How to Reduce Aching Muscles With Herbs

You don’t have to be an athlete to get sore, aching muscles. In fact, couch potatoes often experience this painful symptom from lack of activity. When the blood in a certain area of the body becomes stagnant, this can cause sore muscles. But strenuous exercise, as well as injuries to any part of your body, are certainly the main causes of aching muscles. When you first notice sore muscles, it’s best to apply cold compresses. After that, alternate a cold compress for one minute and then switch to a hot compress for three minutes. You can also use creams and massage oils that you can purchase or make yourself, and drinking tea made with anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic herbs can provide a great deal of relief.

Things You'll Need

• Arnica cream
• Black cohosh tea or tincture
• St. John’s wort tea or tincture
• Kava kava root tincture or capsules
• Passionflower leaf
• Linden flowers
• Chamomile flowers
• Lemon balm leaf
• Lemon verbena leaf and flowers
• Olive oil
• Eucalyptus oil
• Lavender oil
• Rosemary oil
• St. John’s wort oil

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Instructions

• 1

  Purchase a tube of arnica cream or gel at your natural foods store or pharmacy. This herb is excellent for relieving the pain of strained, aching muscles and other painful ailments such as arthritis. Arnica is also available in a homeopathic formula, and taking it internally in this form can also help.

• 2

  Make a tea from black cohosh root and St. John’s wort leaf and flowers by combining two tablespoons of each herb in one quart of water. Simmer for 20 minutes, let cool and then drink two to three cups each day until your symptoms improve.

• 3

  Kava kava is an excellent muscle relaxer. Purchase tincture or capsules and follow label instructions carefully because it can cause wild dreams.

• 4

  Mix one tablespoon each of these herbs with one quart of water to make a tea: passionflower leaf, linden flowers, chamomile flowers, lemon balm leaf and lemon verbena leaf or flowers. Boil your water separately and then mix it with the herbs in a teapot. Allow it to steep for 10 minutes before you strain it. Drink one cup of this tea two to three times each day before meals.

• 5

  Make a massage oil by combining ½ teaspoon of these essential oils in one cup of olive oil: eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, rosemary oil and St. John’s wort oil. Massage over the affected area as needed.

• 6

  Use ginger compresses to help reduce the inflammation and pain of sore, aching muscles. Simmer ½ cup of sliced ginger root in one quart of water, allow it to cool slightly and then put a handful of the cooked ginger root into a nylon stocking. Hold it on the affected area until the compress cools.