Back pain? A turnip-like herb could bring you comfort

By Fiona Macrae
Last updated at 1:33 AM on 21st May 2009

Comfrey could provide relief for millions of people with back pain, scientists claim.

An ointment containing an extract of the turnip-like herb made pain all but disappear within five days, their study found.

Researchers studied 120 people with upper or lower back pain.

Half were given a comfrey ointment to rub on three times a day for five days, while the others received a dummy ointment. Neither group was told which they were using.

After five days, the amount of pain suffered by those using the dummy ointment had fallen by an average of 39 per cent, which researchers put down to them wanting to believe they were getting better.

But those treated with the comfrey ointment reported a fall of 95 per cent. Comfrey was also fast acting, getting to work after just an hour.

Previous trials have shown that comfrey can also help ease other types of pain.