The Epsom Salt Remedy for Arthritis

Epsom Salt has been around for hundreds of years. Made out of magnesium sulfate, claims have long been made about its medicinal properties, including its ability to combat the symptoms of arthritis. Back during Shakespeare's time, people were just starting to discover and study the magnesium sulfate combination. One of the first such studies took place in Epsom, England. Early scientists believed that the sulfates were crystalline structures similar to table salt. Although they were wrong, the substance came to be known as Epsom Salt.

The element magnesium is present in the human body where it plays several very vital roles. Sadly, most Americans don't get enough magnesium from their diets to keep the body running smoothly. Magnesium deficiencies cause the following problems in the body:

• Arteries become less elastic causing blood clots and sudden heart attack deaths.
• Muscles and nerves don't function properly.
• More than 325 body enzymes go unregulated.
• Insulin is less effective.
• Oxygen flow to the body is slowed down.
• The person has more muscle pain and inflamed joints.

Due to magnesium's ability to reduce joint inflammation, it has been used as a home remedy for arthritis for many years. It has been found that the only reason people suffer from all the pain they do is because they lack magnesium in their bodies. If they don't get enough magnesium from their diets, then they need to find other ways to get what they need. There are dietary supplement pills of magnesium for sale commercially, but not everyone can use these effectively. Scientists have learned that the best way to get magnesium into the body is topically through the skin.

The sulfates in the Epsom Salt compound flush toxins from the body, help the body absorb nutrients, ease or prevent migraine headaches, and help strengthen joints. In addition sulfates are responsible for the formation of brain tissue and proteins in the digestive tract.

Magnesium + Sulfates = Epsom Salt

There are mornings when Arthritis patients find it difficult just getting out of bed due to stiff, painful joints. Even bad weather can bring out the worst in arthritic joints. No matter what causes your pain, you can reduce it significantly by using Epsom Salt. In fact, the Epsom Salt Industry Council claims that Epsom Salt is a sedative for the entire nervous system.

A hot Epsom Salt bath is the old New England home remedy for arthritis pain. Just the heat of the bath itself is able to increase circulation and reduce swelling. The Epsom Salt, then, adds properties which reduce pain and joint discomfort. To take an Epsom Salt bath, start by filling your bathtub with water that is as hot as you can tolerate. Then add two cups of Epsom Salt and dissolve them in the water. Stay in the bath for at least a half hour. You can add hot water in order to keep the temperature very warm. Feel free to repeat this treatment as often as you like.

You can also buy commercial lotions which contain Epsom Salt. They can be used to provide temporary, spot treatment on knees, legs, backs, and other body parts. You can massage this cream into your hands to help relieve the pain and reduce the swelling and stiffness of arthritic fingers. It can also be used to soothe achy, burning feet.