Zealous and hardworking people try and keep their best foot forward in every field they work in but there is one thing that they wish they could avoid. That is, unwanted and painful cramps at the end of a busy day. Rushing to the office, a casual jog in the park or by getting the garden done, physical work throughout the day often leaves us with body cramps and muscular pain.
Sore muscles are a result of over exertion of the muscles and joints. In such a scenario, the muscles harden and hinders the blood circulation inside the body. As a result, there is an excessive formation of lactic acid, which does not allow nutrients to reach the necessary body parts. The more the amount of lactic acid produced, more stiff and stretched is the muscle, resulting soreness and pain. These cramps can last for few seconds to days depending on how fast the muscles recover and how well are they treated. Usually, muscles rebuild themselves and become stronger with regular physical activity. If they don’t, there are some easy home remedies to follow that can allow you to quickly curb the sore muscles.
Heat and Cold Treatment
Tested with time and again, heat and cold treatments are one of the most familiar methods in the Indian household to treat sore muscles. As we know, heat allows the muscles to expand, giving it enough space for smooth blood circulation. This allows the pain to subdue and the muscles to relax while decreasing the amount of stiffness in it. You must keep in mind that this method should not be practiced every single day as it can turn into making you feel sluggish. For the heat treatment, you can use heating pads that usually come with a Velcro strip and wrap it around the paining muscles. This can greatly help you relieve the pain while you complete the important work side by side.
Always keep a vital fact in mind. Heat treatment is only for sore muscles, not for the sprained or strained ones. In the latter case, it is advisable to adapt the cold treatment. Cold compression helps to reduce the inflammation in the affected area rapidly. Ice packs are to be kept over the sore area for about 20 minutes to provide a soothing effect and to ease the trouble.
Ayurvedic Massaging
Since the ancient times, massaging has been a simple and effective way in curbing problems related to the body parts. For sore muscles, Ayurvedic massages by using balms and ointments can pose a great relief from ache and inflammation. If you do not have an Ayurvedic ointment, no worries. You can easily prepare one from using the ingredients common in every kitchen.
To make your own rub, put a one tablespoon of each of the following; lavender, rosemary, camphor, ginger, chamomile, Calendula, eucalyptus and wintergreen in a non-metallic double boiler vessel. Make sure that the vessel is not made of any metal or else the components might react to it and get spoiled. Each of the added herbs are soothing and highly effective for muscular aches. Lavender, rosemary and camphor are responsible for the increase of blood circulation and are considered to be external tonics. Ginger, chamomile and Calendula work as an anti-inflammatory agents which subsides the pain and reduces swelling. Eucalyptus and wintergreen provide an irritating sensation as it stimulates the muscles and flush out the lactic acid. These ingredients make the best home-made rub for the treatment of cramps. Massage the ointment in the direction of the cramp and it will melt the pain away. It easily removes the knot and provides relief to the area.
Easy to perform Acupressure
If you think that acupressure can only be practiced in expensive spas and beauty parlors, think again. Even you can apply the pressure on your body part with correct technique and fetch instant relief. To do so, you must follow these techniques. Put your fingers on the affected area and start by pressing it against the paining area. The pressure should be enough for you to see a white mark on your skin made by your fingers or fist. Keep the pressure on for about 45 seconds. It may hurt you at first, but you will soon realize that it is beneficial for the releasing of pain and tension from the muscle and will provide relief like massages do. If the pain is in a hard to reach spot, lie down, preferably on a hard surface. Take a tennis ball and keep it where you identify the affected area which can be your shoulders, neck, upper or lower back. Lie down for about 1 to 5 minutes. You will gradually experience the comfort and the muscular pain subsiding.
Magic of Epsom Salt
Magnesium is a powerful tool against muscular and joint aches. It is known for inducing relaxation, calms down the nervous system, brings down the blood pressure and cures body pain. Epsom salt, which is actually made up of magnesium sulfate can work wonders to curb sore muscles. To obtain relief, dissolve 1 or 2 cups of Epsom salt in warm water. Make sure that the water is not hot, but warm as warm water can help your skin to retain its softness and does not make it dry. You can either take a bath or soak the mixture for about 12 minutes a few times in a week to relax the torn muscles. The body absorbs the magnesium in the water and promotes healthy treatment of the painful area by decreasing the swelling.
Natural Supplements
It is always better to avoid artificial supplements when you have a variety of natural options to provide you with equal relief and soothing effect for sore cramps. Food sources such as molasses, spinach, black beans, Swiss chard, cocoa powder, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, cashews and almonds are rich in magnesium. 1 tablespoon of molasses with your regular coffee in a day can even treat chronic muscle pain effectively. Fruits like banana and cheery, contain high amounts of potassium and magnesium. These natural muscle relaxants can make you fit and healthy while empowering you with the necessary supplies to fight against tension knotted joints and tight muscles.
Apple Cider Vinegar or ACV is also potent against leg cramps and sore muscles. Just mix 1 or 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in water and drink it in the morning. For a tastier drink, you can add 1 tablespoon of honey and a sprinkle of fresh mint to the glass of water containing the apple cider vinegar and thoroughly mix the ingredients. Also, you can rub the vinegar directly to the simulated area for quick results.