We have listed here some natural household remedies to treat muscle aches. They are all based on natural products like plants, herbs, fruits,… and also have really good results for other diseases. Try them!
Calendula Ointment
Calendula (Marigold) has an anti-inflammatory effect and promotes the formation of new skin tissue.
Recipe 1
1 dl calendula oil, 15g beeswax. Put into a heat-resistant glass, place it in a hot water bath and heat it up while stirring until the beeswax has melted. Pour into pots and let cool, stirring from time to time.
Recipe 2
Heat 20g marigold oil, 7g wool fat, 3g beeswax until the ingredients can be melted and stirred well together, bring 20g marigold tea to the same temperature. Slowly add the tea to the fat mixture while stirring constantly. Let it cool down to body temperature while stirring, add 10 drops of essential oil as desired, fill into pots.
Recipe 3
Cut two heaped double-handed marigolds into small pieces, place in hot animal fat, fry briefly, remove from heat and then cover and leave to stand overnight, warm carefully the next morning and filter the mixture through a linen cloth into clean pots and place in a cool place. If the ointment is to become smooth, add some olive oil to the warm mixture.
Recipe 4
Melt 2 tablespoons of clarified butter or butter in a small pan, add 2 tablespoons of marigold blossoms, toss in over a low heat for 10-12 minutes, strain and chill.
Uses
For tinnitus, rough hands, hemorrhoids, sprains, strains, contusions, bruises, vein weakness, varicose veins, frostbites, skin impurities, nail bed inflammation, athlete’s foot, abscesses and furuncles. For wound treatment. For skin care after sunburn or minor burns. Or simply for skin care on hands and face.
Rosemary bath
The preparation of the medicinal herbal baths is similar to foot baths, only with the addition of the necessary quantity of the plant. The decoction is poured into the bathtub and filled with warm water. The right temperature, 32-34 degrees, can only be found out if a good mixture of the upper, cooled down layers with the lower, hotter layers has been made.
For a full bath, the bathtub must be filled with bath water (32-35 degrees) to such an extent that the whole body is covered by it. Stay in this bath for 20-25 minutes. Then get out of the bath quickly, plunge quickly into cold water in another bath tub, or, wash off completely cold. The one or the other should be ready in a minute, then go into your clothes without drying and get at least ½ hour of exercise, be it through work or a run indoors or outdoors.
Instruction 1
Pour 1 litre of hot water over a handful of herbs, cover and leave to stand for 10 minutes, strain and add to the bath water. The bath water should not be warmer than 35 degrees. Bathe in it for 20 minutes.
Instruction 2
Fill half a bucket with the herbs, pour cold water over it, leave to stand overnight. The next morning warm it up, strain it and add it to the bath water.
Uses
As a footbath, promotes blood circulation in case of cold feet and vein problems in the legs and relaxes swollen, aching feet (possibly mix with chamomile). Rosemary is recommended as a full bath for sore muscles and sciatica. The rosemary bath has a stimulating and invigorating effect on exhaustion and listlessness and is therefore best enjoyed in the morning.
Arnica
Oil
Prepare the arnica herb that you are going to mix with the olive oil. Put the plant in a bottle and pour the oil, enough to cover the whole plant, leave in the sun or near the stove for 2 weeks, filter in a glass bottle.
Recipe 1
Pour 2 dl of olive oil over 20 g of arnica flowers, leave in a warm place for a day or more and strain.
Recipe 2
125ml olive oil, 1 handful of fresh arnica flowers – heat the oil and let the flowers soak in it for about 20 minutes, then strain (if it’s urgent; mix with 20g beeswax)
Uses
You can use it as a rub for joint pain, lumbago, strains, sore muscles, frostbite.
Ointment
Recipe 1
1 dl arnica oil, 15g beeswax . Pour into a heat-resistant glass, place in a hot water bath and heat while stirring until the beeswax has melted. Pour into pots and let cool, stirring from time to time.
Recipe 2
Heat 20g arnica oil, 7g wool grease, 3g beeswax until the ingredients can be melted and stir well together, bring 20g arnica infusion (see arnica compresses) to the same temperature. Slowly add the tea to the fat mixture while stirring constantly. Let it cool down to body temperature while stirring, add 10 drops of essential oil as desired, fill into pots.
Recipe 3
Cut two heaped double-hands of arnica flowers into small pieces, place in hot animal fat, fry briefly, remove from heat and then cover and leave to stand overnight, warm carefully the next morning and filter the mixture through a linen cloth into clean pots and place in a cool place. If the ointment is to become smooth, add some olive oil to the warm mixture.
Recipe 4
Melt 2 tablespoons of clarified butter or butter in a small pan, add 2 tablespoons of arnica flowers, toss in over a low heat for 10-12 minutes, strain and refrigerate.
Uses
For joint pain, rheumatic complaints, sprains, bruises, contusions.
