Muscles after exertion

After exertion the tradition works from the outside: a compress, a massage oil, a warming rub. The catalogue holds ten species here in two roles — German chamomile, English lavender and lemon balm for a calming bath, chili pepper and rosemary as the warming component, comfrey for a compress.

Devil's claw is the only name that came into the set from another tradition and spread in Europe only in the 20th century.

Muscle soreness a day or two after unaccustomed exertion is a normal response of the muscle, not damage, and it passes on its own. That is exactly why so little can be proven against it — most people feel better regardless of what they rubbed in.

The documented part is dull: warming up, increasing the load gradually, and sleep. For capsaicin products there are data on pain, but they concern a standardised formulation from the pharmacy, not a home infusion of chili.

Severe pain with swelling and dark urine after extreme exertion can mean breakdown of muscle tissue — that is an emergency, not a question of ointment.

One-sided calf pain with swelling and warmth needs to be examined for possible thrombosis. Discuss muscle pain that starts after beginning cholesterol medication with a doctor, and after an injury that leaves you unable to bear weight on the limb, go straight to one.