It doesn’t have to be cold outside to use a heating pad. Whether you have a headache, sore muscles, or cramps, a heating pad is highly beneficial. Homemade heating pads are even better! Snuggle up with them if you are chilly, need comfort, or want to embrace the warmth. This article details how to make your own heating pads and the supplies you’ll need. 

Firstly, you have to gather the supplies, which are a pair of cute and cozy socks, one pair of thin socks, 2 bags of small white beans, sewing supplies, and scissors. Don’t have beans? Replace them with rice! Don’t have cozy socks? A thicker pair of socks will do the trick! By the way, you don’t have to be a professional tailor or seamstress to make these. We believe in you! 

Homemade Scented Heating Pads

• Step 1: Take the thin socks and sew them together at the cuffs. Make sure to leave a one-inch gap, and then fill each sock with a one-pound bag of beans, or one pound of rice. 
• Step 2: Sew up the rest of the cuffs because this will serve as the inside bag for your heating pad. 
• Optional Step: Drop some lavender essential oil onto the thin socks and allow it to soak into the material for about 15 minutes. 
• Step 3: Take the cozy socks and sew them together, leaving a hole big enough to fit the thin socks with the beans into them. Once you fit the thin socks inside the cozy socks, finish the sewing job. Your homemade heating pad is ready, and it should resemble a horseshoe.
• Step 4: Warm the heating pad up in the microwave for about thirty seconds and then use it on the affected area. 

The Benefit of Heating Pads

There are quite a few situations that call for a heating pad. Most importantly, heating pads help relieve aches and pains, relieve cramps, and ease muscle tension. Heating pads are a form of heat therapy, which encourages consistent circulation throughout the body. When dealing with an injury, heating pads can help reduce both muscle and pain discomfort. We detail some of the other benefits below. 

Accelerates The Healing Process

Promoting blood flow to the injured area is an essential part of the healing process. The reason for this is because increased blood flow delivers more oxygen, white blood cells, platelets, and other essential nutrients. All of these things help repair damaged tissues, which is a crucial part of the healing process. Heat transfers all the way from the skin’s surface to deep muscle fibers. This improves blood circulation to the muscles, but also heats the cross layer of fat under the skin. People who have a thicker layer of fat, then, may not respond to heat therapy as well as people with less fat. 

Heat Interrupts The Transmission Of Pain Signals

The reason you feel pain is because of sensory receptors that exist at nerve endings. Receptors compete with one another to reach the brain, and one set of receptors may block or mute the signals from another set. Heat therapy actually activates heat-sensitive calcium channels, which can block pain receptors directly. It’s also possible for heat to stimulate other sensory receptors, which may indirectly reduce pain.

Heat Increases Immunity

By elevating the body temperature via heat therapy (external heat), you mimic the function of a fever (internal heat). What this does is signal the immune system to respond at varying levels. Hot baths, for example, activate monocytes, a type of white blood cell that help fight infections and remove dead cells from the body. Heat therapy may also decrease levels of inflammatory markers in the body. Low levels of C-reactive protein, for example, indicate a stronger immune system.

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When you think of cupping, you probably imagine dark circles that resemble large bruises all over the skin. Even though it may look like the person lost a fight to an octopus, the bruises that result from cupping therapy can indicate healing. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) states that the ancient therapy of cupping was used to treat a variety of ailments, including digestive issues and general pain. 

There are two types of cupping: wet cupping and dry cupping. Both forms of this alternative therapy involve the creation of a vacuum within the cups either through heat or a suction device. With wet cupping, the practitioner lightly pierces the skin so that blood is drawn into the cup. Dry cupping doesn’t draw out any fluids. The suction pulls the skin up into the cups, breaking capillaries or blood vessels under the skin. That is why you see bruise-like circles after a cupping session. The body responds to the treatment as an injury, so it sends increased blood flow to accelerate the healing process.

Today, you can receive cupping from a variety of practitioners, including acupuncturists, physical therapists, chiropractors, and massage therapists. And although it is an ancient healing modality, modern medicine continues to search for ways to understand its efficacy as a complementary treatment. Anecdotal reports and limited studies, however, support the following health benefits of cupping therapy. 

May Ease Headaches

Some research suggests that people who deal with chronic headaches or migraines may benefit from cupping therapy. A small study from 2019 observed 132 participants with migraines. The results found that those who received cupping therapy experienced significant reductions in pain intensity, compared to the controlled group who did not receive cupping. Another uncontrolled study observed 70 people with chronic tension or migraine headaches. The participants who received cupping therapy experienced a 66% reduction in headache severity. Plus, the total number of headaches they had per month decreased by 12.6 days. 

