Natural Home Remedies for Muscle Knots

Knots in your muscles occur when your muscle contracts. This is often due to a pinched nerve, over-using a muscle, and sometimes even caused by inactivity such as sitting in a poor position for too long. A lump of muscle tissue building up underneath the skin is actually a muscle spasm. There are many natural ways that you can ease the discomfort and pain of these knots in your own home. If you follow many or all of these methods and still experience tight muscle cramps or spasms consult your doctor to see if there is more to the issue.

Relaxation and Massages.

Taking a break from overusing the muscles can help prevent knots. Whenever you are doing anything physical and begin to feel any pain you should always stop for a break before continuing.

Rubbing on the tightened up knots in the natural direction of the muscle can relieve them by improving blood flow to the area. Going to a massage therapist who specializes in relieving knots may also help.

Warm or Hot Moist Heat.

Applying a hot wet cloth can improve blood circulation and relax the muscle. A hot shower or warm bath is best for this. Letting the hot or warm water sit or flow onto the knots and tightened areas will help relax as well as relieve much pain. Heat helps relax the muscle and loosen it up, cold actually stiffens them up more.

Stretching.

Stretching the whole body and focusing on the knotted and tightened up areas can ease the cramps or spasms and relieve the pain. This should be done gently and gradually so you do not over strain yourself. This will also increase the blood circulation. Tai Chi is a great method of diminishing muscle knots due to all the stretching and slow long movements of the body. Constant stretching can be a great preventative to knots and cramps in the muscles.

Eating the Right Foods.

Calcium is very important in the ridding and preventing of muscle knots. Drinking skim milk and eating yogurt or even taking a calcium supplement every day is best. Potassium is also very important in reducing muscle cramps or knots, foods such as bananas and potatoes are both high in potassium as well as apple cider. Acidic foods should be avoided, acidy foods interfere with the body's capability of absorbing calcium.

Keeping Hydrated

Drinking plenty of liquids, especially water, every day continuously will help dramatically reduce your current muscle knots as well as prevent future ones.

Herbs and in home remedies.

Chamomile tea is a natural muscle relaxer containing amino acids that can relieve muscle spasms and cramps. Honey is also a great prevention of muscle spasms and cramps, so putting honey in your chamomile tea would be a good option. Mustard contains acetic acid which is great for curing leg spasms or cramps. Putting a homemade or bought teabag of brown or black mustard seeds into a hot bathtub and allowing yourself to soak in it is said to be an effective method as well. Also a hot bathtub with 1 to 2 cups of Epsom salts in it then soaking is also known to relieve tightened muscle cramps and knots.