This is for a friend. Well, two friends to be exact.
Both have this terrible tightness/cramping of muscles in the shoulders and neck area originating from the upper spine.
One friend has to get deep muscle tissue massage in order to get thru the week with the pain.
The other friend found the same thing helps her but can only afford it 1xmonth.
Does this pain sound familiar to anyone and what have you found to help it?
Posted by FYRECRACKER (Member # 28568) on :
I have that. I have to get massages weekly. The amount of deep pressure I can handle for my weight is immense. Its hard to find anyone to get as deep as i need them to get to find relief.
I have a Thera-Cane that I use on myself to help relieve the tension.
This was my first symptom, i have a feeling it will be my last to go.
Hot baths, Sauna, Back exercises...these are all helping, but its a rough road.
Posted by Abxnomore (Member # 18936) on :
Have you tried IM magnesium sulfate shots. They really help. I used to have the same symptoms and went for bi-weekly deep tissue massages.
I had a thera cane, too. Glad to be rid of it.
Posted by coffee71 (Member # 17467) on :
This was one of my first symptoms. Just like fyrecracker I have to get massage once a week and when I skip it spasm gets worse.
Last two months, as other symptoms have improved, my neck and shoulders are getting worse, and I have been puling my head on the left.
My massage therapist uses Biofreeze and it helps.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I read that it can come from inflamed cranial nerves - take a look at their pathways. This symptom has not gone away for me yet, except 150mg oral clindamycin eased muscle aches overall.
Posted by Abxnomore (Member # 18936) on :
Indeed it comes from inflamed nerves which then cause the muscle spasms. That's why magnesium is so important as part of your protocol and the IM magnesium sulfate works the best. I found it be way better than the trans-dermal magnesium.
At one point I as doing the IM shots 3 x a week and them moved to 2X and gradually of the course of a years to 1x a week. I found IM shots worked better then even IV magnesium for me.
Posted by lymeinhell (Member # 4622) on :
Ditto on the IM Shots.
Unfortunately, there are none to be found at the moment. There are only 3 mfrs. The vials were recalled by 1 of the 3 mfrs last November, causing a severe shortage at the other 2. The back order is now until late October, so if have vials on hand, don't waste them!
Posted by mr al (Member # 18191) on :
make sure you stretch. Meds can't fix everything.
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
wow, none of this sounds very hopeful...
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
Up for more.
Has anyone found something helpful that is still available (other than deep tissue massage)?
Posted by mr al (Member # 18191) on :
^Ice, heat, baths, stretching, physical therapy, creams. I've had it for years. Nothing makes it go away. I can only try to lessen it.
Posted by marinel (Member # 33240) on :
Have your friends tried chiropractic? I couldn't manage without it...
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
mr al, have you been treating w/ an LLMD for a long time too? Does any particular infection treatment help?
marinel, neither have mentioned chiropractic, just deep tissue. Does the chiropractic make it go away for a time or lessen it? Any particular kind of chiropractic?
Thanks, everyone, for your input here. I'm sorry for everyone who has great pain. I wish it weren't so.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Chiropractic care brings me temporary relief. There's minimal, medium and strong force. We need to find the level that works for us. For me, medium force.
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
Robin, does sauna heat help?
Trying to find help for someone with no money for Chiropractic care.
Many people unemployed these days and really suffering.
Posted by lymeinhell (Member # 4622) on :
Wow, that's so helpful! Thank you, lymeinhell!
Posted by whitmore (Member # 28721) on :
I have this intense stiffness and spasm too. For those that mention the IM Mg shots, do you buy the vials over the internet and self-inject? Or is this all done through your LLMD? Sue
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
My neck and shoulders get so stiff and sore I cry If you touch me. I even bought one of those rolling massage pads but it hurt too much. Tried chirp but it made things worse. Pills knockEd me out. Nothing seems to help
Posted by marinel (Member # 33240) on :
17hens, chiropractic is helpful because if the spinal alignment is incorrect, muscles can spasm up.
My chiropractor says that when a person is chronically ill, they can't use their muscles in the same way a healthy person can (due to pain and/or weakness issues) and so they get out of alignment much more rapidly than healthy people do. This causes a perpetual problem, because resulting muscle spasm further limits mobility.