May Improve Mood 

People who receive regular cupping sessions report a variety of mental health benefits. Naturopathic doctors who practice cupping suggest that the therapy can help relieve stress, promote relaxation, and induce a sense of calm. All of those benefits may help improve sleep and improve overall mood. Although scientific research is limited, some evidence indicates that people with chronic fatigue syndrome who received cupping experienced a reduction in fatigue. A 2020 study confirmed that participants experienced better sleep and overall mood, both of which were more pronounced after 10 cupping sessions.

May Reduce Pain And Sore Muscles

A lot of athletes receive cupping to either help reduce sore muscles, accelerate recovery, or to reduce injury. You don’t have to be an athlete to receive cupping therapy, though. Some research indicates that cupping can help with muscle recovery. In fact, a small study from 2021 found that cupping was a great way to treat muscle fatigue 24 hours after participants worked out biceps and triceps. A larger review found that cupping therapy showed positive results on back pain, but research is still limited in this area. 

May Improve Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

One study monitored 56 participants with carpal tunnel syndrome. Half of the group received routine physical therapy (which included electrical nerve stimulation and ultrasound) and the other half received that same routine treatment plus cupping in the wrist area. The group that received cupping experienced significant improvement in symptom severity. Additionally, another study observed 52 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and associated shoulder and neck pain. Half the group received wet cupping to the trapezius region and the other group only received heating pad treatment. Researchers noted that the cupping group reported less pain a week after their cupping session.

May Help Reduce Arthritis Pain

This is based on one primary study that compared the effects of cupping with the over-the-counter pain reliever, acetaminophen, in 20 participants with one osteoarthritis. One group received dry cupping for 11 sessions over a two-week period. The rest of the participants received 650 milligrams of acetaminophen three times a day for the same two-week period. The researchers noted that the cupping group had better results in terms of pain, swelling, tenderness, and morning stiffness, compared to the medication group.

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At some point in your life, you are bound to experience lower back and hip pain. This is especially true if you sit at a desk for eight hours per day, or stand for the same amount of time. Sitting ruins posture, creating tension in the upper back and tightness in the hips, while standing increases the curve of your lower back and puts pressure on the surrounding spine. Life doesn’t want you to win, but you can fight the pain without ever walking into a doctor’s office. All you have to do is stretch.

The deepest hip flexor, the psoas, directly connects to the lumbar spine (in the lower back). If hip flexors tighten, they tug on that area of the spine, which is why you feel stiffness, tightness, or ashiness in the lower back. Back to the psoas muscle for just a moment. This muscle is attached around the mid-spine and connects to each vertebra as it continues down the body. It acts as a thigh and hip flexor and you can thank it for helping you move. Standing or sitting for long periods can cause this muscle to become tight, which is exactly what you want to avoid. A tight psoas is your ticket to lower back and hip pain, but these stretches can help you counteract that tightness, loosening you up to improve mobility. 

Happy Baby Pose

Happy baby pose is the perfect place to begin your journey to better mobility, as it is a gentle stretch that opens the hips and stretches the lower back. Lie flat on your back and bend your legs toward your chest. Splay your legs open from side to side and lift your feet into the air above your chest, facing the soles of your feet to the ceiling. Reach your hands up to grab the soles of your feet from the outside edges. Make sure that you press your lower back into the floor, holding your knees closer to your chest if necessary. Don’t let your back leave the floor while you hold this pose for 30 seconds. If you like, you can rock side to side to massage the lower back. 

Low Lunge

If this doesn’t make your hips and back happy, we don’t know what will. During this stretch, you should feel your hip flexors lengthen, but make sure not to rush through the motions. Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position, stacking your shoulders over your hands and hips above your knees. Step your left foot back so that your shin is flat on the ground, forming a 45-degree angle with your thigh. Bend the right knee to step your foot beneath your hands, making sure the knee doesn’t extend beyond your toes. Tuck the left toes under and come up onto them as you straighten your left leg. You should feel a stretch along the front of your left hip and thigh. Take a few deep breaths and hold for 20 seconds before switching sides. 

