You may have heard of Epsom Salts before, or been advised to have an Epsom Salt bath or soak, but have you ever wondered why?
Epsom Salts are made up of Magnesium, Sulphur and Oxygen, and get their name from the English town of Epsom in Surrey. It is completely different from table salt, and is quite bitter.
Epsom Salts have been used for hundreds of years to treat all sorts of ailments such as constipation, muscle aches and pains, sleep issues, and wounds. For these purposes however, it is not well researched. In fact most of the benefits of Epsom Salts are anecdotal.
The reason they are considered beneficial is because of the magnesium, which is considered beneficial for optimal muscle function, and is thought to draw out toxins.
It is thought that soaking in Epsom Salts enables more absorption of magnesium than oral consumption, but there is no research to support this theory.
Reported uses include:
1) muscle recovery
2) fibromyalgia
3) woundcare (especially for pilonidal abscesses that are almost at skin level and nearly healed)
4) constipation
5) as a hair treatment
6) foot soak
It is often recommended as a treatment for blocked milk ducts. It is advised to dissolve the salts in hot water, then cool the mixture to warm, and using a medicine cup or silicone breast pump, leave the mixture in contact with the nipple. The aim is to draw out the toxins and free the nipple pore.
However, like an epsom salt bath for muscle fatigue, we cannot know whether it is the salts or the hot water that helps soften the blockage and clear the blocked ducts. Yet many women report that this is the treatment that helped heal them.
So that’s Epsom Salts in a nutshell. Epsom Salt soaks are considered harmless, but as with everything please consult with your doctor before trying, and definitely before ingesting!!