I had to go real slow at first with my chiropractic care, because (crazy!) the adjustments actually caused moderate herxing afterwards. I'm wondering if lyme hanging out in the cerebrospinal fluid gets mobilized...don't know. But now I can let the chiropractor give me full-strength adjustments without any problem.
The adjustments lessen the pain (nothing totally alleviates it). But every little bit helps. I'm now able to do the dishes without being in agony. It used to be that simply leaning over the sink would put my neck and shoulders in so much pain that I had to let my husband do them...
So chiropractic has been well worth it for me. I'm really blessed, because my Medicare policy covers most of the expense.
Another thing: if your friends can tolerate salicylates (NOT for anyone on the guifenesin protocol), I would recommend "Herbogesic" a tablet form of magnesium salycilate made by Genestra Brands. I get it from a naturopath, and it has helped me far more than NSAIDS.
I'm so sorry that money is an issue for your friends. Can you believe, there was a chiropractor in Arizona who used to give free care to people in homeless shelters? He was an angel...
Posted by BleedGreen (Member # 33468) on :
It one was of my first symptoms too. Felt like I sat there for three days straight talking on the phone holding the phone with my shoulder and side of my head, except I don't do that.
Would be really tight and painful, but it wasn't the spine it was the muscle. Abx is what cleared that up for me, I guess it could be one of the nearly twenty supplements I have to take each day too though.
Posted by GaPeachLymie (Member # 33196) on :
Chiropratic helps some (live near Life College so well trained, supervised last year students adjusted me @ no charge).
Homemedics Therapist Select heated hand held massager (around $40, I believe), but you have to do it yourself! friends or family are awesome!
Heated, massaging Homemedics car seat (I use in house in winter)
*But what helped the most.. Derma Mag.(Magnesium Skin Lotion) I'm not crazy about rubbing this on my skin, so I would mostly put it in foot baths. Doing both first few weeks. Now I have not had to use it in months! Know I will need to start back in winter.
Hope they find help! I know just how painful it can be! Posted by GaPeachLymie (Member # 33196) on :
I'm not affiliated with this company. Was very suprised after ordering it off the internet, to find they are located in my state.
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
Thanks so much for your input, everyone. I really appreciate it!
I am going to send ALL of this information on to my friends in hopes they can find something to help.
GaPeach, so rubbing the magnesium lotion into your shoulders has helped with the pain? Does it alleviate it or give temporary relief?
Posted by GaPeachLymie (Member # 33196) on :
@17hens, it almost completely got rid of it after around 2-3 months. The pain is tolerable now, sometimes barely noticable. It was a 9 out of 10 constantly before! Now, just if I really over do it, the pain only gets to around 3 of 10!
The instructions with Derma Mag, which I followed is to rub on arms and legs and put in foot bath daily. It was a little bit irritating or just felt kinda dirty at first (like a coating on skin). So I cut back and felt the pain returning in a bad way!
After that I didnt care, used it as directed. Then between a month and 2 months went to foot bath only.
Have not used it in around 4 months now, and the deep tissue pain and knots have not returned!
I guess it depends on how low we are on magnesium. There are tons of testimonies on the site.
Posted by GaPeachLymie (Member # 33196) on :
ps. may need to search under "Fibromyalgia" on the site for the testimonies. That's how I first found it.
Posted by FYRECRACKER (Member # 28568) on :
Is it PAIN you are talking about GA? or stiffness, tightness?
Or is it the same thing?
Mine feels "Locked up" more than anything.
Posted by GaPeachLymie (Member # 33196) on :
Yes Fyrecracker I am talking about pain. Like I'd been stabbed with a large blade and the knife got left in my shoulder/ upper back.
I believe it was very tense muscles, as deep tissue massage eased it temporarily when I could afford it.
The pain started in neck (base of skull) and ran down the back, just inside of the shoulder blades. Usually one side or the other.. not usually on both sides at once.
I never felt like either shoulder was frozen though.
Hope that helps.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
[QUOTE]Originally posted by 17hens: [QB] Robin, does sauna heat help?
Trying to find help for someone with no money for Chiropractic care.
Many people unemployed these days and really suffering.
I find that any heat helps to reduce the pain of spasming muscles.
But frankly, it's a chiropractor who relieves the pressure on the nerves for me.
I know it's rough now for so many. Maybe just keep calling around to see whether any office would be willing to come up with a creative arrangement of some kind?
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
Thanks, everyone, so very much. You guys are wonderful to care and to share. (((hugs)))
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