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Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) bath
Epsom salt bath
A listing is not a recommendation.
Origin: The United Kingdom and elsewhere · Tradition: European mineral-salt bathing and folk practice · Heat & water
What it is
A folk method of adding magnesium sulfate to the bath. It is promoted for muscle soreness and relaxation. Absorption of magnesium through the skin has not been well demonstrated.
A short introduction (not a treatment instruction)
- Keep to the labelled amount, for a usual bathing time.
- A wound can be irritated.
- People with kidney disease and a magnesium limit should not swallow it (consult a professional about bathing too).
Symptoms or aims often mentioned with this practice
- Muscle stiffness
- Tiredness
- Stress or unease
Related symptom videos
Research notes (this is not a promise of effect)
C: Preliminary, small, or lower-quality studies, or mixed results. These notes should not be over-read
It is hard to distinguish from the effect of a warm bath. Evidence on transdermal magnesium is weak.
Sources
Safety notes
Dehydration, slipping, magnesium in kidney impairment, and accidental swallowing.
If you are unsure, or if you have a health condition, are pregnant, or take medicine, consult a qualified professional.
Situations in which this is better avoided
- Severe kidney impairment (consult a professional)
- A large open wound