Self Care tip no. 1 – Bath salts

Bath salts are nothing but, water-soluble, pulverized minerals that are added to water to be used for bathing. They are known for :-

• reducing inflammation of the muscles and joints
• relaxing muscles
• relieving pain and soreness
• stimulates circulation
• hydrates the skin
• increases moisture retention
• promotes cellular regeneration
• detoxifies the skin
• helps heal dry, scaling, irritated skin.

Did you know?

Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, used to encourage his fellow healers to make use of salt water to heal various ailments by immersing their patients in sea water. His patients  used to bathe in warmed seawater in a treatment called thalassotherapy (in Greek, thalassa means sea). This encourages a release of toxins between the blood and the water and a restoration of mineral balance in the blood.

Various ways to use Bath Salts,

1. Bath tubs – Make yourself a nice warm water bath and add 1-2 cups of bath salt in it. Make sure you stir the bath salts and circulate them well. Your hot bath is ready and you can soak yourself for long to ease your pains.
2. Foot soaks – Add 1-2 scoop of bath salt to warm water in a bucket, immerse your feet and soak to relieve aches and pains. This not only soothes the feet from aches and pains but you can also soften any rough skin (save yourself from a pedicure). Rinse and dry with a towel once soaked.
   • Tips – You can even do some exercise while soaking your feet. You can put some marbles, shells or a tennis ball inside the bucket and move your feet forward-backward, upward-downward and side to side. This would help in increasing your circulation in the feet and help you do some movement for your feet without stressing it.
3. Hand soaks – You can do a hand soak in a similar manner as foot soak. For your ease, keep the bucket on a table or stool to raise the level, so that you don’t have to stress your back while dipping your hand inside the bucket. Your posture is maintained and you can enjoy the warm hand soak.
   • Tips – You can do hand movements inside the warm water, upward-downward and side to side movements. You can even introduce a stress ball and do squeezing activity to improve your hand grip.
4. Warm water bath – Add 2-3 scoops of bath salts at the time of your regular warm water bath, stir it well and bath with that water. Best and quick way to start your day with your body a little relaxed with less muscle pain than usual.
5. Shower scrubs – Take some bath salt in your hand and rub it on your aching body parts while having a warm shower since many of us are trying to save the energy for the rest of the day and can only afford a quick shower.
   • Tips – Rubbing bath salts on the body can also be used as a desensitization method for those body parts which are too sensitive to touch. A 5-10 mins of scrubbing can really help in sensitizing the body part in a long run.

Listing some of  the Bath salts to ease pain and soreness, 

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• Epsom salt

• Lavender bathsalt

• Jasmine bathsalt

I have only listed those bath salts that I have used personally and have helped me over the years. I usually use them alone or mix a Cup of Epsom salt with any of the others. I don’t know, if they would help you or not. But, you can give them a try. Make your bath soak recipes and enjoy them. If you get some benefit out of them, do drop in a comment and let us know.

We are starting micro blogs on the website to cover various topics that can help chronic pain and chronic illness sufferers get better and functional on a daily basis (Self Care tips). Bath salts is our first micro blog. If you have your own personal tips and tricks and want to share them. Kindly share with us at chronicpainindia@gmail.com .