Do you have a remedy for muscle stiffness?

[seank]

When I am in a cold country I wake up fine.

However in Thailand I wake up stiff as a board.

it doesnt matter if the A/C is on all night or not.

I losen up after an hour or two.

 

does this happen to anyone else? Any recommendations on how to alleviate the symptoms? 

[tropo]

It would help if you explained what exactly you mean by "stiff as a board". What exactly is stiff? Is it joints or muscles? Are you partaking in any physical activities here in Thailand (eg vigorous sex) that you're not doing in your "cold country". Most people who live in cold countries have heating so indoor temperatures are not normally cold anyway.

 

How long have you been afflicted with this stiffness? Osteoarthritis is one reason why joints can be stiff when you wake up and loosen up later on.

 

As far as drugs are concerned, assuming you need them, NSAIDs are very good for loosening up stiffness.

[Hutch68]

I am the other way round when its cold I struggle due to many broken bones, a shot knee cap and countless muscle injuries, when I'm in Thailand I get no aches or pains.

[wpcoe]

When I have a "stiff" lower back, I taken Voltaren (Voltaren SR, to be specific -- a slow-release formula).  I started taking it after a lower back injury several years ago. Over time, the occasions of muscle stiffness have pretty much subsided.  But, occasionally my lower back will have a random re-occurrence and the Voltaren (SR) takes care of it.

 

If your stiffness diminishes throughout the day, maybe regular Voltaren (not the Slow Release version) would be more appropriate?

[Sheryl]

Still joints in the morning that take an hour or two to loosen up can be sign of osteo- or rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Try daily stretches and exercise f(yoga is especially good) first but if it persists it might be wise to see a doctor.

 

UNLESS your problem is due to a hard-as-nails- Thai mattress. In which case a memory foam mattress topper might do the trick

[tropo]

9 minutes ago, wpcoe said:

When I have a "stiff" lower back, I taken Voltaren (Voltaren SR, to be specific -- a slow-release formula).  I started taking it after a lower back injury several years ago. Over time, the occasions of muscle stiffness have pretty much subsided.  But, occasionally my lower back will have a random re-occurrence and the Voltaren (SR) takes care of it.

 

If your stiffness diminishes throughout the day, maybe regular Voltaren (not the Slow Release version) would be more appropriate?

 

I'd recommend the Thai version of Voltaren, Remethan 100 R. It's the same drug - Diclofenac sodium - also slow release, at half the price.

[TommyTucker]

Which particular muscles are stiff?

Diet, weather, hydration all effect our muscles.

Generally don't use aircon, just a fan.

Drink lots of water and exercise

[tropo]

5 minutes ago, TommyTucker said:

Which particular muscles are stiff?

Diet, weather, hydration all effect our muscles.

Generally don't use aircon, just a fan.

Drink lots of water and exercise

 

There's nothing wrong with aircon. You don't have to freeze the room, just take it down a few degrees to make it bearable. Just a drop in humidity makes a big difference to room comfort. I run mine at 26 - 27C with a ceiling fan. That's perfect, and like a warm summer's night back at home LOL

[gk10002000]

thai mattresses, if you can call them that tend to be hard as rocks. I would start there.

[Gene1960]

Tizanidine worked for me in the past.

[seank]

Thanks so much, some great suggestions. The mattress isnt Thai and I dont think its a medical issue. First I will try the yoga and drink lots of water and change the A/C settings.

[Mammiewalker]

Hello guys, one of the most useful tips for the muscle stiffness is the massage. You can get a massage for the body part where you feel pain or muscle stretched. There are automatic massagers available in the market that can help you to get relief from pain. 

[muskoka]

I've been reading a lot about the importance of Magnesium and know a few people (including myself & family) who have had dramatic results from applying Magnesium oil (spray), including for treating sore muscles and muscle cramps. From my research it seems most of us are deficient in magnesium and the best way to increase your magnesium is thru the skin via magnesium oil.

 

Some links...

 

(scroll thru the comments)  https://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/transdermal-magnesium-therapy2.html

 

http://www.mgwater.com/

 

Quote

" There are not too many medicinal substances or medicines that can make this claim. It should be noted that pain management with magnesium employs magnesium oil applied transdermally to the skin. Dr. Linda Rapson, who specializes in treating chronic pain, believes that about 70 per cent of her patients who complain of muscle pain, cramps and fatigue are showing signs of magnesium deficiency. “Virtually all of them improve when I put them on magnesium,” says Rapson, who runs a busy Toronto pain clinic. “It may sound too good to be true, but it’s a fact.” She’s seen the mineral work in those with fibromyalgia, migraines and constipation. “The scientific community should take a good hard look at this.”[1]  http://drsircus.com/magnesium/uses-of-magnesium-oil/

 

 

 

 

[farmerkevin]

As others have suggested, I'd first look into mattress/hydration/exercise/diet/electrolytes/etc before resorting to Big Pharma's chemicals i.e. 'medicine'. If you do it right, your food IS your medicine. Yet the food industry doesn't care about your health, and the health industry doesn't care about your food. Great strategy as that makes them big $$$, but we're paying for it. Literally and figuratively.

