control of debilitating muscle spasms - Pain Management Message Board

Maggie Pie · 10-06-2006, 04:35 AM

I had a series of impacts to my body 17 years ago. I have never been free of pain and muscle spasms since that time. I have tried many things including chiropractic of various types, trigger point, stretching, message of various types, etc, however, recently nothing helps. I am exhausted and unable to live life because of pain and spasm. I would desparately like to know other options.

feelbad · 10-06-2006, 05:16 AM

Have you ever actually had an MRI or any other types of testing to try and determine the cause of this?"something" is quite obviously triggering the spasm/pain cycle.any actual Dx of anything yet?marcia

mpvt · 10-06-2006, 12:51 PM

A small dose of valium is exellent for muscle spasms the only problem is you probably will need to take it all the time.In cases like this though were your having a bad run then the valium (diazepam) might be the short term answer.Have you had it diagnosed????...Good luck....Dave

ozzybug · 10-06-2006, 01:18 PM

Maggie-
I know this is frustrating and exhausting for you and I am so sorry you have to deal with it. Have any of your doctors ever talked with you about Flexeril or Skelaxin?

Flexeril isn't really such a good one to take during the daytime because if the drowsy side effects, but the Skelaxin is great because it doesn't make you drowsy or loopy. It's expensive if you don't have insurance though. My husband stopped taking the Flexeril and started the Skelaxin because he can take it during the day when his back is flaring up and can still function 100% normally.

There are always other things like a TENS unit, alternating heat & ice and slow stretches to help ease the pain too. The TENS unit can be a useful little thing to have around because you can strap it to your pants waisteline or a belt and wear it when you go out of the house.

Best of luck with this, and please talk with your doctor about it.

Shoreline · 10-06-2006, 02:22 PM

Hi maggie, Patients with MS that aren't responsive to other therpaies use the pumps some of us have to deliever morphine to deliver Baclofen. I've read several times that you can't get enough Baclofen in your system orally to make a big difference on severe spascticty, but intrathecal delivery makes it about 100 times more potent. My wife has great succes from Botox in treating her neck pain which is part mechanical "disc and vertabrea" part muscular and the kicker is chiari malformation where the brain is pulled down into the base of the skull and spinal canal. Botox has been a wonder drug for her and she's reduced her pain med intake by 2/3 rds thanks to it.

Trigger point injections and TP release, nerve blocks and basically trying anything and everything that was available allowed her to find what worked best for her. She still gets TP injections and ocipital blocks in between the botox but it can be managed. Just because one doc or 10 docs can't figure it out or don't offer botox or the needed nerve blocks, doesn't mean it can't be managed. There is a doc out there that has something to offer you haven't tried.
Good luck Dave.