Category: pain relief

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Pain on Lower Half of Shoulder Blade Can be Relieved

Shoulder pain can occur in a variety of places around the shoulder and almost always muscles are at the root of the problem.

Unhappy muscles cause most pain.  Our goal is to keep our muscles happy.

The following request for help is very specific about the location of the pain: the bottom half of the shoulder blade and the outer side of the shoulder blade near the armpit.  Using a movement with the arm in front of the body makes it worse.

Here is the email:

“I really need your help for my shoulder problems from which I am suffering from past many years.

I am getting pain on my right shoulder, on the lower half of the scapula muscle(Teres minor and major area) of my shoulder. The pain exists at approximate all the time but increases if I repeatedly do an activity (A simple activity like holding a book will aggravate the pain). I can always feel their is a difference between my right shoulder and left shoulder because of the pain.

I have shown to many doctors and had done many tests but they could not come out with any conclusive results. Their advice was just to strengthen my shoulder muscles and to do some physical activity.

Whats the best way to strengthen my shoulder. Will joining gym will be a good option or doing Aerobics .

Please suggest if something better can be done.

Thanks,”

Here is my response:

Based on the information Continue reading “Pain on Lower Half of Shoulder Blade Can be Relieved”

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MS – 4 Helpful Therapies for People with Multiple Sclerosis and other Neurological Disorders

If you have multiple sclerosis or a similar neurological disorder, here are some potentially beneficial treatments.  Except for the first one, tapping, all of these are self-help techniques.  You’ll find out where I get these crazy ideas from at the end of the article.

Tapping:  Tapping on the spine will stimulate the nerves and tissues around the spine.  This is a good thing.  It will get more blood flow into the area to carry nutrients to your spine.  Could you ask a loved one or a friend to tap with their finger pads the length of your spine (but not on the end of the tailbone)?  This tapping would last for about 5 minutes each time and ideally be at least once each day.

Pouncing:  You can  “pound” your thighs yourself.  The meaty part of the thigh on the tops and sides when you are seated Continue reading “MS – 4 Helpful Therapies for People with Multiple Sclerosis and other Neurological Disorders”

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Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome Can Be Tricky To Diagnose

I received an email recently and the writer told me she had “been kicked around from doctor to doctor for 2 years” before they came to the diagnosis of Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome (TTS).  She has numbness and severe pain in one foot which may have come from an old injury.  She wondered whether she will be able to get well again.

Of course, the earlier any pain is stopped in its tracks, the better the chances of a complete recovery.

Still, I believe in my heart that bodies are very smart and logical and capable of healing when they are given what they need.  I love bodies!  They want to be well.  Sometimes they just need some help.

Here is part of my response to my reader.

“By now you have hopefully received my response by email. I’m glad you finally got a diagnosis. I suggested in the email several things you can do to start the process of healing.”

“It’s really too bad that Continue reading “Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome Can Be Tricky To Diagnose”

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Flexibility Helps Relieve & Prevent Painful Stiff Backs

Is your back a little stiff?  Do you wish your posture was better?  Are you as flexible as you’d like to be?

Are you feeling “stuck”?

I will always believe that massage is the best thing to help muscles relax but stretching is the next best.  So, here’s something that’ll help you get “unstuck” and relieve your stiff back.

Are you familiar with the stretches called “cat” and “dog?”  I’ve also heard them called “camel” and other variations.

Sometimes they are done on all fours, on the floor, but I’m going to share a seated version with you.  If you are so stiff that it’s hard to get on the floor, you will appreciate this version.

These are good movements because they get your spine moving from front to back and your ribs moving.  These movements warm the muscles of your back and whole torso, or trunk.  They get your circulation going and can help to strengthen your back.

Here is the seated version:

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When Muscle Pain Won’t Go Away, Look For Trigger Points

If you have muscle pain or other symptoms that just aren’t going away with conventional (medical) treatment or with massage therapy, there’s a reason.

The reason could very well be “trigger points.”

Here’s an example: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is very often caused by trigger points in your muscles.  The trigger points in this case are in the neck, upper chest, front of the arm and lower arm.  They “fire,” or refer, pain into the area of the carpal tunnel in the wrist.

A “syndrome” is a collection of symptoms.

Symptoms are things like pain, numbness, tingling.  If you can get rid of the symptoms, or the causes (triggers) of the symptoms, you get rid of the syndrome, too.

Trigger points are hyper-irritable (very irritated or crabby) areas of muscle.  Trigger points can also be found in other soft tissues like skin and organs.  Soft tissues are everything except our bones.

What do trigger points do?

They cause pain and symptoms in other parts of the body, sometimes at a far distance from the trigger point.  This is called “referred” pain.

We ALL have the potential to have them, because we all have soft tissues.

When a nagging pain or symptom won’t go away with treatment, that most likely means that a trigger point is causing the pain and needs to be released.

Whatever caused the trigger point also needs to be corrected.  Everything has a cause!

When I was making my notes for a recent Carpal Tunnel Radio show, I noticed a relationship between Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and trigger points:  All of the things that cause trigger points also cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!  And, so it is with a lot of our body pain.

A great deal of our pain and other uncomfortable symptoms are caused by trigger points.

Trigger points and muscles are largely overlooked by the medical community (your doctor) as a cause of pain.  It’s just not widely taught in medical schools.  In fact, very few doctors understand the roles of muscles in pain syndromes and fewer still understand trigger points.

Here are some of the things that cause (create) trigger points:

* abnormal bone structure that Continue reading “When Muscle Pain Won’t Go Away, Look For Trigger Points”

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Muscle Pain & Nutrition: Will Organic Food Stop Your Pain?

