The Epsom Salt Solution

From the time I was a child I had aches and pains all over my body. I would get severe leg cramps that were so severe, my dad would have to come and rub them out of my legs so I could get up from the toilet. This was embarrassing, but no doctor really seemed concerned with it at the time. Then, over time that went away, but having played sports year round from the age of 5, I was always experiencing aches and pains that doctors weren't so sure were normal, so they diagnosed me with arthritis at a young age.

Is it Rheumatoid?

Rheumatoid Arthritis can cause severe pain and swelling for many, but this is not typical of someone in their pre-teen years or even when they become a young adult. However, when I was sixteen, my primary care doctor diagnosed me with Rheumatoid Arthritis, which some know as "RA". It is extremely painful, and for decades the only cure was steroids. While there is no sure, there are some helpful things I was told to do most recently that have worked for my pain.

What Are Epsom Salts?

Walking through a drug store or grocery store you might see large tubs or cartons of Epsom Salts. I had been told to use them as a child, but I never really knew why they were good to use, or what they were made from. As a kid, I just assumed you took table salt and poured it into a tub of warm water, and there is no wonder it was not effective! Today, I have learned more and more how to help myself without medicines or harmful drugs when it comes to joint pain, making me wish I would have known better then.

Epsom Salt is nothing more than magnesium sulfate, and it can be dumped into your bath water for you to soak in to help with aches, pains, and bruises. About three months ago I was having joint pain that is so severe, I felt like my arms and legs were broken, and it was getting me to the point of tears. Naturally, I felt helpless and without much thought I was begging for pain pills. Even getting IV's with Glutathione was helpful only for a little while when it used to last me about two weeks. I was desperate and in need of a solution, so I spoke with my holistic physician who recommended I soak in a warm Epsom Salt bath. Sure enough, I did for about fifteen minutes and I felt relief.

How Do Epsom Salts Work?

Because Epsom salts are all natural, they can be absorbed by the body as it travels through your pores while you are in the water. Magnesium has also been known to bring balance to the body, with some doctors recommending it for anxiety. Taking Magnesium orally is helpful, but sometimes you need a boost. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements in Bethesda, Maryland, Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. About 50% of what your body has is in your bones, so it would make sense that when you hurt, that your body would respond to the Magnesium Sulfate. Epsom Salts can also be dissolved in water and used for a flush in the intestinal tract, helping to clean and regulate the colon.

The next time you ache, by all means get some relief, but pick up some Epsom Salts and try it. See if it will give you some relief, even if it is just until the medicine takes effect. Either way, it is inexpensive and easy to find.

The Office of Dietary Supplements

National Institutes of Health

Bethesda, Maryland