My muscles have been very achy lately and the internet tells me to do bath soaks with Epsom salts. I understand that warm water helps to relax muscles, but how does salt in the bath help? Do our bodies actually absorb Epsom salt through the skin to a degree that it actually makes a difference, or is it more a relaxing/scent/placebo? What mechanism is happening that the Epsom salts contribute to?
Similar vein: baking soda, magnesium, etc added to baths – do they actually help? What works best?
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The body absorbs the sulfate. I think it is likely it is the sulfate that produces the effect.
Are you asking because you want to know how it works specifically or because you want to know if you should use it?
I don’t know shit about how it works, but I have one hell of a testimonial that it does.
Gate control theory. Essentially you provide your brain with enough non painful stimuli like heat, water pressure, buoyancy, etc that the pain signal is more or less over ridden. It’s the same reason you grab a stubbed toe or ice an injury. Sure, there are some thermal effects, but hot and cold can only penetrate a few mm, which is way more superficial than your muscles. You do on the other hand have an extremely high number and variety of receptors at the superficial level of skin.
My theory is density. I used Epsom salts for a rather embarassing hemorrhoid. I think the increase density of the water creates a gentle upward force (Archimedes principle) which would be greater than in fresh water. This stimulates blood circulation and relaxes things.
Of course, this is just posturing. As others have said the real science behind has not been able to show, with a study, the exact mechanism.
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