Tincture
Arnica tincture is used for rubbing in (5-10 times diluted with water), washing and wrapping against bumps, insect bites, washing the nipples of nursing mothers, etc.
For washings for rheumatic pain or weakness, mix it with kirsch.
The arnica tincture should not be missing in any medicine cabinet. The tincture prepared from the flowers, a widely used household remedy, is also available in pharmacies.
Tinctures, also called essence or spirit, are extracts in 38-40 percent alcohol. The plant parts are placed in a container, the alcohol is poured over them and the container is left closed in a warm place until the alcohol has extracted the substances (approx. 14 days, shake frequently). Then the residue is pressed out and the liquid is filtered off. If alcohol is used, the tincture must not be taken but is only to be used for external treatment.
Recipe
Put a handful of flowers into a bottle, pour 1/2 litre of brandy over them, close it well, leave it to soak in the sun or near an oven for 8 days, then filter it through a cloth into a dark bottle and store it in a cool place.
Uses
For sore throat, hoarseness, put 20 – 25 drops into a glass of lukewarm water and gargle. In case of gum problems massage the gums daily with arnica tincture. In case of back pain, lumbago, disc problems and sciatica, strain, bruise, contusion and sore muscles, rub with it. Diluted 5-10 times with boiled water, arnica tincture is suitable for compresses for joint pain (warm for chronic pain, cold for acute pain), bruises, contusions, strains. To treat cold feet, mix equal parts Melissa/Arnica tincture and rub your feet with it in the morning and evening (1 teaspoonful is effective against the slackening of blood vessels in the feet). Arnica should not be used on open wounds!
Compress
Instructions
Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons of arnica blossoms, leave to stand for 10 minutes, strain. Or dilute arnica tincture 5-10 times with boiled water.
Uses
Dip a cotton cloth or cotton ball in it, wring it out and place it on/around the affected area. (warm for chronic pain, cold for acute pain).
For sprains, strains, contusions, bruises, joint pain, bumps, bruises, tissue swelling after bone fractures, insect bites. Should also help with sore muscles.
Comfrey
Oil
Prepare the Comfrey herb that you are going to mix with the olive oil. Put the plant in a bottle and pour the oil, enough to cover the whole plant, leave in the sun or near the stove for 2 weeks, filter in a glass bottle. Comfrey must not be applied to open wounds!
Recipe 1
Chop the roots into small pieces, fill a glass 1/3 full, pour the oil over them, place in a simmering water bath for 15-20 minutes, allow to cool and keep warm for several days, then strain.
Recipe 2
125ml olive oil, 1 handful of freshly chopped roots – heat the oil and let the roots soak in it for about 20 minutes, then strain (if it’s urgent; mix with 20g beeswax)
Uses
For bruises, sprains, joint pain, blunt injuries of the locomotor system instead of a poultice.
Should also be used as a follow-up treatment for eczema and sunburn.
Pad
The roots of the plant are said to be more curative than the leaves.
Roots preparation
Finely grind dried roots, stir them with hot water to a pulp, spread it on a cloth, place it warm on the diseased area and fix it.
Uses
For the after-treatment of broken bones, bruises, periostitis, circulatory problems in the legs, varicose vein ulcers.
Use comfrey only for external treatment!
Leaves preparation
Squeeze fresh, washed leaves with rolling pin or glass bottle, place on the affected area, fix with a clean cloth.
Uses
For joint pain, sprains, strains, bruises, for the after-treatment of fractures.
Ointment
Recipe 1
1 dl comfrey oil, 15g beeswax – pour into a heat-resistant glass, place in a hot water bath and heat while stirring until the beeswax has melted. Pour into pots and let cool down, stirring from time to time.
Recipe 2
Heat 20g of comfrey oil, 7g of wool grease, 3g of beeswax until the components can be melted and stirred well together, bring 20g of Comfrey tea to the same temperature. Slowly add the tea to the fat mixture while stirring constantly. Let it cool down to body temperature while stirring, fill into pots.
Recipe 3
Heat 2 tablespoons of pork fat or butter, add 2 tablespoons of very finely chopped roots to the hot fat, fry briefly, remove from heat and then cover and leave to stand overnight, warm carefully the next morning and filter the mixture through a linen cloth into clean pots and place in a cool place. If the ointment is to become smooth, add some olive oil to the warm mixture.
Uses
For bruises, sprains, joint pain, blunt injuries of the locomotor system. For the after-treatment of wounds (but must not be applied to open wounds!). Should also help with sunburn.
Tincture
Tinctures, also called essence or spirit, are extracts in 38-40 percent alcohol. The plant parts are placed in a container, the alcohol is poured over them and the container is left closed in a warm place until the alcohol has extracted the substances (approx. 14 days, shake frequently). Then the residue is pressed out and the liquid is filtered off.