Adductor Opener

This is a beautiful stretch to open up the hip adductors and hip flexors. Your adductors are the muscles that run along your inner thighs. Begin standing up straight with your feet wider than shoulder-width. There should be about a three-foot space between your feet. Point your toes out slightly and squat down as if you are going to sit in a chair. Keeping your back straight, place your hands on your inner thighs and press to open your legs until you feel a stretch along the inner thighs and groin. Hold this position for 30 seconds. 

Figure Four

If you want to reduce lower back and hip pain, you have to stretch the glutes and piriformis, in addition to the hip flexors. This is a gentle stretch that should elongate your tight gluteus muscles. Lie flat on your back and bend your knees, placing your feet on the ground hip-distance apart. Bring your right knee toward your chest and bend it out to the side, placing your ankle above your left knee on the thigh. Reach your right hand between your legs to interlace it with your left hand behind your left thigh. Keep your head and shoulders on the ground as you draw the left thigh towards you, pulling until you feel a stretch along the outer right hip. Hold for 30 seconds before switching sides. 

Child’s Pose

This is a basic yoga pose, but it provides incredible relief to your back, and it also works to open up the hips by stretching the glutes. Begin on your hands and knees in a tabletop position, stacking your shoulders over your hands and hips above your knees. Angle your knees out to the sides and bring your big toes together. Sit your hips back onto your heels and walk your hands forward until you can lower your forehead to the ground. If you cannot bring your forehead to the ground, that is completely fine. Ideally, you should feel a stretch in your lower and upper back. You can extend your fingertips and walk your hands to each side to stretch your sides as well. Hold for at least 30 seconds, or as long as you need to remain in the stretch.

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Ask anyone on the planet and they’ll tell you that they have sore muscles from time to time. Muscle soreness can stem from a hard workout, injury, or general tightness that stems from lack of flexibility. Depending on the severity of the muscle pain, you may be able to relieve it with stretches, ice packs, or the DIY cream in this article. 

When it comes to muscle soreness, the most common areas of pain are the shoulders, neck, and lower back. In fact, roughly 80% of Americans will experience back pain at some point during their lifetimes. If the back pain becomes severe from accompanying inflammation, it may interfere with your daily activities, including work, hobbies, or general movements. Although a DIY cream may not be able to quickly relieve pain that you have not addressed for years, it may be able to remedy acute muscle pain. 

Essential oils are powerful extracts from the leaves, seeds, flowers, fruits, and barks of plants. They are popular in aromatherapy, but you can apply them topically after proper dilution. The skin absorbs their health properties to alleviate numerous ailments, from skin conditions to muscle pain. The following essential oils are in the DIY sore muscle cream. 

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Eucalyptus essential oil is commonly used to promote decongestion and relaxation. It exhibits powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, and it also has analgesic effects in muscles and joints. According to a 2015 clinical review, eucalyptus essential oil may treat ailments like arthritis, wounds, and the flu. A separate study examined a mixture of eucalyptus, marjoram, lavender, rosemary, and peppermint essential oils. The results indicated that this combination of essential oils wee able to reduce arthritic muscle and joint pain. 

Peppermint Essential Oil

Similar to eucalyptus essential oil, peppermint essential oil has potent analgesic properties. The main components of peppermint oil are menthol and menthone. In the past, menthol has been used to treat pain from both tension and migraine headaches. A small study found that topically applying a 10% menthol solution to the temples was a great solution to relieve migraine pain. Health experts also believe that the awakening scent of peppermint essential oil may help to reduce muscle spasms. After dilution and topical application, people with arthritis may find that peppermint essential oil relieves joint pain.

In addition to these essential oils, the DIY sore muscle cream also contains coconut oil, shea butter, and beeswax. These ingredients help to lock moisture in the skin, as they have emollient properties. It’s also worth noting that massaging the sore muscles alone may help to relieve some of the pain, regardless of the essential oils. Keep this in mind when using the DIY cream below. 

DIY Cream For Sore Muscles

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup beeswax pastilles 
• 1/2 cup organic shea butter
• 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
• 15 drops peppermint essential oil
• 10 drops eucalyptus essential oil

Instructions:

• Add the beeswax, shea butter, and coconut oil to a microwave-safe glass bowl and microwave for about two minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. 
• You may need to microwave longer until you have liquified the mixture. 
• Stir in the peppermint and eucalyptus essential oils and then allow the mixture to harden a little. 
• Once it has firmed up a bit, use an electric hand mixer to whip the mixture until it looks smooth and creamy.
• Spoon it into a mason jar, cover, and store in cool, dry place. Massage a generous amount into sore muscles when you experience muscle pain. 
• This can be beneficial after a long day at work or a hard workout. 

