Perhaps you’ve already heard that taking a hot bath is beneficial during opiate withdrawal. Hot baths can relax the nervous system, soothe aching muscles and limbs, and improve sleep. It doesn’t even have to be a hot bath, a jacuzzi works well too.
But have you heard of Epsom salt baths? Hmmm?
If you’ve never had one of these, you are truly missing out! It’s a quick, inexpensive, and natural way to relieve pain and promote relaxation.
Epsom salt is a naturally occurring pure mineral compound consisting of sulfate and magnesium. Both of these are easily absorbed through the skin, making Epsom salt baths an ideal way to gain the following benefits during opiate withdrawal:
- Flushes toxins from the body
- Relaxes the nervous system
- Soothes back pain and aching limbs
- Improves the absorption of nutrients
Note: Research also shows that magnesium increases energy and stamina by promoting ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production. It helps to produce serotonin, the chemical in the brain that helps you feel emotionally relaxed. Stress drains the body of magnesium and increases levels of adrenaline, so it’s important to replenish it while going through opiate withdrawal.
How To Make An Epsom Salt Bath
I highly recommend taking one regular hot bath in the morning, as well as one hot Epsom salt bath in the evening for the first few days of acute opiate withdrawal. After the acute phase has passed, you can continue to take Epsom salt baths up to three times per week.
- Step 1: Run hot water in the bathtub to the desired depth.
- Step 2: Pour two cups of Epsom salt
into bath water. - Step 3: Soak your body in the bath for as long as the water is hot (no less than 12 minutes).
into bath water.
Note: Epsom salt can be purchased at any store like Walmart, Rite Aid, Target etc. I bought some yesterday for $10, and it will last me for several baths. Click here now to view my best home detox program.
I am a stay at home mother of a 3 month old boy and finding time to do pretty much anything other than take care of him is hard. Not to mention he doesn’t sleep as much as other 3 month olds. I was on Subutex for 5 years at 16-21 mg when I found out I was pregnant there was no option of detoxing u til after birth/ nursing which added another 13 months of Subutex. Before all of this I was a heroin addict for 12 yes and I am only 26 I honestly thought no one knew anything that could help and my only option was relapse. Now that I have a child that is not an option and my detox from Subutex is now on day 5 with no sleep and taking care of a baby I am lost but your insight and tips seem to be a great help and I will most definitely try them anything to feel better at this point. With my will power I’m sure if relapse was an option and I could or it was in front of me I would right about now. I will try your tips and see what happens thank you for you knowledge and understanding.
Thank you so much for your articles. I am perusing then as I perform this article lol. I am only 29 and I am now in remission from type 3B ovarian cancer and am now trying to stop the meds that I was so naive to allow my doctors to get me so so high in mg on. I am at hour 59 as of now of no meds. Cold turkey and I can’t even tell you, though you probably know yourself how hard it is to not get in contact with someone or go to the doctor to get some. But I m hanging in there. I think I also just needed to vent for a sec and this has aloud me to do so. I don’t know if you still watch this comment page or not but if you do, thank you again.
My pleasure Jessi. I’m glad to hear the articles are helping. Keep hanging in there and you’re doing GREAT!!!
Thank you so much for posting this article. I keep bookmarking anything that is informative for helping my brother with his opiate addiction. It’s been about 15 years for him… and I’m learning it really wasn’t his fault, like many others. We’re helping him detox at home, and hoping this will help relax him a bit.
By the way, as an idiot, I was looking for epson salt in the baking/spice aisle the other day. So much for my knowledge…
I’m glad this article has helped you. And I didn’t know where in the store to find epsom salt either, the first time I looked!
Hi im wanting to get off my oxycontin like everyone else who comes here for help..i have a few questions…while im waiting for my Phenibut to get here(sometime next week)…bought some epsom salt with lavender as well,i need to know if i should just stop the oxycontin when i start the Phenibut? Let me tell u im only on 10 mg,once a night,so i realize it wont be as hectic for me to quit! But i have tryed to get off it with sleepy time tea/valerian root extract tea/melatonin…with no luck,i just get nervy toss n turn kinda withdrawal symtoms,so im trying the phenibut,i also realize if i take it more than 3 days,i can withdraw from it as well,which i dont want ! When im off it for the 4th day am i gona have a hard time sleeping since i took the oxycontin at night ? IM also on 25mg.of elavil at night,so between the phenibut and elavil for 3 nights im hoping i can sleep,but the elavil alone,after the 3 days ? After im good off it,im also looking for a way off elavil,ive been taking for over 20 yrs,with the mark of the beast coming,i want off all my meds,cause i wont be able to buy them unless i have the mark,which i will not get..i have suffered with SEVERE insomnia all my life,so my next goal is off the oxys then off the elavil,i just wanna sleep,please ive trzed a bunch of products for sleep,i wana go the natural route now,God bLess U 4 helping people on ur site…Thanks sher
Thanks for sharing story with us Sher. Sounds like you’ve got it planned out, and planning is 90% of the way to beat acute withdrawal. I appreciate you taking the time to leave this detailed comment.
As for your question:
Most people use phenibut when they stop opiates, not while they are still using them. However, best to speak with your doctor about what is the best way to take it.
Best of luck to you Sher! You can do this!
Hey! Great site – I’ve been pouring through the articles and I’ve found many of them to be quite beneficial. So thank you for this great resource as it seems thus far. 🙂
Quick comment: It was stated that: “Epsom salt is actually not even salt.” – and to this sentence I direct my comment. In chemistry, Epsom Salt is absolutely a salt. But this is where I guess semantics comes out to play. Either you were using the word “salt” to refer to sodium chloride and thus said, “Magnesium Sulfate is actually not even Sodium Chloride”, which wouldn’t even made sense as a sentence – or you were saying that Magnesium Sulfate is not a neutral ionic compound formed from H+ and OH- reaction. Often a metal and a non-metal, and always a cation and anion. So – that’s all 🙂 It is “A salt” but not the colloquial “Salt”
Much love! Keep up the great work, and thanks! 😀
Hey Thomas,
I’m glad you’re enjoying this website and finding value in many of the articles! And in reference to your comment…yes, I was saying that epsom salt is not even “real” salt, meaning it’s not NaCl2. However, that part about neutral ionic compound formed from H+ and OH- reaction that you mentioned is news to me, and I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to share this knowledge with me.
So epsom salt is a “real” salt, just not the type we often think of. I’ve learned a lot of great tips from readers such as you who are kind enough to leave a comment when something is wrong, and I SO appreciate it. I really strive to make my articles 100% accurate, so thanks for this great insight! I will change the article accordingly Thomas. Much love right back atcha. Take care. 🙂 Oh, and I just went and checked out your website, then liked your Facebook page. I really love what you’re doing! Keep up the great work.
If you’re ever interested in writing a guest-blog post for this website, on anything you like related to opiate addiction, I would be honored, and you could provide a link to your website, thus increasing your traffic and ranking. You can email me personally for more info.
finchy444@yahoo.com