Treating Stiff and Sore Muscles

 Have you ever woken up in the morning and stretched only to feel neck or shoulder pain? Every movement afterward sends pain shooting down your back, but why exactly does this happen? Read on to find out:

Why do muscles get stiff?

 

• Muscles require magnesium for them to relax, and calcium for them to contract. When the two are imbalanced, it can lead to muscle spasms and contractions. 

 

• Dehydration is also a contributing factor to stiff muscles. This is because muscles are active tissues and require lots of water. The water contains electrolytes that help transfer orders from your nervous system to your muscles and back. Without enough water, muscles lose their ability to communicate with the brain. 

 

• Inactivity is another culprit. Leaving your muscles in one state for a prolonged period (sleep or sitting in a chair for an extended period, for instance) can cause them to stiffen. Another cause of muscle stiffness is stress. When we’re stressed, our bodies tighten up in preparation for a “fight or flight” situation. Prolonged stress can lead to tightness in the muscles, resulting in strain. 

 

• The biggest contributor to muscle pain of all is exercise. Muscles lose mass after a prolonged period of inactivity, so when you start training again, it leads to micro-tears that cause pain and stiffness. 

How to treat stiff muscles

 

1. Exercise 

 

Exercising for 30 minutes each day (or every other day) can prevent most cases of muscle stiffness. Exercise keeps your muscles relaxed, and can even improve your mental state. Just don’t overdo it, because that’s when your muscles get stiff. 

 

2. Baking soda bath  

Add 2-4 heaped tablespoons of baking soda to a hot bath and climb in for rapid muscular pain relief. You can even try replacing the baking soda with ¾ cup of Epsom salt if you wish to. 

 

3. Take supplements 

Balance your magnesium and calcium levels by taking supplements, and consider making dietary changes. 

 

4. Massage therapy 

Getting a good massage can work wonders for stiff muscles. A licensed masseuse will be able to relieve stiff muscles in a single session, sending you home pain-free and much more relaxed (consult your massage therapist regarding the best treatment for you). 

 

5. Heat application 

Simply applying heat to muscles causes the tissue to expand and increase blood flow to the heated area. You can do this by taking a hot shower or massaging the stiff area with a heating pad. 

 

6. Relax & Meditate  

Calm yourself down. By reducing the level of stress in your life, your body will relax as well, reducing the likelihood of tight and stiff muscles. 

 

7. Take an NSAID

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen are your best choices. Do not exceed the recommended daily dosage or take them for more than a couple of days at a time. 

 

8. Make sure you’re hydrated 

Drink water or isotonic drinks to keep your hydration and electrolytes at an adequate level. Men require 13 cups (3 liters) of water per day, while women need nine (2.2 liters). 

 

9. Stretch 

Stretching your muscles when you wake up can prevent muscles from stiffening. It increases blood flow throughout your body, and prepares the muscles for the daily movements ahead.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    

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Treating Stiff and Sore Muscles

Have you ever woken up in the morning and stretched only to feel neck or shoulder pain? Every movement afterward sends pain shooting down your back, but why exactly does this happen? Read on to find out:

Why do muscles get stiff?

Muscles require magnesium for them to relax, and calcium for them to contract. When the two are imbalanced, it can lead to muscle spasms and contractions. 

 

• Dehydration is also a contributing factor to stiff muscles. This is because muscles are active tissues and require lots of water. The water contains electrolytes that help transfer orders from your nervous system to your muscles and back. Without enough water, muscles lose their ability to communicate with the brain. 

 

• Inactivity is another culprit. Leaving your muscles in one state for a prolonged period (sleep or sitting in a chair for an extended period, for instance) can cause them to stiffen. Another cause of muscle stiffness is stress. When we’re stressed, our bodies tighten up in preparation for a “fight or flight” situation. Prolonged stress can lead to tightness in the muscles, resulting in strain. 

 

• The biggest contributor to muscle pain of all is exercise. Muscles lose mass after a prolonged period of inactivity, so when you start training again, it leads to micro-tears that cause pain and stiffness.

How to treat stiff muscles 

 

1. Exercise

Exercising for 30 minutes each day (or every other day) can prevent most cases of muscle stiffness. Exercise keeps your muscles relaxed, and can even improve your mental state. Just don’t overdo it, because that’s when your muscles get stiff. 

