Does anyone else have this? I really dont know what is causing it but its very annoying. I just cant relax those muscles at all. Massage helps for a while but then its back again. I guess it might be anxiety that is causing this.
Any others?
Posted by cactus (Member # 7347) on :
I have this as well - that area can feel like a rock!
It improved (for the most part) with treatment over the past 2 years.
Recently, I've had to stop all abx/babs treatment due to GI issues, and the neck/upper back/shoulder stiffness has returned with a vengeance.
Heat helps a bit, when it's very painful. That's the only thing that's helped, for me.
Posted by merrygirl (Member # 12041) on :
I have this too. I use heat. What about the muscle creams? Ar e we allowed to use them? Not that I want to smell like vapor rub!
Posted by kelmo (Member # 8797) on :
That was one of my daughter's early symptoms. I would have to take her to physical therapy, and every time, I would be pulled aside and asked if we had tension in the home.
My daughter was very upset that I would always be looked at as the hysterical mother who was causing my daughter to be ill.
Posted by ElaineC (Member # 9857) on :
I have this too really bad. Massage and heat and muscle rubs all help a little, but nothing lasts for long. Basically I would need daily massage to have any long lasting relief.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
i've had this for 35+ years; nothing works for long.
i've had massages, MOISTENED HEAT from heating pad, and what i do all the time is this .... FROZEN ICE PACKS replacing every time they get warm! wrap in towel so it's not directly on your skin! good luck!
i recently purchased 4 frozen packs from our clinic: 2 for neck/lower back, and 2 thigh ones; good for being in recliner; can't type & use them ... too awkward and they WEIGHT A TON FROZEN! uffda Posted by Vermont_Lymie (Member # 9780) on :
I have had this for years
Especially around the shoulders. I think it is the lyme. Going to try acupuncture soon.
Advil, saunas, and hot baths with epsom salts and baking soda helps.
Posted by groovy2 (Member # 6304) on :
Hi Fink
I had Super tight muscles like you all describe- Felt like I was working out 24x7 - hard as a rock tight -stiff neck- back- miserable
Once I started Babs treatment Also-- my muscles Relaxed-- in about 2 weeks --
My muscles have been relaxed ever sense-- -- AAhhhAAhhhhhaaaa -- Jay --
Posted by DolphinLady (Member # 6275) on :
For me this has been helped greatly by taking rifampin for bartonella.
[ 23. July 2007, 01:42 AM: Message edited by: DolphinLady ]
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Sore shoulder muscles and then a stiff neck were my first symptoms. It's never really changed. I read that Lyme attacks the cranaial nerves early on. I think C11 goes to the shoulders, and other upper body nerves affect the neck. I get a lot of chiropractic care.
Posted by butchieboo (Member # 12063) on :
I have had symptoms you all describe, early on in my infection.
As a matter of fact. Probably one of my first symptoms, was when I was out playing golf and I got a very stiff neck on one side(right) and a headache.
I thought it could be tension as well due to the fact that I used to get migraine headaches as a child.
This was different however. This may also be different then what you all have. Maybe the same.
This pain and stiffness that resembled a tension headache, also resembled what comes along with spinal meningitis or encephalitis.
I learned later that this is exactly what my lyme was mimicking. It was indeed signaling a cranial/cns/neuro infection. However, not the two previously mentioned diseases.
This pain and stiffness was due to neuroboreliosis, which gives the victim the same type of nerve, muscle and cranial pain/twitches.
It was'nt until my last dose and or regimen of two months of ceftriaxone IV followed by IV Clindamycin, for one month(which I had to stop
due to piccline rash), followed by Ketek orals, for two months till it went away and so far has'nt returned like it used to.
There were times when I would be in between treatments when it would leave, but it always
returned. It was as if it were giving me a sign that the brain/cns infection was still with me.
Unlike tension headaches...I would get the pain and stiffness and headache...then I would get the anxiety/depression.
I still crack and grind a little in the cervical spine area(as well as other areas of my skeleton) due to accidents and hard living).
But it seems, at least since the last treatments I described above, that menengial/or encephalitis type stiff neck and pain has discontinued.
By the way....I would get temporary relief before the ABX with a TENS UNIT...it's an electrical muscle stimulator, that has a side
effect, when using a certain way, of anesthetizing nerves in areas of the body.
Especially when placed in accupuncture/pressure points you can learn about in the library.
Hope this helps.
BB
Posted by djf2005 (Member # 11449) on :
hey guys-
i get a lot of chiropractic care, and just started taking wobenzym and quercetin which both seem to be helping greatly.
Posted by BartonFink (Member # 10818) on :
quote:
Unlike tension headaches...I would get the pain and stiffness and headache...then I would get the anxiety/depression.
[/QB]
This is interesting. I feel that the stiffness and anxiety are somehow connected. First I start having the stiffness and tension, then comes the anxious feeling.
Posted by zil (Member # 12048) on :
I've had this problem for years and have used a chiropractor for temporary relief. A few months ago I started taking a muscle relaxant, skelaxin and Darvocett for pain. I was getting painful muscle spasms in my neck and between my shoulder blades. Gives me some relief. I'm hoping with treatment this will cease to be a problem. Liz
Posted by ElaineC (Member # 9857) on :
Hi djf2005,
What dose of wobenzym and quercetin do you use? Great to hear it's working for you!