[Sheryl]

59 minutes ago, farmerkevin said:

As others have suggested, I'd first look into mattress/hydration/exercise/diet/electrolytes/etc before resorting to Big Pharma's chemicals i.e. 'medicine'. If you do it right, your food IS your medicine. Yet the food industry doesn't care about your health, and the health industry doesn't care about your food. Great strategy as that makes them big $$$, but we're paying for it. Literally and figuratively.

 

There aren't any "Big Pharma chemicals" for this, unless it is due to a systemic disease like RA which does not sound like the case here.

 

The NSAIDs recommended by some posters, are not a treatment for muscle stiffness. They are a treatment for relief of inflammation (after injury like sprain, or due to chronic musculoskeletal problem) which is not the same thing, and also sometimes used for temporary pain relief, pain also not being the same as stiffness. Not appropriate to this situation.

 

Standard conventional medical management for muscle stiffness siuch as OP described would be stretches and exercises (and ensuring adequate hydration/electrolytes if that is an issue). 

 

Stretches are invaluable. Traditional Thai massage, since it includes stretching, is also very helpful (even conventional massage will give temporary relief, but massage with good stretching will help for a least a few days).

 

If it persists and worsens, though, then investigations to rule out arthritis may be indicated.  As stretches and exercise are also important mainstays in management of RA and OA, no harm in doing those even if there is underlying arthritis.

 

I personally will have morning stiffness if I am not getting regular exercise or doing regular stretching, if I am then no problem. Even 15 minutes of stretches makes a huge difference done regularly. Since stretches/exercise and occasional massage work perfectly I have never bothered to have it investigated or doing anything else.

 

 

 

 

[dddave]

When my dad was the age I am now, early 70's, he suffered from muscle stiffness, especially in his back. A friend suggested he see an old, local chiropractor.  My dad was skeptical, but went anyway.

The chiropractor's advice was simple and effective; a few stretching exercises in the morning and at bedtime, but he stressed...just a few repetitions of each one, the entire exercise taking less than three minutes. For instance:

-Arms straight out, feet at shoulder width: turn 90 degrees right, then left, slowly. Repeat no more than six times, turning as far as is comfortable the last two turns.

-Move your arms, shoulders and head like you are swimming, about thirty seconds

-With arms extended, slowly squat as low as is comfortable, three or four times.

-Slowly, reach down and touch your toes, hold for five seconds, slowly up, two or three times...do only if your back is healthy.

-March in place, raising knees as high as comfortable, about ten steps.

-Stand, hands on hips and rotate hips, about thirty seconds.

 

Hardly strenuous but these exercises always get my day off to a good start and a more comfortable sleep.  

[mommysboy]

Recently, I have just been correcting my posture by lying on a foam mat with a shallow cushion under my head.  I then outstretch arms in various positions.  Surprisingly, this also seems to have cured a small hip and leg problem too.  I am now incorporating a few leg lifts, and side stretches.  Sometimes I just lay on the mat for 15-30 minutes and listen to a podcast.

 

Tropo has the right idea about air-con- low fan and 25 degrees for me.

 

Because my feet were hurting, I started wearing house slippers (slip on pumps actually). Two weeks on my ankles aren't stiff at all.  Walking bare foot is not so good imo.

 

I also am recuperating from a strained achilles tendon. A simple heel lift helped. 

 

What I'm concluding is that there are a lot of small things you can do reduce general stiffness and aches, without too much effort.

Edited May 4, 2017 by mommysboy

[mommysboy]

On 03/05/2017 at 1:24 PM, dddave said:

When my dad was the age I am now, early 70's, he suffered from muscle stiffness, especially in his back. A friend suggested he see an old, local chiropractor.  My dad was skeptical, but went anyway.

The chiropractor's advice was simple and effective; a few stretching exercises in the morning and at bedtime, but he stressed...just a few repetitions of each one, the entire exercise taking less than three minutes. For instance:

-Arms straight out, feet at shoulder width: turn 90 degrees right, then left, slowly. Repeat no more than six times, turning as far as is comfortable the last two turns.

-Move your arms, shoulders and head like you are swimming, about thirty seconds

-With arms extended, slowly squat as low as is comfortable, three or four times.

-Slowly, reach down and touch your toes, hold for five seconds, slowly up, two or three times...do only if your back is healthy.

-March in place, raising knees as high as comfortable, about ten steps.

-Stand, hands on hips and rotate hips, about thirty seconds.

 

Hardly strenuous but these exercises always get my day off to a good start and a more comfortable sleep.  

 

Excellent posting.

 

Approximations are ok too. For instance chair squats for those with stiff knees.

[bazza73]

What is your alcohol intake?

I've found after enforced abstinence from alcohol for three weeks ( too many meds to be safe with alcohol in the mix ) my general flexibility and stiffness has improved considerably.

I'm not talking about getting plastered, just 2 - 4 standard drinks in a day.

[seank]

Just a update and its good news. Its turns out that the issue was not climate related at all.

Got some shoes insoles (with a high heel) and after 2days the issue disappeared. When I am a cold climate I have different footware hence I wasnt getting the issue, walking with 'flat' footware must have being putting a lot of strain on my leg muscles and back.

 

thanks to everyone for their advice.

Edited May 10, 2017 by seank