Natural Treatments to Relieve Muscle Tightness & Joint Stiffness

What is Stiffness?

Stiffness is the term used to describe the inability to move freely without pain or inflammation or the loss of range of motion. Simply put, stiffness is caused by inflammation of either the muscles or the joints and it is commonly associated with muscle and joint conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatic arthritis and muscle strain. Stiffness and tightness can affect many parts of the body, including the neck, back, ankles, calves, hips, knees, legs, shoulders, and more.

What Causes Stiffness?

Many people struggle with stiffness and pain and believe it to be a natural part of the aging process. While stiffness is sometimes the result of general wear and tear there are a number of other possible causes of this type of discomfort and many of them can be adequately treated or addressed with a few life-style changes.

Other causes of stiffness include:

Obesity, which places extra strain on joints an muscles
Past injuries which have never adequately healed
Excessive amounts of insulin in the system (often as a result of diets high in sugar and carbohydrates) which causes inflammation
Excessive amounts of the stress hormone cortisol, which also causes inflammation
Hormone imbalance or fluctuations
Viral infections
Post exercise where the muscles are adjusting to new demands

Note: If you have stiffness without an obvious cause (such as vigorous exercise) then it is always advisable to see your doctor where a diagnosis can be made and underlying conditions can be ruled out.

Help for Stiffness

Natural Remedies

Stiffness need not be a daily burden. As it is a symptom related to inflammation many people are now turning to natural remedies as an alternative to prescription anti-inflammatory medications (which usually come with side effects and the risk of addiction) to relieve the pain and discomfort of stiffness.

Homeopathic ingredients such as Magnesium phosphoricum and Matricaria recutita both have powerful anti-inflammatory properties and both are renowned for their soothing effect on aching muscles and stiff joints.

Arnica is also a well known ingredient that helps promote the healing of connective tissue, cartilage and bones while Dulcamara is another excellent anti-inflammatory often used in the treatment of inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.

The ingredients Bryonia and Berberis are also excellent when trying to relieve stiffness. In addition, the homeopathic ingredient Rhus tox can be used to relieve pain and ‘creaky’ joints, and works well to heal fibrous tissue markedly joints, tendons, and sheaths.

More Information on Stiffness

Tips how to manage stiffness

Stretching and toning exercises are especially important if you suffer from stiffness. These exercises can help to warm and stretch the muscles and are especially useful after long periods of rest.
Many people suffer from stiffness in the morning after the long rest period. Try start off your morning with a hot bath or shower to warm and loosen stiff muscles and joints.
Regular exercise to improve muscle tone and fitness can be very beneficial. Choose a gentle exercise that won’t cause pain such as yoga or swimming.
If stiffness is the result of muscle tension or stress, treat yourself to a monthly massage and learn to manage stress levels better.
Make sure that you adopt a good posture at all times and check that your furniture such as sofas and your mattress is conducive to a healthy posture.
Use a hot water bottle or heat pad to provide relief for sore joints in cold weather.

Treatments for muscle tightness and joint stiffness in areas such as the neck, shoulders or back.