You’re in pain right now, but you’re next massage appointment isn’t for days!! Don’t just deal with it. Take the time to pay that pain the attention it’s nagging you for! Here are some quick and easy ways to hold yourself over till your next massage… Epsom Salt Bath- Great for large areas or overall pain and stiffness. You can find these inexpensive salts in all drug/grocery stores. Dissolve 2 cups in tub of really warm water. Arnica Oil- Best for pain in a specific muscle. Rub over affected area as often as needed. Available at health food stores. Self-Massage- Sounds like a no-brainer, but a lot a people don’t really focus a decent enough amount of time on themselves to let this be effective. Free yourself from distractions, lie back and let your fingers do the walkin’ over that sore spot. Remember that the ‘no pain, no gain’ thing does not apply, and just use your intuition to do what feels best without causing pain. If you want it to feel like a pro’s touch, try using an oil, cream, or lotion. *If you have a bruised, sprained or strained muscle, avoid massaging for the first three days or until the sharp pain goes away. Tennis Ball Trick- Say you’ve got an aching muscle that you can’t reach to rub on your own. Put a tennis ball against a wall and press the sore spot into it. Work Out- My dad is big on this…when his shoulders and neck get stiff and achy from computer work and he can’t make it over to my place for a massage, he’ll work out with focus on those areas and it helps to release a lot of the tension. Breathing- Make yourself comfortable and bring your awareness to your breath as it is. Then imagine that the next time you inhale you are breathing in a clear white or a healing blue light directly into that area of tension. Hold it there. When you exhale think of all the dark colors of tension coming out of that area and that you’re blowing it all away from you. This really works. ~If you find that you are in pain more often than not, try getting massages more frequently until the relief lasts longer between sessions.