Have you ever felt an involuntary tightness, hardness, or bulging in a muscle? That phenomenon is called a muscle spasm. This type of cramping can happen to anyone for a variety of reasons and in many areas of your body. Spasms are common in the abdomen, arms, hands, and feet. You can also feel them in your calves, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and along the rib cage. While muscle spasms can be painful, there is nothing to worry about. In this article, we will discuss 15 best and natural muscle relaxers. Read on to find out everything about them.
15 Best Natural Muscle Relaxers
Chamomile
Chamomile can be used to treat a number of ailments, including muscle spasms. It contains flavonoids, compounds having anti-inflammatory properties. You can massage chamomile essential oil on the body areas having the affected muscles to provide relief from spasms. Chamomile tea can also help relax sore muscles.
Cherry Juice
People who sign up for marathons train vigorously, often causing a lot of stress on their muscles. Cherry juice can help with the inflammation and muscle pain common in runners. Drinking tart cherry juice can minimize post-run pain. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities in cherries help to relax muscles.
Blueberry Smoothies
Having a blueberry smoothie before and after exercise can help you recover from muscle damage. Blueberries have antioxidant powers and have been shown to decrease oxidative stress and inflammation.
Cayenne Pepper
Capsaicin, a substance found in cayenne pepper, is a natural muscle relaxant that’s often recommended to people who live with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. It can be added to food, like in this grilled shrimp with a lime cream recipe, or you can find cayenne pepper in capsule form and as a cream.
Vitamin D
People who have regular muscle pain or spasms might have vitamin D deficiency. This vitamin is available in liquid form, tablets, and capsules. You can also get it in foods like eggs, fish, and fortified milk. Sunlight is another source of vitamin D.
Magnesium
Magnesium is vital as it maintains normal muscle and nerve function. Although it’s rare, early symptoms in people who are deficient in this mineral include muscle pain. This mineral is mostly found in foods such as bananas, almonds, legumes, and brown rice. It’s also available as a supplement.
Rest
The best way to relax your muscles is to rest. Make sure to sleep for at least 7-8 hours, drink plenty of fluids, and don’t overwork the affected muscle. Sometimes muscle spasms are due to over-stimulated muscles, and ice can help calm down the transmission of impulses from the brain to the overactive muscle.
Lavender
Lavender oil helps in muscle relaxation. To use it, it is necessary to massage the painful area for long minutes, to improve blood flow. This helps soothe the muscle and allow it to relax. Finish with a hot shower to conclude this relaxing process.
Peppermint
Peppermint is very often recommended for treating different types of muscle pain. It is recommended for headaches, back pain, and leg pain. We lend him virtues anti-inflammatory, an improvement of the blood circulation as well as antispasmodic capacities.
Rosemary
Rosemary is used rather in cooking, without suspecting his status as a muscle relaxant natural first choice. For apart from its special taste, rosemary is useful for relaxing muscles, bones and the mind.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is very popular for its benefits for the skin, for the hair, but we know less its relaxing properties. Yet, it allows reduce stress, and relax the muscles.
It is recommended to mix with 3 or 4 drops of essential oils of lavender or rosemary. Then apply the mixture to the part of the body that makes you suffer by massaging. Soon you will feel a looseness of your muscles.
Valerian
Valerian comes from the roots of the valerian plant. It is a recognized sedative which acts on the mind and on the muscles.
For a long time, menstruating women use them to relieve painful bellyaches. In high doses, it is a plant that has a sedative effect and must be consumed when you are at home in a relaxing time.
Passionflower
It is more commonly called passion fruit! And apart from its delicious flavor when it is eaten as a fruit, it is a flower with many virtues. The passionflower flower has properties that help it fight against stress and anxiety. To reduce muscle pain and tension, we advise you to infuse this flower for a few minutes and consume this beverage several times a day.
Lemongrass
Used in the form of essential oil, lemongrass is excellent for relieve back pain. It also facilitates the circulation of blood and reduces neck and back pain.
Yoga
There are certain yoga exercises that specifically deal with muscle pain and by practicing them; you can provide your muscles the much-needed relief. A word of caution: learn the exercises from the expert before practicing them on your own. This is one of the best natural muscle relaxers.
Therefore, to conclude, muscle spasms and pain can be easily treated by the readily available muscle relaxers. However, if these natural remedies don’t work, contact your doctor.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5329173/
