How to Relieve Muscle Aches

Muscle aches and pains are very common in people who exercise, suffer from some type of injury, stress or suffer from fibromyalgia. Whichever the case, muscle aches and pains can be quite uncomfortable. The steps below will teach you practical ways of how to relieve your muscle aches and pains.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

How to Relieve Muscle Aches

1. Use over-the-counter topical analgesic creams. Topical analgesic creams relieve minor aches and pains as well as arthritis pain. They have a variety of active ingredients, such as salicylate, capsaicin or menthol, which are applied directly to the skin. These creams are inexpensive and can be found in your local pharmacy. Try to thoroughly follow the directions for application.
2. Soak your aching muscles in a bath tub with Epson salt. When used in warm water, Epson salt relaxes the nerves, draws toxins from the body and heals cuts and bruises. Read the label for specific instructions.
3. Treat yourself to a full session with an experienced massage therapist. Try a sports, deep tissue or Swedish massage. Massages alleviate pain, increase muscle flexibility and improve circulation of the blood flow in our bodies. Choose a massage therapist that has a proven track record, as well as an extensive education.
4. Use a Jacuzzi to relieve muscle aches and pains. Jacuzzis, also known as hot tubs are designed to relax the muscles and relieve stress in the body. Jacuzzis are known as a type of hydrotherapy.
5. Stretch your muscles before and after exercising to minimize injury. If you are experiencing aches and pains after a challenging workout, try to stretch the muscles as often as possible. Stretching also improves your range of motion and stability.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to challenge yourself at the gym. Challenging yourself does not mean overdoing it. Keep your exercises at a level that helps you advance, without exhausting your muscles to the maximum.
• Check to see if your gym offers Jacuzzi usage.
• Try a therapeutic sauna to relieve stress and tension.
• Epson salt is inexpensive. Buy at least a pound or two.
• Always give your targeted muscle groups a chance to relax. Do not continuously work the same muscle groups each day when lifting weights. Give your body a chance to recuperate.
• Overusing muscles can cause injury.
• If you feel pain of any kind when working out, stop immediately!
• Use topical analgesics as prescribed by your doctor or pharmacist. Do not over use topical creams. Discontinue usage, if you experience, pain or consistent skin irritation.