kevin_hulmes@uk.ibm.com on sun 1 dec 96
*** Resending note of 02/12/96 01:03
Debra, assuming your problem is muscular rather than arising from
pressure on, or damage to, a nerve, the following "picture" might
help...
Contractions of body frame muscles are normally voluntary movements (ie,
we choose to contract them in order to move), unlike heart muscles which
contract involuntarily. When we contract them, stored food is broken
down and waste products produced. Carbon dioxide is the obvious one, but
another is lactic acid. When we work our muscles too hard, they hurt. I
understand that the pain arises from the build up of lactic acid at a
rate faster than the blood can take it away. So we stop for a while
until the blood cleans it out, and off we go again.
Normal exercise is a rythmic process: contract, relax, contract, relax
... and so on. During contraction, the blood vessels are squeezed and the
blood flow reduced. Lactic acid builds up. The muscle then relaxes, and
the blood flows freely, taking the waste with it. When you're fit, the
muscles are very good at this. When you're not, you soon feel it!
The prolonged muscular contraction known as "tension", "cramp" and many
other names, is quite different. The blood vessels are squeezed
continuously and the lactic acid builds up. You are in constant pain!
You need to find a way to relax the offending muscles. But you knew THAT
anyway!
I've had the same problem with my back and with my shoulder. So has my
wife. I found there were two ways for me to do this:
1. ENCOURAGE the muscle to relax
2. FORCE it to relax
I found that "encouragement" worked at first, but it took a long time,
and wasn't long lasting. Maybe Yoga (recommended in another post) would
get you there, but I didn't think of it at the time. The other method
worked for me, worked for my wife, and has since worked for several
friends and acquaintances.
If you can force a contraction/relaxation rhythm on the muscle, it gets
rid of the waste, the pain subsides, and is less likely to return. If
you keep doing it, you'll recover completely. But, how do you do it?
There are several ways, all of them painful. In fact, the most painful
method has been the fastest cure for me. The first is massage (also
recommended in a post today). But this requires somebody else to do it
every time, and that usually means money! The others are variants of the
same thing .... forcibly contract the muscle beyond its current level of
contraction, and then relax. Repeat over and over again, then lie down
and relax for a while. This is where the pain comes in. The more you
contract the muscle, the more it hurts, and the more it relaxes on the
rebound. This is sometimes described as exercise, but I think we need to
be more specific.
If you are interested in the specific methods I use, please e-mail direct
and I'll try to describe them. You will probably find different ones.
Good luck, and let us all know how you get on!
PS: I am NOT a Doctor, nor am I a Physiotherapist, and I'm a bit nervous
about giving advice of this kind. All I can say is ........
"it worked for me"..... and my wife ..... and my friends.
I hope it helps you too!
Kevin
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* INTERNET: kevin_hulmes@uk.ibm.com
* Phone/Fax/Msgs (0)1926 887003 (UK)
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