What are Muscle Relaxers?
Muscle relaxants are a classification of medication that directly affect skeletal muscle function in your body and decrease muscle contractions. They are particularly effective at alleviating pain, lessening muscle spasms, and decreasing muscle twitching & other involuntary spastic reflexes.
Some of the more common conditions where muscle relaxants are prescribed are:
- low back pain
- neck pain
- fibromyalgia
- tension headaches
- myofascial pain syndrome
If you have been injured and are experiencing muscle pain or spasms, a muscle relaxer is your best bet to feel better. Unfortunately, many prescription muscle relaxants come with the risk of side effects and the possibility for addiction. However, there are a handful of natural muscle relaxers available to you, which we believe can be extremely effective and without the risk of side effects or addiction.
Best Natural Muscle Relaxers
If you’re looking to alleviate muscle pain the natural way, and avoid the risks of prescription muscle relaxers, here are our five favorite natural muscle relaxers:
1. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile has been utilized for thousands of years and has been used to treat a variety of conditions, including muscle spasms. Containing 36 flavonoids, which are compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties. Chamomile essential oils can be massaged directly onto affected muscles to provide relief. Chamomile tea has also been found to relax sore and tired muscles.
2. Vitamin D
Continual muscle pain or spasms can be an indicator that you may be Vitamin D deficient. Fortunately, there are several methods for taking Vitamin D, including capsules, liquids, and tablets. Vitamin is also in many foods you eat, including milk, fish, and eggs. And as an added bonus, did you know that you can actually get some much needed Vitamin D simply by going outside in the sun? Think about how much natural Vitamin D you’re going to get next time you go to the beach!
3. Cayenne Pepper
If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis or fibromyalgia, cayenne pepper may be just the thing for you. A substance contained within cayenne pepper called “Capsaicin’, is a well-known muscle relaxant and can alleviate some of the pain you may be experiencing from those aforementioned conditions. The most effective method we can recommend for muscle spasms is direct application of cayenne pepper cream; however, it can also be ingested with your food (especially if you’re a fan of spicy foods!), or in tablet form.
4. Cherry Juice
Cherry juice is another one of nature’s great muscle relaxers, used by long distance runners and other athletes for the stress on their muscles. Cherry juice is clinically proven to combat inflammation, and its antioxidant properties help to relax muscles naturally. If you are a runner, studies have also shown that cherry juice is excellent at minimizing post-run pain.
5. Chiropractic Adjustments
Chiropractic adjustments are an excellent way to reduce pain all over your body, and as your spine starts to come into alignment, the pain reduction you can feel in your neck and/or back can literally be more effective than prescription pain medication. Fortunately, our trained chiropractic specialists have all the experience necessary to help begin getting your spine aligned, and to help with your specific muscular pains and spasms. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Travis today!
Also, be sure to check out these fantastic alternative medicine websites for additional information about natural muscle relaxers.