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Chronic Pain
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Posted 11/17/2017 9:12 PM (GMT 0)
Soooooo..... With all the cervical disc and bone spur issues I have, along with RA, I have a fun new issue. Chronic muscle spasm. It’s in my neck and shoulder area. I have had a tooth abscess before and it wasn’t this painful.

It’s been going on for a month now. Getting progressively worse. It’s pulling my shoulder inward and makes using my right arm painful and difficult when it’s at its peak of pain. Yep, I am right handed. The worst part is its pulling my jaw outward. Nasty nasty pain. Gets up to a 9/10.

My PT works on it twice a week. It takes her 45 minutes to release it. Witin an hour I feel it start pulling back. Went to regular doc today for anything he could possibly do. He looked at it and said holy cow. He tried a 60 mg shot of toradol about 6 hours ago but no relief yet. Increased my baclofen from 30 mgs a day to 80. Putting me in pain management for trigger point injections but said it takes a while to get in.

I try ice, heat, stretching, family digging into trigger points, TENS machine. TENS helps but the area is difficult to get electrodes onto well. PT said none above the collarbone. Also tried rolling around on floor panting and whining.

Anyone have anything that has helped them? I need some relief (and sleep) now. Thanks for reading.

Sarah
Posted 11/17/2017 9:50 PM (GMT 0)
Yikes! Mine weren't happening where yours are but I can totally relate.

Do you have a hand held showerhead with different pulse patterns? This might help you get a little relief.

Take a tennis ball and put it in a pillowcase. Lay the pillowcase over the back of the chair with the tennis ball at the level you need it. Lean back and move side to side to allow the tennis ball to massage the area. I usually do this after using the heating pad on the area.

There are also hand held massagers with different tips that can be put on the appliance for different types of massages.

I hope you get relief soon!

I know one of my triggers is exposure to cold temps for too long. I naturally bunch up against the cold and unfortunately can get 'stuck' that way. I wrap myself up like 'Nanuck of the North'! Also, keeping my head in one position for too long, driving...computer, etc. Once you're 'free' watch out for things like this that can bring it back.
Posted 11/19/2017 3:48 PM (GMT 0)
This goes against your PT's advice, but I had years of spasms in my upper traps and scalenes.... I still do, but less often and less severe.

What I did was place the TENS electrodes on the tense muscles, and with an analog TENS (dial for current vs buttons) repeatedly max then lower the current.

It would intensify the tension for a moment then release a bit. I found that after a few minutes back and forth, the muscles would be looser.

In addition, I bought a "back buddy" to help me get to trigger points in my back.
Posted 11/19/2017 6:48 PM (GMT 0)
Thankfully the totadol and staying loaded on Baclofen has knocked it down a lot. I love the tennis ball idea. Now if I can find one of them the dog or kids haven’t claimed. I just saw a muscle massage thing in Walmart but had the kiddo and her impatience along with me, so will go back and check it out. I need something that will really dig into the muscle because thats the only way my PT gets it relieved.

This thing now is doing sneak attacks. Will be humming along getting things done and WHAM it knocks into me. Then goes away. Then comes back. The increased Baclofen works great, but it’s 50 mgs more than I normally take and I was pretty spaced out yesterday. I need to find tens machine electrodes that cover the shoulder in one large one. I swear I saw/heard of them somewhere but now can’t find them.

Sarah
Posted 11/19/2017 8:53 PM (GMT 0)
Maybe Botox?
I don't have them in my jaw, but have excruciatingly painful spasms several other places on my body & that's what my neurologist has recommended we try next. So far, Lyrica is the only thing that helps much at all & it's far from a perfect solution. We tried Flexeril & even that didn't help. Apparently for me, at least, it's the nerve damage that is causing my muscles to spasm like that. It sometimes will hit a level 10 & usually doesn't last terribly long, but I would get several of them per day. The Lyrica has decreased how often I get them so I'm still debating whether to go through with the Botox -- especially since it isn't a permanent fix. But sometimes you just need a break from the worst of the pain ... even if it's only for a matter of weeks.
Posted 11/20/2017 5:35 AM (GMT 0)
You know I've been having severe muscle spasms ( or Charley Horses ) for many years. I get them every where from my hands and feet, to every where in my legs, in my calfs, back and front of thighs even the inner portion of my thighs! And my back, neck, and my jaws boy those ones really hurt too! Anyway I've been given a host of different medications, but for me Baclofen works the best,! But it took them quite awhile (many months) to get me on a fairly effective dose, I take 30 MG. Every 8 hours and have been on that regiment for quite a few years now. It's not perfect and I still have problems with spasms, but it is a whole lot better than what it used to be! tiredredhead if you dont mind me asking, what kind of dosage of Baclofen are you on? Do you take it regularly? This medication is much more effective if taken on a regular bases to keep the medication at a constant therapeutic level in your body. Maybe your dosage needs to be increased or something??

