The Medicinal uses of Epsom salts

Epsom salt, or magnesium sulfate, is most commonly used in a soothing bath. Epsom salt is a tool that integrative medical specialists often recommend for its physical and mental health benefits and is often used as a natural remedy for joint pain or skin conditions like athlete’s foot. While no clinical trials have confirmed the benefits of Epsom salt, many healthcare providers promote it for its ease of use and reasonable price.

What is Epsom salt?

Magnesium sulfate is a chemical compound made up of oxygen, magnesium, and sulfur. It comes in rock-like formations and resembles table salt. But despite its name, Epsom salt is a different compound from table salt. It is believed that Epsom salt was called “salt” because of its chemical structure and is often dissolved in baths, which is why it is also called “bath salt.” Despite their similarities, Epsom salt is very bitter and unpalatable, not salty.

Epsom salt baths are a great way to help relieve stress!

It is named after the town of Epsom in Surrey, England, where it was first discovered in the 17th century. It was once the most popular medicinal treatment in England. Locals noticed that cows and other animals visited a certain spring and miraculously, their wounds healed more quickly. News eventually spread and people traveled from all corners of the country seeking relief from their ailments.

Epsom salt has been traditionally used to treat different health issues like constipation, fibromyalgia and insomnia. Many reported benefits of Epsom salt are attributed to magnesium, a mineral that a lot of people do not regularly get enough of. The magnesium from Epsom salt is absorbed through the skin, and this is how Epsom salts are most commonly used. Epsom salts have a limited number of uses when taken internally. They can cause significant discomfort when taken internally so talk to your doctor before consuming.

The biggest benefits of Epsom salts are released in a relaxing bath. Run a bath with a comfortable temperature of warm/hot water and while the bath is filling up poor 1-2 cups of bath salts into the bath. Make sure that you are pouring the Epsom salts right under the tub spout, where the water is coming from, as this will make sure the Epsom fully dissolves.

Benefits

Use Epsom salt if you’re looking for a natural remedy that can help you get some sleep at night. The magnesium in Epsom salts boosts the production of serotonin, which facilitates relaxation and sleeping. Magnesium may also help your body produce melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep.

Other extensive health benefits of Epsom salts include stress relief and mood stabilization. Salts are supposed to reduce anxiety and depression while releasing serotonin, the happy chemical! As well as emotional benefits, soaking in an Epsom salt bath can aid muscle pain and inflammation. It is fantastic for recovering athletes and those who suffer from achy joints. It also aids with cold and flu recovery as bath salts, helps boost your immune system and recover from sickness faster. Soaking in the bath is also wonderful for your skin, helping with bug bites, poison ivy, and sunburns. It assists with exfoliation and acne but make sure you use the right amount of salt as your skin can dry out if used too often or burn if you bathe with open cuts.

While Epsom salt is considered generally safe to use, you may experience some adverse effects if you use it incorrectly. Note that Epsom salt has a laxative effect due to the magnesium sulfate in it and consuming it may result in bloating, diarrhea, or an upset stomach. When using Epsom salt as a laxative, always drink plenty of water to reduce digestive discomfort. Do not take more than the recommended dosage without talking to your doctor. There are some reported cases of magnesium overdose wherein people have consumed too much Epsom salt. Symptoms include flushed skin, headache, lightheadedness and nausea. So, please use the salts with caution.

Epsom salts are a fantastic way to relax and have many physical and mental health benefits like relieving anxiety, cold and flu symptoms, and helping you sleep. When taking a hot bath, dissolve some Epsom salts in your water to de-stress and unwind. Be sure to use the right amount of salts to ensure maximum comfortability whether that be in the bath or for consumption.

References

Epsom Salt: Potential Benefits and How to Use It – Cleveland Clinic

20 Surprising Uses For Epsom Salt – Farmers’ Almanac – Plan Your Day. Grow Your Life. (farmersalmanac.com)

How Much Epsom Salt in a Bath? – Vitabath® (myvitabath.com)

The post The Medicinal uses of Epsom salts appeared first on Alternative Medicine Magazine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 5 domains of integrative medicine?

