big knots in shoulders every day (Full Version)

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slimon11 -> big knots in shoulders every day (9/13/2008 12:06:00 AM)

They are probably from both stress and not sleeping right. Should I get a firmer pillow? Not sleep on my side? Any other possible causes? Any good remedies?



agapetos -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/13/2008 10:05:15 AM)

I use a TENS machine. Your pillow should help keep your head in alignment with your spine. Does yours do this? There are a lot of different kinds of pillows out there now, and while some are expensive, it may be worth you investing in one, but do some research first.



pumpkin -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/13/2008 11:00:25 AM)

I like my chiropractor... so I would go see him. =)

However, to answer your question...
it could be from improperly lifting something, even one time per day.
it could be from poor posture (I suffer from this) =)
it could be from a repetitive thing that you do, even exercise, that you should be doing in a slightly different way
it could be stress
it could be your pillow or your mattress (I need to buy some new pillows, as mine are bugging me)



Miss Giggles -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/13/2008 11:06:56 AM)

I agree with pumpkin. Start with the mattress and pillow. I don't think the newer ones last as long as some of the older ones.



stellaluna -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/13/2008 11:12:10 AM)

I used to have that problem. I changed jobs. [:D]



agapetos -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/13/2008 11:20:57 AM)

quote:

I don't think the newer ones last as long as some of the older ones.
I'm not sure how long pillows are meant to last ~ but I do know there are many people who think they should last forever. They don't. The guarantee for pillows and your mattress is an indicator to how long they should last.



Miss Giggles -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/13/2008 11:31:21 AM)

pillows are supposed to last around a year, and most of mine last less than that. I know a lot of people never replace theirs.

Mattresess were good for like 20 years but I bought a new mattress and so did my parents 3 years ago and they already wearing down. [&:]



agapetos -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/13/2008 11:47:35 AM)

quote:

Mattresess were good for like 20 years but I bought a new mattress and so did my parents 3 years ago and they already wearing down.
I did some checking online and seems that most independant sites suggest you replace your mattress around every 7 years. I've had mine for about 6 years and I know that it needs replacing. I can't afford it right now though ~ but what I have done is made a mattress topper (from an old feather quilt) and that has really helped. When I change the sheets, I shake the quilt up.

I found this (and the recommendation on pillows too) here.

quote:

Mattresses
Replace after: seven years.

Why: Mattresses wear out over time, says Kathleen Huddy, the textiles director for the Good Housekeeping Institute. One that sags or is uneven won't keep your spine in line as you sleep, which means you may have trouble sleeping. It's likely you'll also experience neck and back pain while awake. There's also an ick factor to old mattresses, she explains; they collect dust, dirt and allergens that can't be removed.

Pillows
Replace after: two years.

Why: Pressure on the pillow as you sleep causes it to flatten and develop uncomfortable bumps and lumps, says GHI's Huddy. To test if your pillow still has life in it, she says, fold it in half and rest your hand on top for 30 seconds. Then let go. "If the pillow pops back, it's fine," she says. If it remains folded, it's time to buy a new one.



slimon11 -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/13/2008 7:18:10 PM)

thank you all for some helpful thoughts.



Miss Giggles -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/13/2008 7:21:14 PM)

Well no one can afford to replace a mattress every 7 years. I guess I was thinking of the tempurpedic ones, those are guaranteed for a long time.



agapetos -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/13/2008 7:50:50 PM)

quote:

Well no one can afford to replace a mattress every 7 years
Perhaps not, but that doesn't mean it's not necessary to replace them sooner, rather than every 20 years. I'm guessing that you get what you pay for and if you buy a low-cost range mattress (which is what I have) they will wear our sooner rather than later ~ just like everything else in life.

Whatever kind of mattress you get, you should weigh up the initial cost and the guarantee and see if it's worth investing more in something that is going to last you a longer time, or whether you're prepared to replace your mattress whenever you start experiencing the problems you're experiencing now.

quote:

I guess I was thinking of the tempurpedic ones, those are guaranteed for a long time.
If that's the kind your parents have, I'd be looking at the guarantee and seeing what it says. Again I looked at a couple of sites and they're guaranteed for between 5 and 10 years. But you may find more expensive ones should last longer.

I have a friend who says a water bed is wonderful. Initial outlay was expensive although they're not good if you have animals (especially cats) who like to sleep on the bed.



spiritchsr1 -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/13/2008 10:28:35 PM)

Pumkin I agree with you, but I'll through one more item in the mix because this happens to me quite often. If you do not get enough calcium and magneisum in your system one can get muscle spasms or knots in your muscles.

You can either take calcium and magneisum in table/pill form, or increase the foods that you eat that are high in these two minerals. Calcium keeps your bones healthy, and magneisum keeps your muscle tissues healthy so you don't get muscle spasms. The magneisum helps to relax your muscles. I take the tablet form of these two minerals, I buy them from my local drugstore.

Spiritchsr1



MrsTracy72 -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/15/2008 3:33:56 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: pumpkin

I like my chiropractor... so I would go see him. =)

However, to answer your question...
it could be from improperly lifting something, even one time per day.
it could be from poor posture (I suffer from this) =)
it could be from a repetitive thing that you do, even exercise, that you should be doing in a slightly different way
it could be stress
it could be your pillow or your mattress (I need to buy some new pillows, as mine are bugging me)


It could also be that you are not well hydrated and your muscles are cramping up. That happens to me when I drink too much caffiene and not enough water. Try an ice pack when you feel them cramp up and start guzzling down gaterade or water. Also stretch because that will help, but if it is dehydration, it usually takes a day or two of re-hydrating to get rid of it.



agapetos -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/15/2008 3:41:40 PM)

Surely an ice pack would make the muscles cramp up more. I always get more cramps when I'm cold.



MrsTracy72 -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/18/2008 12:59:47 AM)

Actually while the heat does feel better, initally you are supposed to use the ice pack because it stops the spasms. Then you can use heat. That is what my doc and PT told me and it did work.



agapetos -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/18/2008 4:45:15 PM)

I don't mean to be rude then, but do you not think it'd been worth saying that when you mentioned about the ice pack? I know that sometimes we forget something but your treatment was ice and heat, not just ice.



Focusing -> RE: big knots in shoulders every day (9/19/2008 2:41:24 PM)

Chiropractic helps a lot. My chiro's office has massage therapists who work on pressure points every time I go ... I love it!

Can you treat yourself to massages once in a while?

Also, some exercises that help me: rolling my shoulders, both forwards and backwards; stretching my head - left, right, forward, back; of all things - toe touches; and then there are "bust-builders" where you hold your elbows up and then swing them back (I have no idea what they are really called, I just remember what the girls referred to them as in junior high and the nickname stuck [8D]) ... I just know they help keep my upper back loosened, which cuts back on the knots and pain.



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