4 Simple Ways to Soothe Muscle Aches at Home

This article originally appeared on Yoga Journal

I don't know about you, but when my lower back hurts or my neck gets tight, not only does it cramp my style working out, it also seriously interferes with everything in my life. It appears I’m not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four adults reported experiencing a recent instance of acute lower-back pain lasting at least one day.

Although it can be tempting to pop a couple of pain relievers and force yourself to continue with your life, pretending the pain doesn't exist does nothing to remedy the actual muscle ache. If you're experiencing intense muscle aches and want to address them sooner rather than later, here are several at-home ways that can help you experience relief.

4 Simple Ways to Soothe Muscle Aches at Home

1. Trigger Point Therapy

Anyone who knows me knows that I don't go anywhere without my lacrosse ball. That's because this hard rubber ball is the perfect size and density for fixing common muscle aches through trigger point therapy. Trigger points are painful, tense areas of muscles that can be found anywhere on the body and are one of the most common causes for chronic musculoskeletal pain. When you get a shoulder or neck rub and you feel a tight "knot" of muscle, that's usually a trigger point.

Massage is one way to release a trigger point, but getting in to see someone could take days or even weeks. You can use a lacrosse ball in a manner similar to the self-myofascial release technique practiced with a foam roller.

To relieve tension in your neck and shoulders with trigger point therapy: Lie on your back and place the lacrosse ball behind your upper trap, the triangular area from your neck to your shoulder blade to your shoulder. Make sure the ball is not pressing directly on a bone. You'll know it's in the right place if you can feel it "working" on a knot of muscle. Extend your arm out to the side or overhead to better target the trigger point. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, or until you feel the muscle release. Repeat on the other side.

To experience relief from muscle aches in your lower back with trigger point therapy: Lie on your back and place the lacrosse ball behind the back of your hip in the area just to the side of your tailbone and above one glute. Bend that same-side leg and bring your knee toward the ceiling, and then let your knee fall out to the side. Keep your other leg straight on the floor. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, or until you feel the muscle release. Repeat on the other side.

2. Hot and Cold Therapy

You might be familiar with the RICE acronym for treating injuries: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. While this can relieve the pain of acute injuries, such as an ankle sprain, you might actually be working against your body's natural mechanisms if you use it on everyday muscle aches.

That’s because using cold to treat these pains might be doing the opposite of what your body intended, explains Joelle Cavagnaro, MS, CEO of Level TEN and co-owner of Fit Coach Pro. "Contrary to popular belief, cold therapy like ice baths is not particularly great for muscle recovery," Cavagnaro says. "We have to remember that ice, while it may provide temporary relief, reduces inflammation, which in turn can delay healing and recovery. Acute inflammation is our body's way of healing."

While you can absolutely ice a twisted ankle or other acute injury to provide the temporary relief Cavagnaro mentions, make sure it's only for brief periods. "The inflammatory response is crucial for wound healing, recovery, and repair," Cavagnaro says. "So, as you can imagine, 'icing' something to control swelling and inflammation is the exact opposite of what we'd want to do for recovery."

When your muscle aches are chronic and past the acute phase, such as neck or back pain, try using heat instead. Superficial heat in the form of a heating pad or warm compress can help increase blood flow to the affected muscle, giving it a better chance to heal and recover, which in turn can create lasting relief.

To create lasting relief from muscle aches with heat: Superficial heat in the form of a heating pad or warm compress can help increase blood flow to the affected muscle. Most recommendations are for 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Epsom Salt Bath

For a more ancient way to fix common muscle aches, look no further than your bathtub. Epsom salt baths have been used for hundreds of years as a treatment for everything from arthritis to insomnia. When dissolved in water, Epsom salts break down into magnesium and sulfate, which your body then absorbs through the skin. Both these substances are thought to improve detoxification in the body, and magnesium in particular is important for relaxation.

Magnesium is also thought to help boost melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone. Taking an Epsom salt bath before bed can help your body relax and prepare for sleep, which is another underused way to fix common muscle aches.

To soak your sore muscles in an epsom salt bath: Fill a tub partway with hot water and dissolve 1 to 2 cups of Epsom salt in it. Soak the affected muscle group for at least 15 minutes.

4. Deep Stretching

It's no secret that stretching can relieve sore muscles and improve chronic tightness. The problem is most of us approach stretching ineffectively for relaxation to occur.

Your body has built-in mechanisms to prevent your muscles from tearing due to excess tension or overstretching. Depending on the type of stimuli, your muscles will either tighten to prevent injury or relax. When you only stretch for brief periods, "bounce" quickly in your stretching, or take too intense of a stretch, your muscles sense the quick change in tension and can tighten up more as a response.

The solution, when stretching for muscle aches, is prolonged, deep stretches that last longer than 30 seconds and preferably several minutes or more. This technique is even more effective when combined with deep breathing, which is why Yin Yoga is such an effective recovery modality. Make sure you are in a comfortable position you can hold for a longer period.

To stretch your quads: Instead of standing on one leg and pulling your foot up to your glute to stretch your quad, try lying on your stomach in the same position. This way, you don't have to maintain your balance, allowing your muscles to relax in the stretch.

To stretch your chest and shoulders: Stand in a doorway and place your hands on either side of the doorway frame. Step forward with one foot, keeping your hands on the frame, to stretch your chest.

To stretch your lower back: Stand with your feet hip-distance apart or wider and hinge at your hips as you bring your chest toward your thighs and your head toward the floor in a standing forward bend. Rest your hands on a yoga block or stack of books if they can't reach the floor and take as much or as little bend in your knees as you need.

RELATED: The Best Yoga Poses to Stretch Sore Muscles

For exclusive access to all of our fitness, gear, adventure, and travel stories, plus discounts on trips, events, and gear, sign up for Outside+ today.