The five domains of integrative medicine include mind-body, nutrition, social determinants, lifestyle, and prevention. These five areas are concerned with all aspects, including the physical, mental and spiritual well-being.

Integrative medicine offers a comprehensive approach for addressing your overall health, well-being, and treatment of diseases. It can include conventional medical treatments, as well as complementary therapies, such as acupuncture or yoga, meditation, massage therapy and herbal medicine.

What is Alternative Medicine, and how can it help you?

It is a healing approach that focuses on prevention instead of treating. It encourages consumers to become educated and active in improving their well-being.

Alternative medicine is any method of diagnosis and treatment that doesn’t use conventional (allopathic) medical methods.

Where can I get more information on holistic medicine?

Holistic medicine refers to a way of treating the whole person, rather than just one area. Holistic medicine addresses all aspects of the patient’s health, including spiritual, mental, physical and emotional well-being.

Holistic medicine’s goal is to treat the whole person rather than just individual symptoms. Holistic medicine doesn’t focus on curing disease. It focuses on healing.

Holistic medicine also includes treatments for chronic conditions, such as diabetes and arthritis.

There are many forms of holistic medicine.

Acupuncture
Aromatherapy
Ayurveda
Chiropractic medicine
Homeopathy
Herbalism
Naturopathy
Nutrition
Osteopathic medicine
Vedic medicine
Yoga

What is holistic medicine?

A holistic medicine doctor treats patients holistically. They might use traditional techniques such as herbs or acupuncture, but they also integrate them into western medicine.

They seek to treat an illness and not just symptoms. After treatment, the patient should feel better.

The doctor should not only treat the disease, but also prevent it from happening again.

The term holistic refers to a person who considers all aspects in their life.

Can a holistic doctor prescribe medication?

Holistic medicine is founded on the principle that all diseases can be caused or exacerbated by a variety of factors.

These factors are important to consider when prescribing medications. This is part of a balanced approach to treating patients.

To fully grasp the effect of each factor on a patient, a physician must have a good understanding of both modern science as well traditional methods such a homeopathy or herbs.

Many doctors are certified in alternative and complementary medicine (C&A). This allows them to offer a complete range of services for their patients.

What does holistic mean?

Holistic simply means holistic. Holistic refers to looking at the whole picture, not just one part. This can be difficult because we have become accustomed to seeing things in their entirety.

We tend to think in terms of black and white. There are many shades of grey.

It is important to consider all angles when working on a project. Take a look at it from every angle.

You should try to see it all as one. How do its various elements interact with each other?

If you find a problem in your situation, take the time to ask why. And don’t forget to consider the impact of any change you make.

Statistics

According to a 2005 book by a US [116]Institute of Medicine panel, the number of RCTs focused on CAM has risen dramatically. (en.wikipedia.org)
These studies found that 38.4% concluded positive or possibly positive effects for CAM (12.4%), 4.8% concluded no effect, 0.7% concluded harmful effects, and 56.6% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)
According to the World Health Organization, 80% of people use herbal medicine worldwide. (webmd.com)
category.[111]Edzard Ernst characterized the evidence for many alternative techniques as weak, nonexistent, or negative and in 2011, published his estimate that about 7.4% were based on “sound evidence.” However, he believes that may be an overestimate. (en.wikipedia.org)
An assessment of conventional treatments found that 41.3% concluded positive or possibly positive effects, 20% concluded no effect, 8.1% concluded net harmful effects, and 21.3% concluded insufficient evidence. (en.wikipedia.org)

External Links

How To

What are the four types of complementary and alternate medicine?

The four main categories of CAM are mind-body medicine, natural products, manipulative therapies, and energy healing. Mind-body medicine can include yoga, meditation and Tai Chi. Natural products include herbs, vitamins, minerals, dietary supplements, and botanicals. Manipulative therapies can include physical manipulations such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, and osteopathic/chiropractic care. Praying and visualization are two of the methods used to heal energy.

CAM is an umbrella term for various health practices outside traditional Western medical models. There are many differences in the scientific support for these practices, including whether they involve drugs and surgery, as well as which conditions they treat. Some CAM professionals also perform diagnostic testing, such as blood tests, and prescribe medication. Some practitioners do both.

