Wintergreen has long been used to relieve the pain of arthritis, and was accepted as a plant with medicinal compounds in the United States in 1820. Wintergreen is botanically known as Gaulteria procumbens and is known to have been used by American Indians in the treatment of arthritis pain.

The pain relieving compound in Wintergreen is methyl-salicylate and can be dangerous if consumed in concentrated wintergreen oil, there is risk of it being toxic to the body in its concentrated form.

Wintergreen is perfectly safe when used properly and one of the ways of taking the plant is in the form of a tea. This is where the dried leaves of wintergreen are steeped in water and drank up to three times a day for two or three weeks. Then it should be stopped for seven to ten days before resuming if needed in the treatment of arthritis pain.