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How does it feel to get in a fight with an octopus? Only a select number of people may be able to answer that question, and our content writer, Vinnie (a.k.a. V-Man), is not one of them. That being said, he did look look like he lost a fight to an octopus after his latest adventure. The most recent episode of The Adventures of V-Man chronicles Vinnie’s experience at Muscle Lab, where he received cupping therapy. Let him tell you all about it below.

What Is Cupping? 

Cupping is an old tradition that helps to stimulate circulation to muscles and improve recovery. It received a lot of attention during the 2016 Summer Olympics, during which Michael Phelps competed with purplish circles all over his back and legs. But cupping is an ancient therapy that is believed to help balance yin and yang, or the flow of qi in the body. Qi is the Chinese word for life force, and any pathogens that inhibit the flow can cause pain or reduced blood flow.

A cupping session involves a series of cups that the therapist places on different muscles. There are multiple styles, including dry, wet, and fire, but the most common variety is dry cupping using a pump. You can see how it works in the video in this article. The suction creates a vacuum inside the cup, causing the skin to rise into the cup. The reason that the skin reddens is because blood vessels expand. As you’ll see in the video, it looks very intimidating, but the markings are completely natural and they fade away within a week. Let Vinnie tell you all about his cupping experience below.

Arriving At Muscle Lab

First of all, Muscle Lab may be one of the coolest places that we’ve visited for The Adventures of V-Man. If there is one place that is designed to keep your body in the best condition possible, it’s Muscle Lab. They offer numerous services to optimize overall health, including cryotherapy, red light therapy, personal training, boxing, massage, cupping, and more. 

After we got a tour of the facility, we met with Ari Escala, the cupping therapist. Let me tell you something: Ari is a cupping master. She knows all about it and has dedicated a lot of time and effort to keeping her body, and all those she works with, in the best shape possible. One of the best ways to keep the body in shape, outside of working out and eating clean, is to engage in different recovery methods, cupping being an excellent option. Even if you don’t engage in regular exercise, it’s easy to experience tension or soreness from a sedentary lifestyle. Cupping works to increase circulation to those static muscles, which helps decrease pain levels and overall discomfort. 

The Cupping Experience

I cannot lie to you; it was a little nerve-racking to receive cupping. There are so many gruesome images of glass cups suctioning a person’s skin, and they contain bodily fluids. They scare people away from receiving cupping therapy, but there’s no need to be frightened, especially if you go to Muscle Lab. Ari talked to me the entire time she suctioned the cups up and down my back. You don’t want to push the body past the point of comfort, but a little suction is necessary. She encouraged me to communicate if anything was uncomfortable to ensure that I had the best experience possible. 

To be completely honest, there was very little discomfort during the entire cupping session. The only time that I felt slight discomfort was when we transitioned to a seated position instead of me lying face down. Ari likes to incorporate movement into the cupping therapy session to maximize blood flow. Additionally, motion is the body’s lotion, meaning that mobilizing the sore area will only increase circulation and accelerate recovery. 

Even though those a couple of those movements were tough to make it through, Ari was supportive and encouraging throughout. She makes you want to dig deep within your soul and push through the other side as a triumphant being. In fact, I can say that about the entire Muscle Lab staff. Let’s just say I overheard them coaching others and the intensity was real, but very inspirational. 

Conclusion

Cupping is a unique therapy that is beneficial for anyone, not just athletes. Whether you want to relieve lower back pain that results from sitting at your desk or shoulder pain from a hard workout, cupping can accelerate your road to recovery. Head on over to the folks at Muscle Lab and they’ll help you get your body into the best shape possible. We only took advantage of their cupping therapy, but the facility offers other beneficial therapies. Tell them that V-Man sent you if you live in the Greater Los Angeles Area. 

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If you aren’t hip to calendula oil yet, it’s time to board the train because the health benefits are too good to pass up. The secrets about calendula are out, attracting the interest of scientific researchers and herbal enthusiasts alike. The calendula plant offers a wide range of benefits, and has proven to remedy myriad ailments over the years. 

What Is Calendula? 

