Have you ever had a minor injury that caused you mild discomfort, but you didn't quite know what to do for it at home?
It's always best to see a medical or healthcare professional to assess any injury—even something minor—to rule out anything more serious and make sure the condition doesn't worsen. That said, there may be things you can do at home for your pain if you can't immediately get an appointment or if you've already ruled out anything serious, such as referred pain involving your organs, nerves, or vasculature.
Aches and pains that come from muscles, ligaments, and joints may benefit from these types of acute care treatments when the pain first starts—usually within 24–48 hours.
ACUTE PAIN RELIEF
Ice: Best for injuries where there may be redness, swelling, bruising, or burning.
You can use any cold therapy (e.g., a towel soaked in cold water, ice packs, cubes, and cold baths, cryotherapy, etc.). Always use a towel between the source of ice and the skin. Ice is best used when trying to numb pain.
General guidelines: Apply for no more than 5–10 minutes per area. Allow the skin to return to room temperature after use to reduce the risk of damage that can occur from prolonged cold exposure.
Heat: Best for sore and achy muscles or when feeling tightness or stiffness. Heat helps to increase blood circulation, bringing oxygen to the tissues that need it to speed up healing. In some cases where inflammation is present for too long, heat could make it worse.
You can use various sources of heat, such as a microwave heating bag, electric heating pad, warm bath/shower, or hot water bottle. Use a towel between your skin and the heat source to prevent burning—never apply heat directly on the skin. Do not use heat remedies if you’re experiencing any sharp pain, swelling, or discolouration of the skin, or on open wounds and areas that are tender to touch.
General guidelines: Apply for no more than 15–20 minutes per area to allow the skin to return to room temperature and reduce the risk of damage that can occur from prolonged heat exposure.
Stretches: Gentle stretches to the area where you feel pain may help to relieve tightness or muscle pain. Only hold your stretch to the point where it feels comfortable or where there is mild discomfort; you shouldn't feel pain when holding a stretch. You may find it better to warm up the area first with heat to get a better stretch.
Movement: Sometimes it may be helpful to try some gentle movement such as yoga or walking to increase blood circulation, decrease muscle tension, and improve your range of motion. Stop if something you do causes more pain and seek advice from your chiropractor.
Epsom Salt Bath: Warm water and magnesium from the Epsom salts can help relax tight muscles. Use approximately two cups per tub of water and soak for at least 20–30 minutes. This works similarly to topical magnesium and can push magnesium directly into the muscles to reduce tightness, tension, and pain. In combination with the warm water of the bath, this may help with overall relaxation as well. Discontinue if an allergic reaction occurs.
Topical Magnesium: Available in oils, gels, lotions, or creams and used directly on the area where you feel tightness or soreness in your muscles. This allows the magnesium to directly enter the affected area and permits muscle relaxation and pain relief. It can be taken to-go (i.e., travel friendly) as an alternative to an Epsom salt bath. Wash it off if there are any reactions and discontinue use. Caution: If too much is used, it may cause itchiness as the magnesium salts will form on the skin.
Note: This is not a replacement for taking a magnesium supplement, as directed by your healthcare practitioner.
Topical creams: I prefer natural pain relief creams or gels—ideally ones that are available directly from your healthcare professional. These creams/gels are not to be used in conjunction with any ice, heat, or other topical pain relief. Always read and follow the directions on the container. Be careful with other over-the-counter brands as they usually contain medication, fillers, and preservatives that may not be good for you or may cause an allergic reaction. Discontinue use if you have an allergic reaction and speak to your healthcare practitioner.
Brace: If you've had a recurring injury and already know what's going on when the pain starts, a brace may be helpful for temporary use until you can seek treatment. Braces are typically used to support joints when there’s pain, but they may cause muscles to weaken with prolonged use; the brace will take over the job of the muscles and you may lose muscle mass as a result. It's always a good idea to check with your chiropractor on proper brace fittings and best recommendations for your specific condition. Not all braces are designed to do the same thing.
Remember, pain is not always an indication that something is seriously wrong, and having no pain isn’t necessarily an indication that everything is okay. It's always best to keep your doctor and chiropractor updated about your health at all times.