Thanks Elaine
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
Message therapists are always amazed how tight I am.
I think I've told you before how much of a help Flexeril was, combined with myofascial trigger point release. Without the help of Flexeril, my muscles would never have gotten relaxed enough to have the help of the release.
I had to stop the Flexeril after 2.5 years. The tightness came back, but not as bad.
Posted by djf2005 (Member # 11449) on :
elaine-
the wobemzym is 100mg a day
and the quercetin is 500 mg day
i got them on evitamins.com
pretty inexpensive
Posted by 5dana8 (Member # 7935) on :
I have this too For me it's definetly lyme.
The thing that helps me the most is moist heat,
and taking some anti-inflammatory supps like ginger root.
When my back does into spasm occationally I take 1/2 val.
hope you can find a way to feel better soon ' Dana
none of the above is medical advise...just my 2 cents
Posted by Boomerang (Member # 7979) on :
Well, I am amazed to read this thread. Hubby has never complained about this ache in his back and shoulders. He pulsed flagyl over the weekend, and tonight he told me his upper back hurt into his shoulders. Said it was hurting really bad.
He rarely complains about pain. So when he does, I know it's really bothering him.
Since this is a new ache for him, I think it must be caused by the flagyl. ??
Posted by BartonFink (Member # 10818) on :
Wow thats interesting because I didnt have this as bad before I took Biaxin a week ago. Like Biaxin caused or worsened this...
quote:Originally posted by Boomerang: Well, I am amazed to read this thread. Hubby has never complained about this ache in his back and shoulders. He pulsed flagyl over the weekend, and tonight he told me his upper back hurt into his shoulders. Said it was hurting really bad.
He rarely complains about pain. So when he does, I know it's really bothering him.
Since this is a new ache for him, I think it must be caused by the flagyl. ??
Posted by butchieboo (Member # 12063) on :
The psychiatrist ducks and even regular ducks will tell you that your stress/anxiety/depression is the main cause of the headaches and pain and stiffness.
I used to tell these ducks(before I knew I had lyme) "Look doc, I have this pain in a whole lot of my body. You guys(about 23 different ducks)
can't tell me exactly what's causeing it. What you do give me(steroidal and non-steroidal anti inflamms which are immunosuppressants) is making
me feel worse instead of better. Then you guys all suggest I see a shrink. It's not the cart pulling the horse here doc. I, and my mind,
whether, conscious or unconcious, is not causeing these symptoms. You and your doctor friends that are making me worse instead of
better are raising my anxiety and depression and stress levels. Not the other way around".
So then the shrinks would give me xanax,zoloft and ammytriptolene so I would become a zombie and a mindless lump and less argumentative.
It was'nt, like I said in an earlier post, until I received antibiotics. Slowly, the stiffness and pain in my neck and actual
swelling of my brain and headache went down and stopped returning.
I have experienced "top of the head or banding like headaches", from antibiotics for the first couple of days to a week. These usually subside and they are not at all like the others.
Yes I have also used and keep handy flexeril(cyclobenzaprine), a muscle relaxer. I use this whenever my overall bodily muscles become tight from exertion. I have noticed they can also help me fall asleep. But not stay asleep.
We all have to watch anti-inflamms hidden in some meds like skelaxin. These and some QUOTE "Painkillers" are nothing more than
Immunosuppressants and can cause us greater harm in the long run...IMO.
So be very careful....
BB
Posted by Vermont_Lymie (Member # 9780) on :
quote:Originally posted by BartonFink: Wow thats interesting because I didnt have this as bad before I took Biaxin a week ago. Like Biaxin caused or worsened this...
quote:Originally posted by Boomerang: Well, I am amazed to read this thread. Hubby has never complained about this ache in his back and shoulders. He pulsed flagyl over the weekend, and tonight he told me his upper back hurt into his shoulders. Said it was hurting really bad.
He rarely complains about pain. So when he does, I know it's really bothering him.
Since this is a new ache for him, I think it must be caused by the flagyl. ??
I think that is due to a herx, a die-off reaction.
I have had chronic neck and upper back stiffness/tension, but it gets worse for anywhere from a couple of days to several weeks when I start a new abx or ramp up the dosage of an abx.
For me, that worsening is a classic herx reaction. So yes, in an indirect way, it is caused by the biaxin and flagyl, IMO.
Posted by IMHisda (Member # 6998) on :
Yes, I get this a lot.
My chiropractor said it is due to muscle spasms from the Lyme. If you can find a chiropractor who also does deep tissue massage- it really helps.
IMHisda
Posted by IMHisda (Member # 6998) on :
Yes, I get this a lot.
My chiropractor said it is due to muscle spasms from the Lyme. If you can find a chiropractor who also does deep tissue massage- it really helps.
IMHisda
Posted by jimmystermite (Member # 11671) on :
This was among the very first of my symptoms and I still have it... I am constantly asking my sons to rub my shoulders (right one is worst) and my neck..
It provides very temporary relief...but it helps some..
My PCP gave me a muscle relaxer (can't remember what it was now) and it seemed to help some, but not enough to keep taking it..
It seems as though it gets worse just before I get another really bad flare up of my symptoms..
Funny, I do remember that it started bothering me really bad just before I started getting the "brain fog" and seems to be worse when I am having a really "foggy day"...
Posted by ElaineC (Member # 9857) on :
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