does regular massages but nothing ever really gets completely rid of it. I have extremely tight muscles, very stiff, and don’t want to be on prescription strength muscle relaxants for the rest of my life. Magnesium and potassium supplements help, so does soaking in a hot tub. Can anyone suggest anything else? I’m too young to feel this old! Thanks in advance!
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This sounds like you have chronic trapezeus muscle pain. Your “traps” are the muscles located between your shoulder blades and affects your neck as well. This can be caused from being jarred abruptly, lifting something too heavy at a strange angle. Have you ever been involved in an accident? You may have scar tissue that does not stretch well.
You will benefit from physiotherapy. Massage will alleviate pain in the short term, but physiotherapy will help heal the muscle. Try not lifting anything heavy, and when it hurts a lot ice it. If you’re stiff put heat on your neck and back. The worst thing for this is sleeping on your stomach, this puts your neck at an unnatural position.
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Physical therapy is a good idea. You will be taught specific strengthening and stretching exercises that will eventually ease away the pain you are experiencing. I also suggest ergonomic changes in your everyday activities. Examine your work space at work and at home. Is your chair too high or too low? Maybe your table? Is your computer monitor at eye level? Or maybe you use a laptop literally on your lap and are constantly flexing your neck forward for prolonged periods of time. If you drive, maybe your seat is too far or too close to the steering wheel. Basically, you need to position everything in such a way that your body is properly supported and your body is comfortable. You can ask a physical therapist, but the best way to figure everything out is by trial and error. It’s your body, and only you can determine what is comfortable for you.
Why dont you try physical therapy. I bet most of your pain is from poor posture and weak muscles so PT will show you how to strengthen the muscles, improve your posture and stretches to decrease the tightness.
I have the exact same thing and have been diagnosed w/that fibromyalgia. For years now my muscles hurt, pain in the shoulder blades sometimes causing really bad headaches. I feel like I have arthritis but I don’t. I am now on a new med called Lyrica. I cant believe the difference. I can still feel the muscle tenderness when I touch the muscles, but my brain doesn’t have to “feel” the pain signal. I’m only 47 and struggle every day. I have tried every type of pill bad and good. Antidepressants too. This is the only med that ever ever helped in any way. Massages feel great, but sometimes make it worse in the end. The chiropractor claims they can make this go away. That is my next step in the plan. good luck!
Here are a few links that will help you. They are good, free info from medical professionalshttp://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Ato…
Here is a link that you can ask a doctor from WebMd and you will get an answer.http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/def…http://www.qapedia.com/cu/webmd.aspx
I’d try working out your upper body. You may see some benefit in your back muscles by strenthening your chest. You should go for a balance in muscle strength between your back and chest. Your shoulders may just be pulling in and they need to be stretched out.