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Every human experiences muscle spasms1 or cramps at some point in time.
The best way to avoid medications is to look out for natural muscle relaxers free of side effects.
Why do we need Muscle relaxers?
Have you ever felt your toes convulsing, causing a striking pain? Or a tight contraction in your calves muscles that halts your movements forcing you to cling to it to ease the pain?
The cold nights are the worst!
Our body works in miraculous ways, and at times, the muscles get rigid, or there is a harsh tightness followed by unbearable pain. This involuntary tightness is known as muscle spasms or cramps.2
It often takes place in the hands, feet, arms, and abdomen, but it’s very common in muscular areas, the calves, quadriceps, and hamstrings.
Often, muscle spasms are experienced after a heavy workout or exercise, and a gentle massage and stretching relieve the pain.
Well, there you go, now you know what muscle spasms are.
5 Common Reasons for Muscle Spasms
The common reasons for their occurrence are stated as follows:
- Chronic conditions: Muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis3
- Back and neck pain
- Pregnancy
- Excessive exercises
- Fibromyalgia4
The best solution to relieve your muscles from taut cramps or avoid them altogether is to adopt the 8 Natural Muscle Relaxer.
Natural Muscle Relaxers have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that alleviate muscle tissue tension and help them fend off inflammation.
Synthetic muscle relaxants tend to have various side effects; sometimes, they can be addictive as well.
So, it is often suggested to try a natural muscle relaxer before paying a visit to the doctor.
Natural Muscle Relaxers come in handy for acute pain and not chronic pain.
If you are looking for a natural remedy, then follow this amazing nutritional relaxer.
8 Natural Muscle Relaxer
1. Chamomile
Herbs are the best way to treat any ailments, and the natural properties present in the Chamomile 5 herbal plant make it the best natural muscle relaxer.
It contains a good amount of flavonoids6 which have rich anti-inflammatory agents required to alleviate muscle pain.
Essential oils of these ancient herbal plants are used to massage the rigid muscles during a spasm, to dissipate the tension within them. It provides a strong but soothing effect on the tense muscles reducing muscle soreness.
You can mix Chamomile with tea to relieve the crampy uterus muscle during menstruation.
2. Cayenne Peppers
Cayenne Peppers have a certain ingredient known as Capsaicin7. It is found in the fleshy layers of pepper and acts as an effective natural muscle relaxer.
Sore and stiff muscles receive lasting pain relief from this natural compound that carries anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents that reduce muscle inflammation.
You can add this spicy pepper can be added to any dish.
Blending the powder of cayenne peppers with warm olive oil and applying the salve on the offending areas ease the pain. Please keep it away from sensitive areas.
Capsaicin is available in the drugstore in the form of ointment as well as a cream.
It is also proven to be effective in treating various nerve pains.
3. Magnesium
Magnesium is a much-needed mineral for the well-functioning of our body.
It acts as a great natural muscle relaxer as it deals with the proper contraction of muscles and maintains the nervous system.
Magnesium deficiency can cause muscle pain, spasms, and cramps. As a result, it is often recommended to consume magnesium-rich food or supplements for muscle-related problems.
Good sources of magnesium minerals are almonds, bananas, spinach, brown rice, and legumes.
Magnesium supplements should be taken only if prescribed by doctors as heavy dosages can cause other health-related problems.
4. Curcumin
Turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon are rich in curcumin. It has high anti-inflammatory compounds and is considered the most effective painkillers like aspirin and ibuprofen.
This powerful agent controls inflammation and relaxes the strained muscles.
Intake of a curcumin-rich diet and supplements regularly not only reduces inflammation but also comes with long-term health benefits.
Hence, it is the best natural muscle relaxer to get rid of muscle spasms and soreness.
Pregnant ladies and breastfeeding mothers are strictly suggested not to consume an excess of curcumin supplements.
5. Cherry
The cherries that you love work as a perfect natural muscle relaxer. It has rich antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which help in repairing damaged muscles.
Consuming cherries strengthens your muscles in a way that relieves pain.
A marathon runner often undergoes muscle cramps due to the strenuous training endured by him. If he adds tart cherry juice to the diet, the post-exercise muscle spasms will leave his tail for good.
6. Vitamin D
Muscle spasms tend to occur in the case of a deficiency of vitamin D.
Lack of it causes severe muscle cramps as well as nerve pain. Intake of vitamin D reduces exposure to muscle tightness and soreness.
Enrich your diet with eggs, milk, fatty fish, and meat to help your muscles combat the painful stimulations.
Capsules, liquids, and other supplements are also available to boost your body with this enriching vitamin source.
Sunlight is a great source of this essential vitamin.
