What Is the Fastest Way to Get Rid of Body Aches?

Medically Reviewed on 12/22/2022
Causes of cramping
A few common ways that may help in getting rid of body aches are drinking plenty of water, taking a hot bath, and more.

Medications such as Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, and ibuprofen are great and the fastest way to get rid of body aches. However, these quick fixes do not address the actual cause of body aches. If aches do not go away after taking the directed dosage of a single painkiller, you must consult your doctor.

Why is my whole body aching? Causes & Treatment

Below are a few other common ways that may help in getting rid of body aches:

  • Dehydration can lead to various side effects, including muscle or body aches. Counter this by drinking plenty of water. Staying hydrated will keep muscles supple and prevent them from cramping or aching. Sometimes, dehydration coupled with the loss of electrolytes causes body aches. Try sipping some oral rehydration solution or Gatorade.
  • Take a hot bath. Warm water will relax and soothe the muscles. This will relieve pain and help the body feel better overall. If a hot bath doesn’t make much of a difference, try adding two cups (470 mL) of Epsom salts to the bathwater. Soak in salt water for at least 12 minutes. The body will absorb magnesium from the salts, which will help reduce body aches.
  • Lie down and cover yourself with a heating blanket. The warm temperature will relax your muscles and help reduce aches and pains. Heat treatment can be especially effective in treating aches caused by arthritis or severe muscle pain.
  • Certain essential oils may provide a helpful natural remedy for aching muscles. Mix together three or four drops of peppermint oil or lavender oil with three or four drops of coconut oil and rub the mixed oils on the sore muscle.
  • Apply an ice pack to the sore spot. Ice will reduce muscle inflammation and numb the nerve endings that send pain signals to the brain. This is also a useful trick if your body aches have been caused by a rigorous workout. Applying ice to overworked muscles will relieve pain and speed up the healing process. Apply ice packs for about 20-30 minutes at a time.
  • If headaches persist or worsen even after over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers, talk to the doctor. They may prescribe a limited dose of a painkiller such as codeine, morphine, Fentanyl, or oxycodone (the generic form of Oxycontin). However, many prescription painkillers such as Oxycontin can be habit-forming. Do not exceed doctors' prescribed dosage.
  • If body aches are more than a couple of times a month or if it is severe pain, you could be suffering from a diagnosable medical condition. Persistent aches can be a sign of
    • Fibromyalgia: This is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues.
    • Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complicated disorder characterized by the extreme weakness that lasts for at least 6 months and can't be fully explained by an underlying medical condition. The fatigue worsens with physical or mental activity but does not improve with rest.
    • Vitamin deficiency: Deficiency of vitamin D, vitamin B complex, zinc, and iron can cause fatigue and body aches. Talk to your doctor and start the required course.
    • Medication-induced body ache: A few people have body aches as a reaction to blood pressure medications. Make sure to talk to your doctor; they may change your medication, and this may make you feel better.
    • Lyme disease: It is an infectious disease caused by the Borrelia bacterium, which is spread by ticks. The most common sign of infection is an expanding red rash with weakness and body aches.
    • Multiple sclerosis (MS): It is a potentially disabling disease of the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). In MS, the immune system attacks the myelin (protective sheath) that covers nerve fibers and causes communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body.

8 Natural tips to get rid of body or muscle pain

Below are a few common tips to naturally get rid of anybody or muscle pain:

  1. Ensure adequate hydration. Drink 8-12 glasses of water daily.
  2. Light physical exercises such as a 20-minute walk daily and muscle stretches prevent stiffness.
  3. Make sure you eat a lot of fruits, colored vegetables (broccoli, bell peppers, and pumpkins), and complex carbs as a part of your diet.
  4. Make sure you meet your daily protein intake. Include egg whites, fish, lean meat, soya, and cottage cheese in your daily diet.
  5. Do yogic stretches regularly that will aid in uniform blood circulation in the body. This will strengthen the body physically and aid in the release of natural painkillers such as endorphins and enkephalins.
  6. Eat almonds and walnuts daily. They are rich in omega fatty acids that prevent muscle fatigue in the body.
  7. Regularly drinking green tea, lemon juice, orange juice, or coconut water.
  8. Limit your carbohydrate intake (rice) to one time. Opt for brown rice instead.

