Muscle aches are really getting to me as I’m renewing my dedication to prepare for the 500 mile trek along the El Camino de Santiago. I had been doing great, until I had my accident, and then subsequently having surgery to remove the plates and screws from my ankle. That definitely set me back at least two years, but I’m back on track again.
That is, I was on track until my hip joint started to really hurt. The pain in my hip joint was hurting so much at 3:00AM this morning that I woke up feeling like I’d been hit with a sledge hammer! I was so tired, I didn’t want to get up and self-treat…so I suffered. This, of course, means I couldn’t sleep anyway, so I finally got up, got a Perfect Ball that I keep in my room, and got down on the floor.
Yipes – it felt like I was hit by a truck!!! The hip muscles that were causing all of the pain were the tensor fascia lata, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus (slide to #7 on previous muscle link). I searched around and found a few other muscle aches, but these three muscles are on top of each other, so they give a real triple-punch in the pain field.
I was so happy that I knew how to relieve muscle pain, and every time this happens to me it makes me more determined to teach as many people as possible. Pain can be stopped so quickly!
Simply take a ball, place it on the outside of your hip joint, onto the tensor fascia lata muscle, and either lie down on the ball as shown in this picture, or lean into a wall. If your hip muscles are very painful, lean into the wall first, and then afterward lie down on the floor.
Today I was going to be driving for three hours, so I decided to again treat each of the muscles that insert into the hip joint. It took a little time, but it was worthwhile because the pain was gone. Then I decided to sit in a hot tub of Epsom salts. And that’s when I decided I needed to share this information with you.
How Epsom Salts Helps Relieve Muscle Aches
Epsom salt baths have been used for hundreds of years. I went searching on the internet to get some information about Epsom salts and I found a website that was really interesting.
Here is a brief description (taken from the website):
Some of the countless health benefits include relaxing the nervous system, curing skin problems, soothing back pain and aching limbs, easing muscle strain, healing cuts, treating cold and congestion, and drawing toxins from the body. One of the simplest ways to ease stress and stress-related problems is to soak in a tub full of hot water with a few cups of Ultra Epsom® Salt.
Aside from the fact that Epsom salts relieves muscle aches and pains, I loved the part of the website that says Epsom salts will help the nerves and muscles to function properly, and help to prevent hardening of the arteries and blood clots! Amazing!! You can read all about it by going to the website.
Tomorrow I’m back to walking again, so I’m really glad I got rid of today’s muscle aches 
If you are suffering from muscle aches caused by exercising, or even from something as simple as sitting for long periods of time, check out Treat Yourself to Pain-Free Living where you can discover how to relieve muscle stiffness and joint pain by learning some easy-to-do self-applied techniques.
Wishing you well,
Julie