Home Remedies for Body Pain
Body pain can happen if someone sits for hours every day in a chair without moving. Once you get up from your chair and walk around for a few minutes, it can feel like a tedious ordeal. While taking a pain reliever offers you temporary relief from your body’s pain and fatigue, but overuse affects your health in the long run.
There are several home remedies that you can try to soothe the discomfort in your body. In this article, we will explore the different causes of body pain and some natural remedies that you can try at home.
Table of Contents
What causes body pain?
Causes of Body pain mainly due to a combination of more than one of the following factors:
- Tension and stress
- Fibromyalgia (inflammation causing pain in soft tissues and muscles)
- Cancer including leukemia (blood cancer) and sarcoma (soft tissue cancer)
- Compartment syndrome (increased pressure in the muscles)
- Electrolyte imbalance
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Hypothyroidism (hypoactive thyroid gland)
- Peripheral artery disease (fat build-up in the arteries in the arms or legs)
- Injuries such as tendinitis (inflammation of a tendon), abdominal muscle strain such as when lifting something heavy, back sprains and strains, tendinosis (tendon degeneration), repetitive motion myofascial pain syndrome, external injury and fracture
- Infections caused by malaria, colds, flu, etc.
- Autoimmune diseases such as lupus (causes inflammation of the joints and skin), multiple sclerosis (damages nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord), inflammatory myopathies (chronic inflammation of the muscles)
- Neuromuscular diseases such as muscular dystrophy (progressive muscle weakness), spinal muscular atrophy (a genetic disorder causing muscle weakness), myasthenia gravis (abnormal muscle weakness), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (affects the nerves of the spinal cord and brain)
- Medicines such as cancer treatments (radiation therapy and chemotherapy), statins (lowering cholesterol), high blood pressure (BP) medicines [ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitor medicines relax blood vessels and help lower high blood pressure]
8 Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Body Pain
1. Ginger:
Ginger has been used as a medicinal rhizome used in India and China for over 25 centuries. It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that are useful in the treatment of disease states. In several human studies, ginger has been found to be very useful in treating body pain. A study showed that daily consumption of ginger reduces muscle pain. Ginger also eases pain during menstruation. You can take some ginger, chop it and boil it in water. Later, drain the ginger pieces and enjoy the tea.
2. Cinnamon:
Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory properties. Extreme physical activity or exercise can cause an inflammatory response that causes muscle soreness and cell damage. A human study was conducted on sixty healthy women (13 to 25 years old) where cinnamon was tested for its effectiveness in muscle pain. It has been found to reduce muscle soreness; therefore, it can help relieve body pain.3 You can put some cinnamon in water, let it boil, and drink the decoction. You can also add honey to it.
3. Turmeric:
Turmeric is taken in use for various medicinal purposes. It has anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain-relieving) effects, which can be helpful for various types of pain. 4 Tribal people of West Bengal apply turmeric rhizome paste on their body to treat body pain. 5 You can add some turmeric powder to warm water or boil turmeric rhizomes in the water. You can drink the solution to get the benefits of this age-old Ayurvedic medicine.
4. Cold compress:
Several studies report that a cold compress works as a pain reliever. Cold slows down the transmission of signals from sensory nerves and prevents the transmission of pain to the brain. Therefore, it can be beneficial in relieving body pain.6 You can massage the affected area with an ice pack or ice cubes. Alternatively, a cold shower can help with general body aches!
5. Mustard Oil:
Generally, mustard seeds are effective in treating body aches because they contain selenium, a mineral that helps fight joint pain. Therefore, mustard oil can benefit body pain.7 You can use mustard oil with a little salt to massage the painful area.
6. Cherry:
Who knew that eating cherries could be not only fun but also medically beneficial? Cherry has been found to be beneficial for chronic pain and inflammatory conditions such as gout, arthritis, and fibromyalgia. It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can be beneficial in relieving body aches. You can also treat yourself to a glass of cherry juice at the end of a long day to ease body aches.
7. Rosemary:
Rosemary extracts show anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. This can help fight body pain naturally and effectively.
8. Vitamins:
Your body needs different vitamins to function normally. A deficiency of vitamins B1, D, and E can cause nerve and muscle damage, which in turn causes muscle weakness and pain.
Therefore, it is necessary that you include foods rich in these vitamins in your daily diet to avoid body aches. You can also take other supplements of these vitamins, but only after consulting your doctor.
Although these remedies help relieve pain, we recommend that you consult a healthcare provider if the condition does not improve. In addition to using these remedies, you also need to make a few changes in your lifestyle as a precaution.
What is the fastest way to get rid of body pain?
Body aches have a wide variety of underlying causes. It may sound counterintuitive, but in many cases, stretching and light exercise can be the fastest way to relieve body pain. Other quick fixes include:
- Walking and swimming. This can be especially beneficial for reducing back and knee pain.
- Arm exercises and shoulder rolls. These exercises can be helpful for relieving shoulder pain.
- Alternate ice and heat therapy. This can get quick results for joint pain.
- I’m taking a hot bath. This can quickly relieve back pain.
When to talk to your doctor
You know your body best. If constant fatigue and pain that won’t stop has become a daily or long-term phenomenon, talk to your doctor.
Pain that is severe enough to keep you awake at night and that does not respond to home treatment should also be discussed with your doctor. Diagnostic tests can reveal a condition such as anemia or diabetes that is causing fatigue and weakness.
So it is also possible that regular fatigue is a side effect of the medication you are taking. If this is the case, your doctor may be able to change your treatment protocol.
Conclusion:
Every individual experiences body pain. If you have body aches, it’s harder to work or do anything. And you can try some of the above home remedies to relieve body pain. If your body pain becomes severe and chronic, you must consult your doctor. They will give you the best treatment.