This colorful flower belongs to the Asteraceae/Compositae family and is native to areas in Canada and the United States. As long as the soil is fertile and well-drained, you can grow calendula, especially if it has access to ample sunlight. The leaves are shades or rich oranges and yellow, and have a lovely fragrance. Various animal and in vitro studies have concluded that the flavonoids from these petals exhibit neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-diabetic properties. This makes calendula a highly respected plant in the field of alternative medicine. 

Historically, people used calendula to treat kidney stones and gall stones, primarily because it has disinfectant and diuretic properties. Italian folk medicine used to use calendula oil to reduce inflamed wounds and burns. Some cultures brewed the petals into teas and used it as a face wash to reduce freckles or dark spots, or an eye wash to reduce the risk of conjunctivitis. 

Health Benefits Of Calendula Oil

Nowadays, people continue to use calendula oil to remedy a variety of ailments. The most common uses involve topical application to reduce infections or fungus. According to research, however, calendula oil may help to reduce diaper rash, inflamed skin, and vaginal yeast infections. You can thank the triterpene saponins, triterpene alcohols, and flavonoids for calendula’s ability to do all of these things. These naturally occurring chemicals interact with the body to improve collagen synthesis and enhance new skin tissue growth. Continue reading to learn more about the primary benefits. 

Calendula For Wound Healing

According to a recent study in The Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, calendula ointment was tested on cesarean scars in 72 women. The study compared the use of calendula ointment to conventional hospital treatment. The women who used calendula ointment had quicker healing time, and they reported less redness and swelling. Various animal studies tested calendula oil’s efficacy for healing bug bites, scrapes, burns, and bruises. The studies found that topical application of calendula oil encouraged 90% wound closing, compared to a separate controlled group. A newer study concluded that calendula oil may ward off infection, which contributes to faster wound closure.

Calendula As A Sunscreen

During in vitro studies, calendula oil exhibited an ability to encourage cell rejuvenation. The studies tested its efficacy as a sunscreen, showing a slight ability to protect the skin. Unfortunately, the evidence was not substantial enough to deem it acceptable as a sunscreen replacement. Fortunately, more studies are in the works to determine how effective it is at protecting the skin from UV damage. 

Calendula For Vaginal Health

Bacterial vaginosis and vaginal yeast infections are two common occurrences for women. One study with 80 women monitored the use of calendula ointment compared to metronidazole, commonly used to treat bacterial vaginosis. After one week, the study found that both the ointment and metronidazole effectively cured bacterial vaginosis with no side effects. This sparked interest in the participants. The opportunity to use a natural ointment in place of medication excited the women.

Calendula For Muscle Spasms

If you want to ease muscle spasms or tension, get your hands on some calendula oil. According to a Pakistani study, calendula oil was able to relax spontaneous muscle contractions. A different study found that it helped to erase muscle spasms. Because of this ability to reduce muscle spasms, people wonder if it can be beneficial for menstrual cramping. According to anecdotal research, calendula helped induce menstruation for women who experienced irregular periods. It may also ease PMS symptoms like cramping, but more research is necessary to prove this.

How To Make Calendula Oil

Ingredients:

• Dried calendula flowers or petals
• Carrier oil of choice (extra virgin olive oil, jojoba oil, organ oil, sweet almond oil)
• 1 glass container (half-pint jar works great)

Instructions:

• Fill a half-pint glass jar about 3/4 of the way full with calendula flowers or petals. 
• Pour your desired oil into the jar so that the flowers are fully submerged. 
• Place a lid on the container and store it in a sunny, warm location to enhance the infusion process. A windowsill is perfect. It will stay here for three weeks.
• After the three weeks, you have to strain the flowers from the oil. Pour the oil through a cheesecloth into measuring cup with a pour spout. 
• Pour the strained oil into a glass jar and store it in a cool, dry place. Use it on your body, or face at will. 

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Muscle Bath Drops – herbal bath drops that aid in relieving deep aches and pain and calm inflammation.

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The pandemic has understandably put undue stress on everyone. It may seem like those knots in your shoulders or lower back have established permanent residence, causing stiffness, tension, and reduced mobility. For muscle relaxation, we commonly encourage people to get massages from skilled massage therapists, but is this therapy safe during the era of COVID-19?

Massages are essential, but they are unfortunately not essential businesses. Depending on the state in which you live, massage places may or may not be open. Most states have given the “okay” for doors to reopen, so long as proper sanitary measures are in place. As per normal massage practices, the sheets must be changed after each patient. Depending on the business, massage tables will be sanitized between each use and massage therapists and patients must wear masks. Some massage therapists are even wearing gloves to avoid skin to skin contact. 

