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Chronic leg pain can be an annoying problem to deal with. It may be caused by many factors including age, nutritional deficiencies, and certain disorders.
The good news is there are a few simple home remedies you can try to reduce leg pain.
Home Remedies to Relieve Leg Pain
Most of these remedies are easy to use and utilize common things you may already have in your home.
1. Apply a cold compress
Applying a cold compress to the hurting area can numb it temporarily to reduce pain. It also reduces blood supply to the legs and decreases inflammation.
How to use:
Wrap a cold ice pack in a soft towel and gently press it on the legs for 5–8 minutes. (1)
2. Use turmeric
Turmeric contains a potent anti-inflammatory compound called curcumin. It helps reduce pain and swelling in the limbs. (2)
How to use:
Apply turmeric and coconut oil paste to the affected area. Massage it for a few minutes, and let it absorb for half an hour before washing it off.
3. Take an Epsom salt bath
Epsom salt contains high amounts of magnesium, which helps reduce pain and inflammation. (3)(4)
How to use:
Add 3 tablespoons of Epsom salt to a bathtub filled with warm water. Soak in this bath for 10–15 minutes before washing off.
4. Try apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) can help reduce leg pain caused by nerve damage. It has effective analgesic qualities and can reduce swelling. (5)(6)
How to use:
Add 1–2 tablespoons of ACV to a warm water bath. Soak your legs in this solution for 10 minutes every night.
5. Massage with mustard oil
Mustard oil contains a compound called allyl isothiocyanate. It is an effective pain reliever and also helps reduce inflammation.
How to use:
Massage your legs with warm mustard oil for 5–10 minutes every day. (7)(8)(9)
6. Use essential oils
Eucalyptus oil is well known for its cooling and anti-inflammatory properties. It helps reduce pain, lower inflammation, and provide soothing relief. (10)
How to use:
Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a warm water bath. Soak your legs in this for 10 minutes.
7. Drink fenugreek water
Fenugreek seeds have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities. They can be effective in reducing pain. (11)
How to use:
Soak a few fenugreek seeds in a glass of water overnight. Strain this water and drink it in the morning.
8. Consume white willow tea
White willow extract contains an anti-inflammatory compound known as salicin. Salicin is converted to salicylic acid in the body, which helps reduce pain and inflammation. (12)
How to use:
Prepare white willow tea by boiling 1–2 teaspoons of dry willow bark in two cups of water, boil it till it is reduced to one cup, and then strain the tea through a coffee filter to remove the bark particles.
9. Take ginger tea
Ginger contains a natural compound called gingerol, which is a known painkiller and helps reduce inflammation.
How to use:
Boil a few ginger pieces in water to make ginger tea. (13)
10. Apply the RICE technique
RICE is an acronym for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. (14) It is recommended by most doctors and physiotherapists as a way to reduce pain and inflammation.
How to perform:
- Rest – Reduce physical activity and let your legs rest as much as possible.
- Ice – Apply an ice pack to the area twice or thrice a day.
- Compression – Wrap or compress the area using bandages to reduce pain and swelling.
- Elevation – Elevate the leg on a pillow or bed rest to help reduce the swelling.
11. Drink pickle juice
Some recent studies indicate that drinking pickle juice may help dissipate cramps. Pickle juice has an acidic nature, which can activate certain nerve receptors in the muscles and signal the brain to relax the muscle.
However, people with hypertension should not try this remedy as it can increase their blood pressure. (15)
Self-Care Tips to Reduce Leg Pain
Here are a few additional self-care tips to reduce leg pain:
1. Incorporate nutrition-rich food
Consume a healthy diet with the recommended amounts of vitamins D and E, calcium, magnesium, etc. A deficiency of these nutrients can be a factor in leg pain, weakness, and fatigue. (16)
Note: Do not take any multivitamins or vitamin supplements without your doctor’s advice. Nowadays, many people take vitamin D supplements on their own, which results in vitamin D poisoning. Toxicity of vitamin D leads to hypercalcemia and an imbalance in the regulation of bone metabolism; the resultant hypercalcemia leads to clinical manifestations and symptoms of toxicity. (17)
2. Exercise
Exercise helps increase blood flow to the legs and reduce inflammation. Low-intensity exercises such as jogging or walking can help reduce leg pain. (18)
3. Drink plenty of water
Dehydration can cause muscle cramps and aches. Make sure to drink 5–8 glasses of water per day, depending on individual needs. (19)
Most-Asked Questions About Leg Pain
Can leg pain happen only due to a nutritional deficiency or imbalance?
Leg pain can be caused by a number of things: nutritional deficiencies, age, working out, walking long distances, etc.
What if my leg pain doesn’t stop even after using the above treatments?
You need to consult a doctor as this can be a sign of something serious such as a hairline fracture, an injury, or inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, among others.
Is leg pain common during the first month of pregnancy?
Yes, leg pain during pregnancy is a symptom many women experience. It may occur during the first month or first trimester for some, but it is more common in the second or third trimester.
Is this true that there is no chance of a fracture if you can move a joint after a fall and experience only mild pain?
False, as a bone can be fractured but you can still move it because the injury isn’t big enough to cause so much pain to be unmovable.
So, the first thing to do after a fall is to visit your nearest doctor.
Is increasing age the main factor in developing arthritis?
Degenerative osteoarthritis is very common in increasing age, and any arthritis occurring at a younger age should be suspected for infective and inflammatory arthritis.
With increasing age, joints are prone to develop degenerative arthritis due to the wear and tear. But it does not mean all pain in the elderly is due to age only.
Final Word
Leg pain can be caused by a number of different factors and may or may not be related to an underlying condition. Try the home remedies given above to reduce leg pain.
Consult your doctor if it does not seem to get better even after doing so.
Continue ReadingLeg Pain: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
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