Have you reached the stage in your life where coffee and muscle rub go hand in hand?

You don’t have to be a gym rat to experience chronic muscle pain. We’ve all woken up with those corpse-like necks that have been locked in place and mysterious aches that we can’t quite explain especially as heavy computing desk jobs have become the norm. As my chiropractor once said; “The tech industry is what keeps me employed.” 

While you might be tempted to reach straight for the Advil and Ben-Gay, there are more natural treatments and home remedies that may make you rethink your go-to-strategy for pain relief. 

The first time I discovered arnica, I was camping in Wyoming and I woke up surrounded by these beautiful yellow flowers. I was experiencing shoulder stiffness from lugging a backpack across the mountains that was way beyond by weight limit. Someone suggested that I pick a bunch of these daisy-like flowers and steep them in olive oil in the sun for a pain-relieving massage oil. And that’s what I did. Soon after, I learned that arnica is a medicinal plant used to treat primarily used to treat bruises and sore muscles. It turns out that it is one of the most popular ingredients in natural and homeopathic treatments for osteoarthritis, sports injuries, and other aches and pains. And it’s been proven to be just as effective as ibuprofen.

Cannabis use is growing fast in mainstream medicine and gradually losing its reputation as a plant for deviants. In fact, the congress just passed the 2018 Farm Bill which will legalize industrial hemp (cannabis sativa) plants that contain 0.3% or less THC--too low to get you stoned. This is a big win for the medical industry to reach the over-the-counter market. Yet scientists have already learned how to isolate the pain reducing cannabidiol (CBD) from the psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) for medical purposes. Whether you’re experiencing arthritis, neck and shoulder pain, or after workout soreness, you’ll feel relief with these over-the-counter topical medications such as CBDMEDIC Pain Relief products that you can buy online.

You can also see the Best CBD pain relief creams at CBD Nerds

If you’re looking for a warming pain relief for achy joints and muscles, you’ll find instant relief from capsacum, otherwise known as cayenne pepper. The warming sensation interrupts pain messages to your nerves. You can get it in a gel, patch, cream, and ointment and you don’t need a prescription. Whatever you do, don’t touch your eyes after handling the product. 

Since many people are worried about side effects of conventional treatment, they turn to homeopathic remedies for treatment. Homeopathic medicine operates on the notion that the body can heal itself. Practitioners use tiny amounts of herbs to stimulate the healing process rather than full strength herbs as naturopaths use. You can find plenty of homeopathic creams over the counter that contain capsacum, arnica, cannabis, and other healing essences. 

If you’re looking for a cooling relief, eucalyptus, peppermint, and camphor are the dynamic trio. They combine to reduce swelling and pain by numbing the area with the icy feel. In fact, these are the primary ingredients found in Vick’s Vapor Rub and similar household staples. But you can make a version yourself by just adding drops of the essential oils to coconut oil or olive oil. 

You’ll be surprised how effective all of these natural treatments are.