What Do The Experts Say?

The reopening of more and more businesses led to a rise in COVID-19 cases. This makes health experts wary about coming in close contact with people, for example, during a massage. Many health experts advise that you do not run out to get a massage, no matter how much you may need it. The biggest concern is that most massage rooms have limited ventilation. Additionally, massage places tend to be warm and involve close contact, making infectious disease specialists vote “no” on massage treatments at the moment.

The Risk Of Getting A Massage

The massage itself is generally safe, but the biggest risk is being in an enclosed, compact space with another individual. If massage therapists and their patients wear masks, however, it decreases the risk of transmission via respiratory droplets. As always, the risk of infection increases when you have close contact with a stranger. And your personal risk will depend on how high-risk you are. So long as you and the massage therapist practice proper mask wearing and sanitation measures, you should be safe. That doesn’t mean that massages are the safest things to do right now, though.

What Do Massage Companies Need To Do To Ensure Customer Safety?

The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) issued guidelines for masseurs to follow when their businesses were allowed to reopen. The biggest recommendation for all masseurs was to thoroughly clean and disinfect massage rooms and equipment between each patient. Additionally, disinfecting the common areas (like waiting rooms) is also recommended. Further recommendations indicate that all employees wear masks, take temperature checks for every incoming patient, and require all patients to wear masks before, during, and after the session. 

Proper hand hygiene and spacing out appointments are two other measures that the AMTA recommends. This allows time for proper deep cleaning and spacing out patients provides the ability to maintain physical distancing. The AMTA also encouraged masseurs to allow cancellation without charging the clients if they feel sick within 24 hours of the appointment time. Massage studios should also send out newsletters to inform customers of their safety protocols, sanitation methods, and information about booking appointments

Even with the necessary precautions in place, getting a massage during the pandemic can be risky. How willing are you to take risks and are you practicing safe, sanitary practices in other areas of your life? If you feel that getting a massage is too risky, you can relieve muscle tension and stress in other ways. Try foam rolling, stretching, or simply order an electric massager from an online retailer. There are so many affordable options for people to use. We know an electric massager is not the same as a skilled masseuse, but it does provide muscle relief. Just be careful not to overwork the same area with the massager because that can cause bruising or unnecessary pain. Lastly, alternate between ice and heat application. You can’t go wrong by using that tried and true combo for pain relief. 

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Between working on computers and checking Instagram or playing games on the phone, most people develop neck problems and poor posture. Aptly dubbed “tech neck,” the pain worsens with the continued use of screens. Whether you crane your head down while checking emails or slouch in a chair while entering data, the pressure can cause immense stiffness and strain on the neck. 

What Is Tech Neck?

The vertebrae in the neck are only meant to handle 10-12 pounds, which is the head’s neutral weight. When you crane your neck, angling it down and forward to look at screens, you actually apply up to 50 pounds of pressure on the bones and muscles. The sad truth is that people don’t realize how hunched over they are when they look at screens. They assume a subconscious position that puts undue stress on the neck. Many doctors have had to recommend rehabilitation for people with tech neck because they experience:

• Muscle spasms
• Headaches
• Neck and upper back stiffness
• Trap pain 
• Sharp shoulder pain

People have dramatically increased screen time over the years, which explains tech neck. The good thing is that you can reverse the condition, alleviating your body from current discomfort and pain. Use the following five tips to help reverse your tech neck. 

Download Posture Apps

You’re most likely on your phone for a good portion of the day, so why not download another app that benefits your health? Posture apps send you reminders to correct your posture. Some apps are even hooked up to a device that you adhere between your shoulder blades. This device detects how often you slouch and it can give you a little vibration to remind you to sit up straight. 

Engage In Stretches

Chiropractors recommend engaging in certain stretches throughout the workday, provided you work at a computer. The easiest stretch is to sit on the edge of your chair and interlace your fingers behind your back near your buttocks. Pull your shoulders down and squeeze the shoulder blades together. Hold this position for about 30 seconds and be sure to take deep breaths throughout the stretch. Relax and repeat for a total of three or four times. Following your workday, you can engage in prone stretches or exercises. These include baby cobra, superman holds, and upward facing dog.

