Enjoy the benefits of an epsom salts bath

Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate), when used through soaking, can be beneficial to soothe and relax your body.

Soaking in a bath of epsom salts can relax your muscles, reduce inflammation and pain, fade bruising, aid digestion, relieve stress and tension, and help to detoxify your body.

Muscle tension

Muscles, in the course of their work, use oxygen and nutrients and produce carbon dioxide and waste products. The principle waste product of muscle metabolism is called lactic acid. Nutrients and wastes are transported to and from muscles by the blood circulation, and so the efficiency of this transport system is dependent upon good blood flow. Poor or insufficient blood flow causes an accumulation of lactic acid producing tension in muscles



Muscle pain

There are many types and causes of muscle pain, but all of us are familiar with the stiff achy feeling of a muscle which is reacting to an unusual level of exercise, a chronic strain or build-up of stress-related tension. This achiness is caused by the development of lactic acid residues in the muscles tissue, compounded by the fact that a tight muscle clamps down on its supply blood vessels and impedes drainage of its own tissue



Massage

Massage acts on the tight achy muscle in several ways. It helps relax tension and spasm and promotes the release of lactic acid from the tissue. This relaxing action automatically enhances the function of the supplying blood vessels. In addition, massage actively increases the rate of blood flow to and from the area.



Epsom salts

Because of the high magnesium content, epsom salts bath can be helpful any time you are suffering from achiness and muscle strain. It is an excellent idea for the evening after you have had a massage because it helps to clear out released lactic acid. Without this, there may be a temporary generalized soreness following the massage treatment of a particularly tight area.



Instructions for taking a bath

Epsom salts are readily available at your local pharmacy. Add one to two cups of epsom salt to warm water in a standard-sized bathtub. Double the epsom salt for an oversized tubs. Popular for easing muscle pain, bathe three times weekly, soaking for at least 12 minutes. For a foot bath, add a cup of epsom salt to a tub of warm water as a popular balm for aching feet.

To replace the fluid you lose as perspiration, keep a glass of cold water beside you and sip it during the bath. If you like, you may also wring a towel in cold water and wrap it around your neck. As with any hot bath, make sure you get out of the tub slowly and carefully.



Caution - The use of epsom salt baths is not recommended without the consultation of your health care provider. If you are over 50 or have diagnosed heart trouble, you should moderate the water temperature and avoid submerging your body above heart level. You should use a cold towel around your neck, keeping a bucket of cold water available beside the tub for wringing. If you have any concerns about whether a hot tub will affect you adversely, please consult with your doctor before using the epsom salts bath.



Enjoy!