Home remedies for tense muscles?

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
I carry all of my stress and tension in my neck and tops of my shoulders, and it radiates down my back.

I'm looking for any homeopathic aids to relax my muscles. I'm open to trying anything ingested, applied topically, and/or using any of the 5 senses.

TIA!

Lee
 

SilverSage

Resident Crone
Q, you and I must share the same body! I carry mine the same way.

I used to have a friend who would feel around my neck & shoulders with her fingertips until she found a knot. Them with her thumb or fingers, would apply firm, (not so hard it hurts) pressure on the knot for several minutes. I would push myself into the fingers as much as possible, without hurting. If I stretched and relaxed while pushing into the pressure, that spot would relax appreciably after a few minutes. Then on to the next spot.

For me, the stretching and pressure combination worked much better than a massage or chemical pad (like ben-gay, etc.).

I can do it myself up high on the neck or shoulders, but in my shoulder blades or back, I need someone else to reach it.
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
Arnica gel..

I use this a lot Lee, and it works.
If it didn't, I wouldn't buy it.

2010-12-17 20-59-25.295.jpg
 
Last edited:

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
SS, I have a friend who will do that for me once in a great while. It hurts me, though.

Sass, is this it? If so, damn! The price is right!

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Boiron-Arnicare-Gel-2-6-gel/dp/B000LD529K[/ame]

Lee
 

buzzard767

golfaknifeaholic
Gold Site Supporter
Q, you and I must share the same body! I carry mine the same way.

I used to have a friend who would feel around my neck & shoulders with her fingertips until she found a knot. Them with her thumb or fingers, would apply firm, (not so hard it hurts) pressure on the knot for several minutes. I would push myself into the fingers as much as possible, without hurting. If I stretched and relaxed while pushing into the pressure, that spot would relax appreciably after a few minutes. Then on to the next spot.

For me, the stretching and pressure combination worked much better than a massage or chemical pad (like ben-gay, etc.).

I can do it myself up high on the neck or shoulders, but in my shoulder blades or back, I need someone else to reach it.

I can't speak for the thread title but therapeutic massage did wonders for my neck. I had a terrible pulled muscle in high school and it left me with somewhat limited movement turning my head in one direction for decades. The first time I had a massage the therapist asked me if I played football in HS. I answered no but that I had been a wrestler. She then commented on the knot she found on my neck and said that it was a very old injury - how in the hell would she know that? By the time the session was over my neck had loosened considerably and within a few days, full movement which has lasted pain free ever since. I'm a believer. :respect:
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Buzz, I'm interested!

How does did you go about finding "therapeutic massage"? Did your doctor prescribe it?

Lee
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
My niece is now a LMT.
She often comes over to work on my back when it bothers me.
The thing is, there is no one point that is actually causing the problem.
It's a complicated thing to try and explain, but if your neck and shoulders are bothering you, that may very well not be where the initial problem is originating from.

I once underwent a series of deep-tissue massage a few years ago.
It's called rolfing. I was in tears during the entire sessions.
 

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
The ole JD treatment does me good every time (see first pic below!!)! :lol:

Seriously though, DW swears by Soltice. It’s a topical “mineral ice” type product you rub on the skin directly. DW is in the Top 10 of World’s Worst Tension and Stress Headaches & Maladies. And to see this work so well and effectively EVERY TIME is rather impressive.

It seems it’s an old-school remedy, and her grand-mother used to use it all the time. It may be hard to find. A quick Google didn’t find anything, but upon getting strict with my search, I found it.

DW bought her current jar at a local convenience store, but she says you should be able to find it at Wal-Greens, CVS, or Wal-Mart.

Warning: Put gloves on your hand before applying to your body. I always glove up before rubbing her down.

http://www.planetrx.com/shop/detail.cfm?sku=fr690&utm_source=frg&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=product&zmam=1000941&zmas=26&zmac=106&zmap=187371

It’s a little jar (as shown in the attached pic of our jar) but it works some miracles for DW.
 

Attachments

  • jd1.jpg
    jd1.jpg
    10 KB · Views: 43
  • sss1.jpg
    sss1.jpg
    39.7 KB · Views: 43

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Boy, these are all GREAT!!!

I'm psyched to try them all! Sass, I just ordered yours on Amazon. Keltin, I will look for yours.

Phiddle, I've been threatening myself for years to try yoga. I'm almost ready!

Thanks, all!

Lee
 

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
Long term, seriously think about getting a water bag for exercise. I think you would like it. Free-standing, inflatable, water anchored jobs are cheap and easy to store.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=punching+bag&hl=en&biw=1141&bih=914&wrapid=tlif12926399108431&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=5503357170497593051&ei=0R4MTZW0OYP58AbJqpj7DQ&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CG4Q8wIwAzgK#

Physical exercise, even if it’s only 6 minutes, releases testosterone, endorphins, and a host of other feel good hormones. Spend just 5-6 minutes a day with your favorite song whacking the bag, and you will truly be a new woman. Seriously. You’ll be amazed at what 5-6 minutes a day on the bag (or every other day) can do for your life. No need for hardcore programs, just whack it….1-2….1-2…right-left……right-left…..hook…..etc….

Not only is this physically invigorating, but also mentally replenishing as well!
 
K

Kimchee

Guest
Don't forget simple good old STRETCHING EXERCISES!!!!
I, too, am plagued with tight shoulders, neck, lower back.

Twice a day I do about 10 minutes of stretching, nothing strenuous, nothing
complex, just making sure my neck, shoulders and back get good movement.

For the first time in 3 years, I have seen improvement in my shoulder, ALL PAIN
from my back is gone, aside from morning stiffness, and I can touch the floor with
straight legs for the first time in like 34 years!

Part of what you do to CREATE the tension is holding your head neck and shoulders
stiff and tense and probably slightly out of normal position. So logically, stretching will
release the tensions... and it works for me.

Yoga, kimchee style LOL!!!

edit to add: and it is VERY relaxing, so I do one set right before bed.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
The punching bag is a neat idea, K - I will definitely think about it!

Kimchee, you are right - I don't stretch nearly enough! That I can easily do - thanks!

Lee
 

GotGarlic

New member
There are several yoga poses that can help with that. I have a book called "[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Office-Yoga-Simple-Stretches-People/dp/0811826856"]Office Yoga: Simple Stretches for Busy People[/ame]" that I love.

A great one I do often is "Rag Doll." Keep your knees gently bent; there's no need to touch the floor or squeeze your face to your legs. Just hang and you'll feel the stretch. If you like yoga, a sequence called Sun Salutation is a great way to stretch in several places. There are lots of variations and you can download videos from YouTube or YogaJournal.com.
 

Attachments

  • rag-doll.jpg
    rag-doll.jpg
    4.2 KB · Views: 22
Top