacea is useful for everything we have told you, you also have to be cautious. For example, if some type of anesthesia is being used at the same time, echinacea can have the side effect of suppressing the immune system instead of boosting it and could also inflame your liver.

On the other hand, thinking that the more of this medicinal plant is taken, the better prepared the immune system will be for possible attacks of diseases is not only a wrong thought, but also dangerous, so only the amounts indicated on the label of the product should be taken. medication and those indicated by the specialist.

If you happen to be allergic to echinacea, not only could you end up facing minor side effects like an upset stomach, but possible rashes, inflammation, and even shortness of breath. And as we saw previously, if you are taking any other medication, it is best that before going to echinacea or any other natural option, you ask your doctor beforehand about how such a decision could affect you.

This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to What is echinacea for , we recommend that you enter our Wellbeing category .

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