‍When you work long hours at a desk, repetitive movements and overexertion can leave your muscles sore. Even exercises such as yoga or Pilates, which typically help reduce stress and lower stress, can trigger muscle pain if they’re not done properly.

Working out and doing manual labor can also cause strained or pulled joints. Repetitive stress on the same joints, such as from playing the same sport over time, can lead to inflammation of those joints. Other times, you might strain a joint by twisting it too much during exercise or lifting something that was too heavy for you at that moment.

Here are 8 effective home remedies for joint pain and muscle cramps to ease your discomfort and help you get back to being active again:

Check your diet

When you’re experiencing joint pain, it could be due to poor nutrition. Specifically, you may be lacking in Vitamin B, Vitamin C, or Magnesium. Vitamin B is important for healthy cartilage, which is what helps cushion our joints and keep them from feeling pain.

If you’re not getting enough Vitamin B, you could experience pain in your joints, particularly your knees, wrists, or elbows.

Vitamin C is also important for healthy cartilage. If you are experiencing joint pain, you may want to increase your intake of Vitamin C-rich foods, such as broccoli, bell peppers, strawberries, oranges, and tomatoes.

Magnesium is important for muscles and joints. Eating more magnesium-rich foods, such as spinach, almonds, avocados, bananas, and broccoli, can help treat joint pain.

Try a digital clinic

If you’re experiencing joint and back pain, you might want to try a digital clinic such as Hinge Health. A digital wellness clinic lets you video chat with a doctor or a nurse to receive treatment recommendations for your joint pain.

A digital clinic can help you identify solutions for your pain, such as recommending over-the-counter medications or providing exercises or stretches you can do at home.

Some clinics even have physiotherapists or other medical professionals on staff.

Take an Epsom salt bath

An Epsom salt bath is a great way to soothe joint pain and relax the muscles. Epsom salt has the ability to draw out toxins from the body, which can help ease joint pain.

Add one cup of Epsom salt to a warm bath and let it sit for at least 20 minutes to give it time to work its magic. Epsom salt baths can also help reduce muscle cramps.

Try a hot-water and lemon bath

A hot-water and lemon bath is great for easing muscle pain and reducing joint pain. The hot water will help to soothe your muscles and reduce muscle spasms.

The lemon acts as an anti-inflammatory and will help fight against joint pain and swelling. For this bath, add 3-4 slices of lemon and about a half cup of Epsom salt to a warm bath.

You can also add a few drops of essential oils such as peppermint, eucalyptus, or lavender to help you relax even more. Let the bath sit for at least 15 minutes to give the ingredients time to work their magic.

Stretch before and after exercising

To avoid injuring yourself while exercising, it’s important to stretch your muscles before and after working out. Stretching before you exercise will help you warm up and avoid injury. Stretching after exercising will help you cool down and reduce stiffness and soreness in your muscles.

It’s important to note that not all stretches are created equally. You want to make sure you’re doing stretches that are specific to your body and your pain. For example, if you’re experiencing shoulder pain, you want to do shoulder stretches.

If you want to do general stretching, you can do a full-body stretch like the couch stretch.

Get a massage

A massage can help ease joint pain and reduce muscle tension. If you’re experiencing joint pain, a massage can help improve your blood flow and relieve a lot of that pain.

A Swedish massage is best for overall health and wellness. If you are experiencing joint pain, you may want to try a sports massage. A sports massage targets the specific areas of the body that are affected by joint pain.

Try Tylenol or Advil

If you are experiencing joint pain that is minor but persistent and doesn’t go away after a few days, you may want to try Tylenol or Advil as a home remedy. These over-the-counter drugs can help reduce inflammation and ease pain in your joints.

If you’re experiencing severe joint pain and are worried it may be something more serious, it’s important to talk to your doctor.

Try ginger or turmeric paste

Ginger and turmeric are both anti-inflammatory ingredients that can help ease joint pain. You can add either one to a homemade paste and apply it to the area of your body experiencing pain. Ginger and turmeric can also be added to a warm compress to help soothe joint pain.

To make a warm compress, add 1 tablespoon of turmeric and 1 teaspoon of ground ginger to a cup of hot water. Let it sit for 20 minutes to give it time to steep. Then, soak a clean cloth in the solution and apply it to the joint pain area.

You can also add ginger and turmeric to a foot soak or a bath for even more pain relief.

Conclusion

When you work long hours at a desk, repetitive movements and overexertion can leave your muscles sore. Even exercises such as yoga or Pilates, which typically help reduce stress and lower stress, can trigger muscle pain if they’re not done properly.

Working out and doing manual labor can also cause strained or pulled joints. Repetitive stress on the same joints, such as from playing the same sport over time, can lead to inflammation of those joints.

Other times, you might strain a joint by twisting it too much during exercise or lifting something that was too heavy for you at that moment. It’s important to give your body time to heal and find the right home remedies for the pain.

Explore the above 8 effective home remedies for joint pain and muscle cramps to ease your discomfort and help you get back to being active again.