7. Blueberry
Another berry that acts as a natural muscle relaxer is the all-time favourite, blueberries. Like cherries, blueberries too have antioxidant properties that function to recover damaged muscle cells.
Studies suggest that blueberries’ consumption pre- and post of intensive workouts is good for reducing soreness in muscles.
The delish squish of blueberries into a smoothie is not only nutritional but also an oxidative stress reliever.
The anti-inflammatory agents in these berries are magical in treating cramped and sore muscles.
8. Peppermint Oil
The cooling agent menthol present in peppermint is an effective pain reliever. It helps to alleviate leg pains, backaches, sore muscles, and also headaches.
This natural muscle relaxer has anti-inflammatory properties along with antispasmodic and analgesic, which makes your muscles cramps and spasms-free. As a result, it is also used for sprains.
Peppermint blends well with tea for an intake. A good massage of peppermint essential oils mixed along with sandalwood and almond oils makes a great muscle relaxer.
Make sure to keep it away from people suffering from various problems such as gallbladder, duct, and liver.
For effective results, it is advisable to rest whilst keeping your body hydrated at all times.
6 Things to Do When a Cramp Strikes You
Muscle spasms have their senses and can hit you at any time of the day. Therefore, instead of getting hyped up with stress and pain, you can follow the following measures to get rid of it.
1. Stretch
As soon as a cramp clutches your muscle, stretch out the spasming muscle and stop the work in hand that stresses the muscle out.
Stretching and gently massaging the affected region will alleviate the tightening and blinding pain.
Stretching out pre and post-heavy workouts is also highly recommended to relieve the tense muscles.
2. Massage
When the blinding muscle pain hits you, and you got no time to think, gently massage the cramped part.
Use your finger pads to glide past the rigid muscles to loosen the tension built up in them. It is suggested to use the roller to massage your muscles.
Massage works well after stretching out.
3. Raise your muscle
Another way to get rid of the cramp is to keep the spasming part of your body stable.
For example, if your hands or leg face a muscle cramp, make sure to raise them and keep them steady till the pain subsides. This will stop the muscle spasm from getting any more severe.
4. Drink Plenty of Water
Hydration is the key to all health problems, and muscle cramps are no exception.
Drinking plenty of water every day keeps you away from spasms and soreness of muscles. Hydration of the body provides energy to the muscles helping in smooth contractions and relaxation.
If you drink a good amount of water daily, then your muscular tissues stay hydrated, fending off muscle-related problems.
5. Heat Pads
When the muscle undergoes spasms, soothing it with heated water or a towel can reduce the pain that follows. The application of heat relieves the strained muscles.
You can apply a heated pack of water to the cramped region or pour warm water on the tense muscles. Like stretching out, this coordinates well to reduce the intensity of pain.
6. Massage with an Ice Pack
Another natural remedy that functions in similar ways to heat is an ice pack. The cold solid cubes soothe the tightened muscles by loosening them up. You can apply ice packs once the pain dies down preferably after rubbing the sore area with heat.
Make sure to wrap the cubes in a towel.
Key Takeaways
If the cramps are not ready to leave your muscles, opt for painkillers such as ibuprofen. In case of severe pains of a longer duration, it is advised to see the doctor.
Instead of getting panicked when you face muscle spasms, adopt the natural muscle relaxer that keeps your muscle cramps at bay.
Also Read: What Essential Oil Kills Toenail Fungus
- Satoyoshi, Eijiro, and Kaneo Yamada. “Recurrent muscle spasms of central origin: a report of two cases.” Archives of Neurology 16.3 (1967): 254-264. ↩︎
- Miller, Timothy M., and Robert B. Layzer. “Muscle cramps.” Muscle & Nerve: Official Journal of the American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine 32.4 (2005): 431-442. ↩︎
- Nicholas, Richard, and Waqar Rashid. “Multiple sclerosis.” American family physician 87.10 (2013): 712. ↩︎
- Rahman, Anisur, Martin Underwood, and Dawn Carnes. “Fibromyalgia.” Bmj 348 (2014). ↩︎
- Das, Moumita. Chamomile: medicinal, biochemical, and agricultural aspects. CRC Press, 2014. ↩︎
- Harborne, J. B. “Flavonoids.” Natural Products of Woody Plants: Chemicals Extraneous to the Lignocellulosic Cell Wall. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 1989. 533-570. ↩︎
- Reyes-Escogido, Maria De Lourdes, Edith G. Gonzalez-Mondragon, and Erika Vazquez-Tzompantzi. “Chemical and pharmacological aspects of capsaicin.” Molecules 16.2 (2011): 1253-1270. ↩︎
Last Updated on by Muskan Mishra
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