Muscle Stiffness

[delta]

For quite a few years I have been suffering with muscle stiffness, which causes pain and a lot of discomfort, I get it mainly in upper back, shoulders, neck but basically everywhere in my body is stiff.

I've been having deep tissue massage regularly for the past few months which eases things for a few days but then I am stiff again and need to go back for more treatment. I don't handle stress very well and my therapist tells me that I seem to hold all the stress in my body which is making my back so stiff. I've tried so hard to be more relaxed but I just can't do it and the anxiety it causes is making things worse.

What can I do? I keep thinking there must be a name for what I am experiencing but I've been backwards and forwards to doctors and specialists but I'm just sent away for physio and nothing changes, the physio usually just tells me to go and do exercises which I am already doing EVERY day.

It's so frustrating.

[Gareth]

Hi there delta,

I also have lots and lots of problems with my muscles, which have been getting gradually worse over the past year. I get lots of bad tension and stiffness in my neck, shoulders and upper back.

I also have weakness across various bits of my body. My arms are weak, my hands are weak, my legs shake, I find that my accuracy of movement is not what it was, i.e. I reach out for things and overreach or miss them. I am really unsteady on my feet and have to concentrate really really hard on walking and not falling over or stumbling from side to side.

When standing I am constantly adjusting my muscles to stop from falling to one side, I find standing for anything more than a few seconds very difficult and have to sit down. I end up physically shaking and swaying from side to side.

All of this in a previously healthy 36 year old male. And this is anxiety? Hmmm... I'd love to believe that.

Have you tried Alexander Technique, I am going to give this a go. I want to believe that all of my problems are caused by muscle tension but its so difficult to do so, especially when I have such a wide range of other neuro symptoms like brain fog, confusion, slurred speech.

Onwards and upwards! Keep fighting!

Gareth

[delta]

Hi Gareth
Thanks for your reply. I'm sorry to hear you're having muscle problems too, it's horrible isn't it. I have to remind myself all the time to not feel stressed, I'm sitting here now and realised my face and neck are quite tense.

I have read up about the Alexander Technique before and it looks great but I can't find anywhere locally to me that does it. Is it a class you are going to go to or a one to one appointment?

Good luck.
D

[Gareth]

Hi there,

I haven't tried it yet but there are local practitioners nearby. All quite expensive though!

Not sure what to do for the best. I thought I should take more exercise but I find exercising virtually impossible these days, I run out of puff immediately, my muscles sieze up, its really quite painful.

Today has been an especially bad muscle day, very off balance, huge tension in shoulders, numbness and lack of reaction in arms and hands, tightness in face and scalp.

Problem is, my period of "anxiety" ended a good 5 months ago now, but I keep getting more and more ill. I guess I won't get any medical help until I actually collapse and can no longer function, and therefore I'm not contributing to the nation's coffers any more!

Gareth

[looking4answers]

This must be pretty common with tension and worry and stress and anxiety.

[lee270780]

hi there, just to let you know i tried the alexander technique and it really does work you will feel all the tension coming out of your neck and shoulders and after each session you will just want to sleep its so relaxing, would highly recomend the only thing being the cost. x

[looking4answers]

Where do you find out about it?

[suzy-sue]

http://alexandertechnique.com/at.htm Have a look through this link Michael ...t/c Sue x

[Lizziesaurus]

I feel your pain. I've suffered upper back pain and muscle stiffness, also a trapped nerve for 3 years now after a car accident.
Right now I can feel it tingling and my neck/shoulders have been so stiff the past few days.

The 1 thing that I found helped was muscle manipulations when I was having physio. She'd crack my back and although it sounded horrifc it was so nice and such a relief! Unfortunately my physio came to an end and I can't afford a chiropractor but if I could that's what I'd do.

[Magic]

Thanks for your information about the Alexander Technique.
I am ging to ask in the Library .
They can get cds and dvds to order as well as books