There are many subcategories that fall within each of these categories. In mind-body medicine there are relaxation techniques. Natural products include nutritional supplements, botanical remedies, homeopathic remedies and essential oils. Manual, movement or traction can be used to manipulate the body. There are also spiritual healing methods such as prayer, faith healing, and energy healing.

Many CAM treatments treat symptoms but do not address the root cause. However, CAM may provide relief for some chronic diseases. If used properly, CAM can be combined with conventional treatments.

There are many reasons why people use CAM:

To improve their overall wellbeing.
To manage a certain condition.
To lessen pain and discomfort.
To prevent illness.
To promote wellness.
To address a personal belief.

People turn to CAM for greater control of their health than conventional medicine. They might believe there are fewer side-effects. Others opt for CAM to avoid prescription medication. Others prefer to avoid taking pharmaceuticals whenever possible. Some people seek out CAM to avoid having to repeat the same mistakes they had with traditional medicine.

Some people who use CAM feel that they need to be certain about their work before trying new things. Many CAM users want to know more about the safety of CAM. Others rely upon word-of-mouth referrals from family and friends.

Although CAM is often viewed negatively by society, most users report positive feelings toward CAM. People who use CAM are healthier and happier than those that don’t. This is true regardless age, gender and race.

An overwhelming majority of Americans are familiar with some form of complementary or alternative medicine. 95% or more of adult Americans have used some type of CAM in their lives. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), approximately 40 million visits were made to CAM providers in 2010 alone.

The NCCIH estimates that 10% of the U.S. population is treated by chiropractors or massage therapists.

The American Medical Association has reaffirmed its support to integrative medicine in 2013, It stated that doctors should incorporate scientifically validated complementary and alternative medicine into their clinical practice to meet patients’ expectations and needs.

The Institute of Medicine published a landmark 2007 report called “Relating Constraints” that concluded that there was no evidence to support the claim that any particular CAM intervention can prevent, treat, cure, or cure cancer.

Despite this conclusion, CAM continues to grow in popularity. The number of CAM practitioners grew by 8 percent in 2008 compared to 2007.

A recent survey found that almost half the respondents said they used CAM as part their primary healthcare plan.

CAM therapies encompass natural products, mind-body techniques, manipulative strategies, energy healing modalities and exercise.

Many CAM treatments are used primarily for pain relief. However, they can also be used to improve mood, sleep quality, stress reduction, and immunity.

Acupuncture can be used to relieve back pain, anxiety, depression, increase immune function, promote weight loss, and improve menstrual symptoms.

Many CAM treatments are based on traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, and their roots go back thousands of years.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine, was first practiced in China over 5,000 year ago.

TCM, although it gained prominence in the late 1800s, is still an integral part of health care.

TCM is used for treatment by more than 70% of Americans today.

Yoga is another popular CAM remedy. Yoga was developed in India circa 5000 B.C. Yoga is now widely accepted worldwide.

Yoga has been gaining popularity with the general population because it provides many physical, mental, and spiritual benefits.

Yoga can relieve stress, improve flexibility, and increase strength.

Yoga has been shown to improve sleep33, even though there is not much scientific evidence. It may also be beneficial for insomnia sufferers.

Other CAM therapies, such as meditation, homeopathy, aromatherapy, are also becoming more mainstream.

Herbal medicine is one of the most popular types of CAM.

Herbal medicines can include herbs, spices, plants, seeds and fruits as well as bark, leaves, roots, stems, and other medicinal substances.

They are often considered safer alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs and are widely used by consumers.

The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health estimates that about 90 million Americans use some form of complementary/alternative medicine.

According to the American Cancer Society 45% of adults with cancer used alternative medicine during their illness.

The National Institutes of Health has estimated that 60% of patients with breast cancer use CAM. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that around 50% of all cancer survivors reported using CAM.

According to a recent survey, 51% reported that they used at least one type (CAM) of CAM.

However, only 8% discussed the topic with their physicians.

This communication gap between conventional medical providers, CAM users and traditional doctors is a major problem in healthcare delivery.

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