Preparation
Wash the roots, chop finely, pour loosely up to the neck into a bottle, pour over brandy and leave this mixture to stand in the sun or near an oven for a few days, shake occasionally, then filter through a cloth (or coffee filter paper) into a dark bottle and store in a cool place.
Uses
Rub in for rheumatic complaints, gout, joint pain, sprains.
As a compress for wounds, bruises, bruises, after bone fractures.
Use comfrey only for external treatment!
Compress
Instructions
Boil two teaspoons of finely chopped roots in ½ litres of hot water until soft, sieve, soak a cloth in it, wring it out between two lids of a pan and place it in a comfortable temperature or wrap it around the affected area and leave it to work until the wrap has cooled down.
Uses
For joint pain, rheumatic complaints, gout, bone pain, sprains, strains. Should also help with sore muscles. Use comfrey only for external treatment!
Hay flower compress
Hay flowers (the short residue left on the hayloft after shaking dry hay, consisting of leaves, flowers and seeds) are used for healing baths and pads for ulcers, bruises, gout, rheumatism, blood poisoning, tumours that have to be opened. Hay flower wraps and packs for fever and abdominal complaints. They must be boiled for an hour.
Instruction 1
Fill a suitably large cloth bag with hay flowers and pour hot water over it or keep it in a sieve over boiling water in the steam for a longer time, squeeze it out well and place it between flannels or wool.
Instruction 2
Bring 1 handful of hay flowers to the boil in 1-2 litres of water, cover and strain. Soak a cotton cloth in it, wring it out between two pan lids, fold it into a packet, wrap it in a dry cloth and lay it on top or wrap it around the affected area.
Uses
In case of stomach, liver, gall bladder, kidney or digestive problems, lay on the stomach as warm as possible, cover with a warming blanket. Can be repeated several times. In case of earache, hold the hot and humid hay-flower sack to the ear. Wrap around the joint for joint pain, also helps with sore muscles. For frostbite and itching, use warm.
Quark compress
Curd cheese (Quark) has a cooling, anti-inflammatory, decongestant, analgesic and soothing effect. Cold compresses are changed: If they are to have an arousing and blood-supplying effect, every 1 ½ – 2 hours, or even earlier, depending on how hot they become; if they are to cool, every 10-20 minutes.
Recipe 1
Spread a good finger-thick (1-2 cm) of curd evenly on a gauze bandage / linen cloth, place the uncoated side on top. To soak up the liquid, place a layer of cotton wool on top or cover with a cotton / linen cloth and then fix with a wool cloth.
Recipe 2
Spread plenty of curd on a gauze diaper / handkerchief, wrap a parcel or fill the curd into a linen bag, place it on the affected area and fix it if necessary.
Leave to work for a few hours until the curd has dried and becomes crumbly, overnight if necessary. During the day, the wrap must be renewed as soon as it becomes warm and crumbly. If the skin is coated directly, it will be difficult – and possibly painful – to wash off the dried mass.
Note
If the compress is dry, firm and yellow to brownish in colour the next morning, this is a sign that toxins have been excreted through the skin by the heat of the compress.
Uses
For sore throat, hoarseness, cough (place compress on chest and/or back, fasten with scarf or wool cloth and keep warm), headache, over-irritated joints, sunburn, inflammation of the mammary glands.
Supposed to have a soothing effect on haemorrhoids.
Horse chestnut ointment
To make ointments, 4-5g beeswax per 50 ml of oil are added to 50 ml of oil in a heat-resistant glass, placed in a hot water bath and stirred until the beeswax has liquefied. If you want to use lanolin additionally, reduce the beeswax content accordingly.
If a herbal oil extract is used, pour the finished mixture into the prepared glasses and let it cool while stirring.
If, however, a neutral oil is used and the herbal active ingredients are added as a tincture, then let the mass cool down to hand warmth and add a few drops of the tincture, let it cool down completely while stirring and only then fill it into the pots.
Instruction 1
1 dl horse chestnut oil, 15g beeswax – pour into a heat-resistant glass, place it in a hot water bath and heat it up while stirring until the beeswax has melted. Pour into pots and let cool down, stirring from time to time.
Instruction 2
Heat 20g horse chestnut oil, 7g wool fat, 3g beeswax until the ingredients have melted and can be stirred well together, bring 20g horse chestnut decoction (see chestnut tincture) to the same temperature. Slowly add the decoction to the fat mixture while stirring constantly. Allow to cool to body temperature while stirring, fill into pots.
Instruction 3
Heat 30g olive oil, 15g wool fat, 4g beeswax in a bain-marie, bring 30g chestnut tincture to the same temperature, mix slowly and let cool while stirring.
Uses
For haemorrhoids, rheumatic complaints, strains, bruises, contusions, bruises, bruises, bruises – rub in 2x daily.