 

2. Baking soda bath 

Add 2-4 heaped tablespoons of baking soda to a hot bath and climb in for rapid muscular pain relief. You can even try replacing the baking soda with ¾ cup of Epsom salt if you wish to. 

 

3. Take supplements 

Balance your magnesium and calcium levels by taking supplements, and consider making dietary changes. 

 

4. Massage therapy

Getting a good massage can work wonders for stiff muscles. A licensed masseuse will be able to relieve stiff muscles in a single session, sending you home pain-free and much more relaxed (consult your massage therapist regarding the best treatment for you). 

 

5. Heat application  

Simply applying heat to muscles causes the tissue to expand and increase blood flow to the heated area. You can do this by taking a hot shower or massaging the stiff area with a heating pad. 

 

6. Relax & Meditate  

Calm yourself down. By reducing the level of stress in your life, your body will relax as well, reducing the likelihood of tight and stiff muscles. 

 

7. Take an NSAID

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen are your best choices. Do not exceed the recommended daily dosage or take them for more than a couple of days at a time. 

 

8. Make sure you’re hydrated 

Drink water or isotonic drinks to keep your hydration and electrolytes at an adequate level. Men require 13 cups (3 liters) of water per day, while women need nine (2.2 liters). 

 

9. Stretch  

Stretching your muscles when you wake up can prevent muscles from stiffening. It increases blood flow throughout your body, and prepares the muscles for the daily movements ahead.

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

Tips for Managing Crohn's Disease-Related Arthritis

As those of us living with Crohn’s disease know, its symptoms aren’t contained to the gastrointestinal tract. In fact, arthritis is the most common sign of Crohn's disease outside the intestines, and it can be a tricky one to manage. Here are some helpful tips and tricks to help keep those creaky joints at bay.

Warm water bath
It is well known that a hot shower reduces pain and has a prolonged effect, especially if you soak in a warm tub.

These sneakers are made for walking...

Walking is one of the simplest exercise which most people can do. All it needs is a good pair of shoes which gives you solid support and cushioning. With such a pair of shoes walking will be pain free.

Avoid sugar

White, sparkling sugar are known to cause inflammation and should be avoided. We all crave for sweets some time, best to eat a whole fruit, as it will give you a feeling of satiety due to fibre and less calories too. If at all, you love sweets, use unrefined sugars, jaggery / molasses/ honey.

Yoga is better than jogging for arthritic patients

High-impact exercise like running can be tough when you are in an arthritis flare and could make matters worse. However, you definitely shouldn’t cut out exercise all together. It is critical to keep your joints loose and moving, especially during a flare. Stick to low-impact exercises like yoga or swimming. Do whatever you find it easy and makes you happy.

Meditation

It is seen that meditation can reduce mental distress for those living with rheumatoid arthritis. Managing stress is important, as stress is known to trigger inflammation. Meditation makes one relaxed and at peace and is known to reduce chronic pain.

Add Omega 3 in your diet

Studies have shown that adding onega-3 foods or supplements significantly reduces the need for pain medications.  Any anti-inflammatory supplement can be beneficial not only for arthritis but also for Crohn's disease too.

Don't miss sleep

Sleep is essential for overall health, poor sleep has negative impacts on joint pain. To get good sleep, keep off electronic gadgets at least 30 minutes before you hit the bed. It is good to meditate before going to bed to get some sound sleep and to relax your body and your mind.

Peppermint oil

Peppermint essential oil contains menthol, which has anti-inflammatory properties. When applied on the skin it feels cooling and soothing. You can safely apply peppermint oil mixed with coconut oil directly to aching joints to potentially help manage pain and reduce swelling.

Avoid NSAIDs

Some researchers say NSAIDs raise the risk for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) like Crohn’s. So instead of popping ibuprofen for your pain, consider using acetaminophen or another type of pain reliever as prescribed by your doctor to help manage pain and inflammation from arthritis.

Discuss the best treatment options for you with your doctor

It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor about the symptoms you are experiencing. The good news is, many of the medications prescribed for Crohn’s disease also treat the arthritis symptoms that can present with IBD. Take time to ask your doctor if they have specific recommendations for your arthritis pain and inflammation management.

One can try alternative treatments too to get relief. What is most important with arthritis is to keep moving, as when you move, the joints get flexible due to synovial fluid which reduces friction between the articular cartilage of synovial joints during movement.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/       
                                                                                                                                                                      FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/           
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