Try A Standing Desk

Standing up is a great way to improve your posture, but you have to make sure that you pay attention so that you don’t slouch. When you stand up to work, it’s best to have your computer at eye level. This helps you avoid looking down or up, both of which cause strain in the neck. If you don’t want to stand up and work, sit in an ergonomic chair with a headrest to avoid flexing the neck forward. You can also try to sit on an exercise ball to sit up straight. 

Be Aware Of Your Posture

It’s easy to neglect your posture, so correcting your slouching or craning neck requires work on your part. You can’t just ignore it because you are probably unaware of how often you slouch. Set reminders on your phone or smartwatch to look up. Additionally, when you sit down in a chair, keep your feet flat on the floor with your shoulders down. Hold in your lower abdomen and this will help tremendously. You can also rest your elbows on your desk to help prop up your upper body. 

Take Breaks

Whether you work from home or work at a desk, you can improve your posture by taking a break every hour. You can even implement these breaks into your off days. Motion is the lotion that you need for healthy muscles and joints. Remaining in one position for hours on end inhibits blood flow to the muscle and joints, making them stiff over time and causing pain. Get up and incorporate motion into your day to take that strain away from your neck and shoulders.  

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Arnica is a familiar name in the world of herbal remedies and homeopathic medicine. Commonly infused into gels, lotions, tinctures, or salves, arnica works to reduce bruising, swelling, or the pain of a recent injury. If you are unfamiliar with homeopathy, it is possible that you are unaware of the anti-inflammatory benefits of arnica. That is why we are here with this article.

What Is Homeopathy?

Based on law of similars (like cures like), homeopathy uses substances that may cause adverse symptoms in a healthy person to treat those symptoms in a sick person. The remedy used (let’s use arnica for the sake of this article) gets diluted in a tincture, ointment, or oil to create varying levels of potency. The more dilute the remedy, the greater the potency.

What Is Arnica?

Arnica is an indigenous plant to regions in Asia, Europe, and North America. The most common species is Arnica Montana and it goes by several names, including mountain arnica, mountain tobacco, wolf’s bane, and leopard’s bane. The blossoms resemble daises and traditional folk medicine used these flowers to remedy muscle aches and sore joints. While research is limited surrounding the treatment of medical conditions, anecdotal reports praise arnica’s healing properties.

Important Note: Arnica is for topical use only. Helenalin, which is the compound responsible for arnica’s anti-inflammatory properties, is toxic when you consume it. The reason it does not affect the skin is because homeopathic creams, ointments, or salves containing arnica are very diluted.

Health Benefits Of Arnica 

Reduces Bruising

If you knock your knee into a wall by accident, arnica cream may help reduce bruising and the pain associated with the trauma. You must apply the cream for several days to experience relief, though. Initially, studies did not find any conclusive evidence that arnica helped reduce bruising. More recent studies, however, found that arnica helped reduce postoperative bruising and swelling, especially for knee surgery patients. Another study found that it reduced bruising from rhinoplasty, and it brought swelling down after tonsillectomy.

Helps People With Osteoarthritis

Common treatment for osteoarthritis involves the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Homeopaths have prescribed arnica to osteoarthritis patients as an alternative remedy to NSAIDs. Researchers from Australia analyzed several studies about topical herbal remedies like arnica for osteoarthritis pain relief. Don’t you find it interesting that arnica gel worked as well, if not better, than ibuprofen at reducing joint pain in the hands of people with osteoarthritis? In contrast to the daily use of ibuprofen, there were minimal side effects of arnica gel. Finally, another study with 79 arthritis patients found that applying arnica gel to their knees twice daily reduced stiffness and increased mobility. Only one person in the study had an allergic reaction.

Reduces Muscle Pain

The studies surrounding arnica’s ability to reduce muscle pain primarily focus on people with myalgia or post-exertional myalgia. Many athletes use arnica-infused ointments or creams to reduce muscle soreness and accelerate recovery. A lot of sports supplements contain arnica for these reasons. One review of studies in the International Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine found topical arnica use to be more beneficial than the placebo. People who used arnica experienced great relief from muscle injury, while those who applied the placebo received no such benefits.

Arnica that is diluted in creams or ointments is considered safe for topical application, but people can have adverse reactions to it. The most common reaction is an allergic reaction to the plant, which can result in rash or irritated skin. The people who react to arnica commonly have an allergy to plants in the Asteraceae family, which includes daises, marigolds, and chrysanthemums. Do not ever ingest arnica and don’t purchase dried arnica flowers. Only purchase diluted arnica products to keep yourself healthy and safe.

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