QUESTION

Medically speaking, the term "myalgia" refers to what type of pain? See Answer

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture involves the use of small, thin needles that pierce the skin at specific acupuncture points. Acupuncture for pain relief is an alternative to over-the-counter medicines and addictive opioids.
Acupuncture involves the use of small, thin needles that pierce the skin at specific acupuncture points. Acupuncture is an alternative to modern medications.

Acupuncture for pain relief is an alternative to over-the-counter medicines and addictive opioids. Chronic pain can make life difficult, so it’s important to find a solution that works for you. This centuries-old practice may help you manage your pain and improve your quality of life.

Acupuncture is an alternative to modern medications. It is a part of Traditional Chinese medicine that has been practiced for thousands of years. Practitioners use small, thin needles that pierce the skin at specific acupuncture points. There are more than 2,000 acupuncture points connected by pathways called meridians. Energy, called Qi (pronounced like chee), flows through these meridians and promotes good overall health.

When the energy flow is disrupted, it can cause disease or a decline in health. Practitioners believe that applying pressure to the right acupuncture points can help get the energy flowing correctly again, which can then correct the health problem. These points are stimulated once the needles are inserted and the practitioner activates them through specific, gentle movements with their hands. Electrical stimulation can also be applied.

Acupuncture for pain management

While practitioners in Asia have used acupuncture as a pain killer for centuries, modern studies in the West also show that this practice is valid when it comes to managing chronic pain. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center performed a study over six years that involved almost 18,000 people to see if acupuncture had a pain-relieving effect. The results of the study proved that acupuncture is a safe and effective way to treat many kinds of pain.

While people feel pain in different parts of the body, acupuncture is shown to be safe and effective for treating these kinds of pains:

Acupuncture has also been proven to relieve some side effects of cancer treatment, like nausea and vomiting. Some research suggests that acupuncture can help correct certain sleep disorders.

Traditional Chinese medicine believes that acupuncture works by restoring the body’s proper flow of energy. Modern Western medicine believes that acupuncture for pain management works by stimulating your nervous system. Research published in the Journal of  Anesthesia and Analgesia reports that when the needles are placed at the correct acupuncture points, signals are sent to the brain to let out endorphins. These are the hormones that make us feel good and can lower our pain perception.

What to expect

Many people opt for treating pain with acupuncture over medication since it is safe and low-risk. Certain pain medications can become addictive over time. With acupuncture, there aren’t really any risks involved as long as you go to a qualified and certified practitioner. Today, acupuncturists use single-use needles that are disposed of after use.

Each acupuncturist has its own techniques and approach. When it comes to treating pain with acupuncture, your practitioner will ask you some questions to decide on the best approach. To get started, they will ask you about your pain and the areas of your body that hurt. They will also ask you about any other symptoms you have and your lifestyle and behaviors. Traditional Chinese medicine is about overall health and well-being. Things like stress and an unbalanced lifestyle could be contributing to your pain.

Your first acupuncture treatment may last up to an hour. While many people feel pain relief during the first treatment, not everybody does. Because of this, acupuncture for pain relief usually runs for six to ten sessions depending on the severity of your pain. The following sessions will most likely be about a half-hour in length.

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Acupuncture benefits and results

Many different studies have proven that acupuncture is an effective way to manage pain. According to the National Institute of Health, acupuncture is actually the best option for people trying to manage chronic pain since there are little to no side effects. This is especially true for people with neck pain, back pain, and certain kinds of severe arthritis.

While acupuncture as a pain killer is proven to be quite effective, this treatment has several other benefits. Research suggests that acupuncture may also:

  • Improve and promote better sleep.
  • Reduce stress levels.
  • Increase energy levels.
  • Promote better mental clarity.
  • Increase your pain tolerance.
  • Reduce pain perception.

Keep in mind that even though acupuncture has proven to be effective, so have simulation techniques. These techniques appear to work for pain just as well as real acupuncture does. Some research suggests that acupuncture works best for people who believe that it works, like a placebo effect.

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Medically Reviewed on 12/22/2022
References
The Best Treatment for Aches, Pain, and Fever: https://www.webmd.com/allergies/sinus-nose-tool/treat-aches-pain-fever