There is no doubt that physical activity is great for keeping the body, mind as well as spirit in great shape. However, it is quite common for the body to sustain injuries in the form of bruises strains and sprains while you are working out. To keep sports injuries to the minimum, you should not only avoid activities that are dangerous but also start out slowly and increase the intensity of your workouts slowly so that your muscles, ligaments, and tendons can stretch gently and keep pliable. However, despite the best of care and caution that you take, you will from time to time manage to injure yourself. Some top natural remedies that you can consider:
Ease the Inflammation
Depending upon which tissue is affected, different names are applied. For example, muscles can be strained, while ligaments that attach bone to cartilage or another bone are sprained, and tendonitis affects the tendons that are responsible for attaching muscles to bone. Irrespective of the nature of the injury suffered, what is common in all three conditions is that the affected tissue will be inflamed.
The best way to control inflammation is to immediately cease the activity and apply ice to the injured tissue. For best results, the ice should be applied for 15-20 minutes at a stretch for about a couple of hours on the day the injury is sustained. Ideally, you should repeat the ice treatment at least thrice daily for a couple of days more.
Ice is among the best pain relievers and anti-inflammatory agents that have no side-effects at all. If you have the inclination, you can freeze herbal tea made from chamomile and peppermint in paper cups and apply directly to the injured sites after peeling back the top of the cup a little.
Consume Anti-Inflammatory Herbs
Apart from applying ice topically, you can also use concoctions of herbs such as turmeric, ginger, and rosemary to combat tissue inflammation. Acute inflammations can be effectively controlled with about four teaspoons of turmeric powder mixed in soups, curries or even salads. Adding it to butter makes it more effective as the fat helps the absorption of the turmeric.
You can make a tea from about three tablespoons of freshly chopped ginger simmered in three cups of water for ten minutes. Drink three cups daily after straining out the ginger and sweetening it, if desired.
For a refreshing ginger-rosemary bath, take a cup of chopped ginger with two tablespoons of rosemary and simmer in two cups of water for 15 minutes. Add both the brew and the herbs to your hot bath and soak in it for 15 minutes to get a lot of relief from the inflammation. Interestingly, you can use the ginger-rosemary brew as a natural eye makeup remover.
Put a Lid on Bruises
When the blood vessels that lie below the skin surface get a blow, they can get damaged and result in the typical black-and-blue staining. To minimize the internal bleeding, reduce skin discoloration, and to relieve soreness, you need to treat the bruise promptly. Arnica is among the best-known natural methods of alleviating the soreness of bruises.
Since getting hold of arnica flowers to make an ointment can be difficult, the best way is to apply a ready-formulated arnica cream or gel on the affected area. Apply at least thrice daily till the soreness disappears.
You can also make a cold arnica compress that can effectively get on top of bruising.You should dilute one tablespoon of arnica extract in a liquid form in about two cups of iced water. Soak a thin cotton cloth and apply on the bruised area after squeezing out the excess water. You can use an ice pack to keep the compress cold. Keep the compress on for 15-20 minutes and repeat thrice daily for best results.
You can choose to use a hot compress on the bruise but only after 24 hours have elapsed. The application of heat on the bruise serves to increase the blood circulation and reduce the soreness and stiffness. You can add to hot water a few drops of lavender oil and soak a cloth and apply it on the affected area after wringing it out. Keep it on for 15-20 minutes and repeat thrice daily.