I do empathize with you as I know all to well how painful the spasms can be! I do hope they can find a way to give you some relief from Them! I wish you Well!

White Beard
Posted 11/20/2017 1:14 PM (GMT 0)
Dry needling has helped me quite a bit. It's different than acupuncture. The needle is placed in the center of the knot, causing the muscle to spasm, and then release. If it's a particularly stubborn knot,
e-stim is used with the needle. It can take a few sessions before you see any improvement. It's a part of physical therapy, but you have to find a pt that is certified.

I hope some relief comes your way.
Posted 11/20/2017 2:14 PM (GMT 0)
White Beard- I was originally put on Baclofen for muscle spasticity. I took 10 mg at lunch and 20 mg at supper. That worked well for that. When this spasm hit, it didn’t touch it. 600 mgs of gabapentin didn’t touch the nerve pain from it either.

My doc increased the Baclofen to 20 mgs 4 times a day. I did it one day at that but I was pretty loaded. Having to play a little with it to keep a useful dose, but still be functional. I’m pretty much a lightweight with meds. Right now I am trying 10mgs with my coffee, 20 mgs at lunch, 20 mgs at supper. Can’t really get that last 20 mgs at bedtime in, when the gabapentin and Baclofen hit at the supper dose I am done.

There are 8 people in my household. Out of them, just 2 other drivers. My hubby is a truck driver and gone all week and my grown daughter chases a toddler all day. My elderly mother lives with me, and between us and the teenager with knee issues I am constantly running to doc appointments. Sure makes it dang difficult to find that medication balance and be able to function.

Hoping this dosage I am trying will hold it until I get into pain management and they can try some injections.

Sarah
Posted 11/21/2017 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
So, we have treatments, which I can't take because of side effects, but what are the CAUSES of these knots and spasms, and what do we do about them?

I've been battling shoulder and back spasms and pain for years, and finally my cardiologist felt around in my back and told my I had knots, which no one has told me in years of pain! I suspect mine are caused, or triggered, by neck problems - bone spurs, arthritis from injuries, cervical spinal surgery ..
Posted 11/21/2017 2:48 AM (GMT 0)
Alcie I've been fighting that battle for so many years I can't count Them! I get the spasms every where and they tend to be some what cyclic. Some doctors told me they thought I might have MS others say no its all caused by my spinal Problems! Had an MRI of my brain a couple of times radiologist found spots conducive with demyelinating disease but neurologist refused to do further testing! And claims it's my spine causing all the Problems! Anyway some of the neurologist I've had just flat out lied to me about It! To this very day I don't know what causes them!

I know waking up in the middle of the night with the muscles in my Legs knotted up into a hard baseball that just won't let up, is extremely painful and no fun at all!! Even on the Baclofen there is rarely a week that goes by that I don't have at least one of them. As I said sometimes it's cyclic and I will have quite a few of them every day for days or weeks on end, and they occur every where!. Then they let up, and it might be weeks or even months and I will only have them once or twice a week. The Baclofen has helped allot though, so I will take what help I can get from it, and be grateful for that!

I guess it just is what it is! Anyway I can empathize with your frustrations!

Sarah it sounds like you really have your hands Full! I hope you can get some answers soon, and get good proper treatment to alleviate your muscle Spasms! I know you've heard this many times before, but try your best not to over do It! Be gentle with yourself your not completely healed up yet, and it will still take some Time!

I wish both of you well!,

White Beard
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