I have had mixed results from muscle relaxers. I do OK on Soma, though it makes me feel like a drunk. It works to help me sleep when pain and tension is part of the problem. I do sometimes have a kind of hangover with it.

Skelaxin made me very depressed, but didn't make me feel drunk. I decided I could live better with drunkeness than depression, so just use the Soma when I don't have to go anywhere.

I also use other pain meds for actual pain. I only use the MR when it is obvious muscle spasm is involved. I would like to use antiinflammatories, since it is clear there is inflammation, but it just can't be done, for me.

Riversinger...Anti-inflammatories seem to tear me up too, digestive-wise.

Here is a thought I've had...and I may be way off base, but...could the effect of muscle-relaxers actually help LD move through the muscle tissue? Is the constriction of the muscle tissue a defense mechanism?

I'm not trying to stir anything up, and obviously don't have any medical background. Just looking for thoughts.

Aniek...I am curious about your Thoracic outlet outlet area you mention. What is that? What is your issue there? I just had an MRI done this week due to the continuous issues I've had in my thoracic area. Is this something to due to/caused by LD?

These issues cause swelling, pressure on nerves, pain, and numbness. There are a multitude of possible causes, including genetic abnormalities. Infections are, of course, one possibility.

I've found that osteopathinc manipulation is very helpful for me, and has significantly reduced my pain and loss of nerve function. Yoga and physical therapy help with keeping things moving. I also take pain medication for what the other treatments hasn't yet resolved.

My osteopath feels the neurological infection of Lyme is at the base of much of what goes wrong for me, but while treating that, I get a lot of relief from directly managing the other issues.

I had Lyme for abou 17 years before a diagnosis. I started having tightness and pain between my shoulders when I was 17, about 5 years after infection. I thought it was normal from carrying book bags and hunching over in the VT winter.

About 2 1/2 years ago, I had severe pain and stiffness in my right wrist and hand, that then spread to my left wrist. I was diagnosed with tendoninitis. After months of wrist braces, my hands and wrists got worse and I had constant pain and stiffness all around my upper back, shoulders and neck.

I went to a feldenkrais specialist which would help for about a day after the visit. I saw a phsyical therapist who used myofascial release techniques. At first I would be worse after visits, my muscles would actually inflame. Then I would be better for a day. Once we added Flexeril, the myofascial release would last, and I was able to start stretching and strengthening.

My physical therapist was not shocked with a Lyme plus coinfections diagnosis, because he said that he never saw muscles react the way mine did. My LLMD said that Lyme and other infections can cause muscles to inflame. She thinks both babesia and salmonella are most to blame in my case for the thoracic outlet area. She also said strep is a common cause, but I didn't have it.