Natural remedies for back, joint and muscle pain

Home remedies for minor ills are worth their weight in gold. Help soothe your back, joint and muscle pain with these easy-to make natural remedies.

A cold, unopened 250 millilitre (12-ounce) beverage can makes a great back massager, whether it's filled with cola, club soda or beer. To loosen muscle tissue and spur blood flow to the area, stand against the wall with the can on its side wedged between your back and the wall. Move from side to side to make the can roll. This impromptu massager does an especially good job of relaxing the rhomboids next to the shoulder blades and the lats lower down the back.

To make a lower back support to use in the car when you drive, fold a medium-sized bath towel lengthwise, then roll it up. The roll should be about .3 metres (one foot) long. Now cut the leg of an old pair of panty hose to size and slip the towel inside. In the car, tuck the makeshift cushion between the small of your back and the car seat and you'll ride in comfort and with back-friendly posture.

To give this favourite old pain remedy a shot, combine powdered mustard seed and all-purpose flour in a bowl (one part mustard seed to two parts flour) and slowly stir in water to make a paste. Spread the mixture on one side of a 30-by-30-centimetre (12-by-12-inch) square of cheesecloth and fold. Now place the plaster on the ache, securing it with a bandage or slipping it under a tight T-shirt. Leave the plaster in place for no more than 20–30 minutes at a time. If any skin irritation occurs, remove it immediately.

Turmeric, one of the principal spices in curry powder, is as medicinal as it is culinary. The compound in turmeric called curcumin has been shown in clinical trials to reduce swelling associated with arthritis. If you find curries too spicy, use powdered turmeric as a seasoning, sprinkling it over meats, eggs and dark green leafy vegetables like spinach.

Incorporating ginger into your diet will bring at least some relief from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis pains. For best results, take two grams (1/2 teaspoon) of powdered ginger or 30 grams (six teaspoons) of fresh ginger once a day, whether in food or tea.

Standing barefoot on a cold floor decreases blood flow and could help relax tightened leg muscles. If you're hit with painful leg cramps in the middle of night, get out of bed and stand on a cold floor.

To prevent cramps, make tonic water part of those 225 millilitres (eight ounces) of water we're told to drink eight times a day.  Quinine, from the bark of the South American cinchona tree, is the only drug actually proven effective for leg cramps, but serious side effects, including irregular heartbeat, put quinine on the prescription only list. What you can buy any grocery store is tonic water — called so because it's flavoured with beneficial quinine.

Don't let minor aches and pains stop you from being active. Try these easy homemade remedies and see how quickly you're back on track.