And since Epsom salts don't dissolve in cold water (water should be around 130 degrees Fahrenheit for them to dissolve), you're forced to forgo that miserable ice bath in favor of something warmer—and likely, more relaxing.
How hot should your bath water be? Epsom salts should always be used in warm and hot baths, not the cold ice baths you may take after exercise to relieve inflammation.
Now consider the value of adding this magnesium-heavy compound to ice baths specifically. Using Epsom salt in cold water could not only speed up circulation, but it may also be possible to gain the pain-reducing benefits of magnesium.
The idea is that when you pour Epsom salt into warm water, it dissolves the magnesium and sulfate and allows it to be absorbed into your body through your skin. Centuries of user testimonials claim wonderful benefits from using Epsom salt this way.
If you decide not to rinse off afterwards, your body may benefit for longer from the purported healing properties of the salt. However, Epsom salts can sometimes have a drying effect, so you may want to have a quick rinse off afterwards, especially if you have dry skin anyway.
Cold water baths may boost your immune system and improve your lung function. Hot water baths relax sore muscles and increase flexibility and help clear the airway and nose. Prefer cold water baths for muscle recovery.
The Arthritis Foundation suggests taking a warm Epsom salt bath to reduce tenderness and swelling in your joints because heat therapy can help relieve pain. They note that adding Epsom salt might increase your magnesium levels, which is important for bone and heart health.
In half a gallon of warm water, dissolve one cup of Epsom salt. Gently mix it all together for a minute to make sure the salt dissolves as much as possible. You can then soak a towel or washcloth in the mixture, wring out extra water, and apply the Epsom salt compress to your skin for 12 to 20 minutes.
Use 2 cups of Epsom salt for a standard-size bathtub. Pour the Epsom salt into warm running water. Soak in an Epsom salt bath for 15–30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
Epsom salt contains magnesium and may help the body get rid of toxins responsible for exacerbating inflammation while also reducing swelling, stiffness, and pain.
If your feet are inflamed, a cold water foot bath with Epsom salt may help reduce inflammation, providing relief for aching, swollen feet. A warm Epsom salt foot soak can also help relieve pain.
Alternate hot and cold therapy to maximize pain relief
Ice helps reduce swelling and inflammation-related pain by restricting blood vessels. Heat does the opposite, increasing blood circulation to relieve muscle cramping, stiffness or soreness.
Because Epsom Salt products are said to have anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties, skin infections that result from debilitating assaults on the feet could benefit from long soaks. 3. Epsom Salt foot baths may help to improve circulation.
Follow these steps to use Epsom salt in a foot soak: Fill a basin or foot spa with enough warm water to cover the feet up to the ankles. Add half or three-quarters of a cup of Epsom salt to the water. Place the feet in the soak for about 20 to 30 minutes.
Hot showers and baths can inflame the skin, causing redness, itching, and even peeling — similar to a sunburn. They also can disrupt the skin's natural balance of moisture, robbing you of the natural oils, fats, and proteins that keep skin healthy.
Ice baths may reduce inflammation, boost your mood, or relieve pain after a workout. There's no official recommendation for how to take an ice bath. But people usually spend 5 to 10 minutes in 50 to 59°F water. The cold-water plunges pose a risk to people with certain conditions.
Constricted blood vessels also reduce inflammation that comes with heat, bringing about some inflammatory-related pain relief and decrease in swelling. A study from Petrovsky (2015) has shown that muscular micro-tears from exercise is better medicated by a cold shower than a hot one, reducing DOMs more effectively.
How often can you take Epsom salt baths? You can take an Epsom salt bath once a week or every 2 to 3 days. Since there's no proven medical benefit from it, there are no strict guidelines either — so, follow the instructions on the packaging as best you can.
When placed in water, Epsom salt breaks down into magnesium and sulfate. The theory is that when you soak in an Epsom salt bath, these minerals get absorbed into your body through the skin. This may help relax muscles, reduce swelling and pain from arthritis, and relieve pain from fibromyalgia and various causes.