Pain in your muscles and soft tissues can be caused by many things.  One of them is most surely the additives and unwanted additions to the food we eat.

When your muscles are happy–getting what they need from your diet–they are able to function better.

Humans used to eat “natural.”

We ate what grew on trees, bushes in or on the ground.  We ate “wild caught” fish and meat.  Your body was designed to eat real food.

And now?

A lot of the things we eat come out of factories. Yum.

Our bodies just don’t know how to process the chemicals, petroleum products and other additives that are added for shelf life and flavor.  (Did you know there is a whole chemical industry devoted to developing new flavors and scents so we will buy more processed “food” products?)

There are lots of reasons you should consider organic food for pain relief but here’s my wrap-up:

Yes, organic food WILL help you feel better!  It WILL help your body heal and function better!

Eating organic, fresh fruits, veggies, eggs, and whatever else you like to eat WILL help you get rid of your muscle pain because you won’t be pumped full of chemicals.

You are worth it!

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How Poor Posture Causes Low Back Pain & How To Fix It

Most of us had good, balanced posture when we were toddlers.  We held our little heads directly over our bodies and had nice curves in our lower back.

But, then…we went to school and sat on furniture that didn’t fit us.  Sometimes we had to sit for hours at a time instead of running around using all of our muscles.

That’s part of the problem.  We stopped using all of our muscles.

Most of us use only the same 60 or so.  Since we have over 600 muscles, that means we use only about 10% instead of 100%.  That gets us “out of balance.”  This creates poor posture and back pain.

Or, maybe you continued using most of your muscles but in ways that caused some to be much stronger than others.  Your posture might look pretty good but still you feel strain and pain in your back.  That’s a clue that your posture isn’t balanced. This causes back pain.

What causes poor posture?

When you hold your head and arms in front of your body for most of the day, like most of us do, the muscles in the front of your body get short.  They pull, or round, your shoulders forward.  They pull your head forward and down and make your chin stick out.

When your back muscles get weak because you’re not flexing (strengthening) them, they get overstretched and strained.  Instead of holding you upright, your weak back muscles let your spine round at the top and you lose the curve in your low back, too.

Then what happens?

Your bones are the support system for your body.

When your posture gets weak, or collapses, your poor muscles start acting as bones to hold you up.  Your muscles are straining to hold your heavy head up while gravity is pulling it down.  (Remember why?  Because your head has moved in front of your body instead of being held directly over it.)

So what can I do?

There are several natural things you can do to improve your posture and get rid of your back pain.

1.  Assess your posture.  Have Continue reading “How Poor Posture Causes Low Back Pain & How To Fix It”

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Does Poor Posture Cause Pain? How Do Arch Supports Help?

Can your posture cause pain?

Oh Boy!  It surely can!  In fact, it does.

Poor, or collapsed, posture can cause pain in your head, neck, feet, legs, hips, hands, arms, upper and lower back. Why?

Because being out of muscular “balance” means that you are using muscles to do the job of bones.

With poor posture, your muscles are trying to hold you upright, but that’s the job of your bones. Muscles are for moving.  Bones are for supporting.

All of your muscles attach to bones.  When a muscle is overworked or overstretched because of poor posture, it causes pain.

Poor posture can even cause your organs–heart, lungs, intestines, stomach–to have difficulty functioning.  Why?  Because you are collapsing forward.

As you bend forward, all of your organs are compressed, or squashed.  It is much harder for your organs to do their best job when they are squashed.

What can you to to correct your posture?

One important thing is to get arch supports (orthotics) for your shoes if your feet are “flat.”

How can you tell if your arches are flat?

Stand up with your weight the same Continue reading “Does Poor Posture Cause Pain? How Do Arch Supports Help?”

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Work Stress–7 Steps To Get Rid Of Stress At Work

Work stress can cause pain, just like all stress can.

Since we don’t like having pain, we want to eliminate as much stress as possible.

Here are seven steps to start lowering your stress level now.

1. Start reducing your stress level outside of work. When you are calmer at home,that will carry over and you will feel more calm at work. The same tools that work at home will help you feel less stressed at your job.

2. Learn how to breathe for relaxation. Practice at home in bed. At work, sit up straight and do the same deep belly breaths you practiced in bed. Count to four on the inhale, slowly, hold for four, and exhale to the count of four. Let your neck relax. Let it rock gently front to back as you breathe. Repeat several times.

3. You are very good at what you do. Remember that. Keep reminding yourself. You are good! Negative self-talk causes stress.

4. Take frequent stretch breaks. Get your arms up and back. Open up the front of your body like a cat or dog does when they stretch. This will get the blood flowing again, you will feel more energized and less stressed.

5. Lift your shoulders up and roll them back, while your arms are hanging at your sides. You can do this often at your desk. It helps release muscle tension in your neck and shoulders. Less muscle discomfort equals less stress.

6. Learn to meditate, visualize or pray. Take a few minutes every hour to recharge your mind by going to your safe place, in your mind, for a mini-break or to bask in the warmth of God’s grace. Sit up straight, close your eyes, breathe. Relax.

7. Be grateful for the day, your job, your wonderful body, your life. Gratitude knocks out negative thoughts. Negative thinking causes stress. Think, “I am grateful for…” Say, “I am so fortunate that…”

Which of these tips will you incorporate into your life today?

Will you practice breathing tonight, so you can do it tomorrow? Will you practice rolling your shoulders to reduce your stress?

Choose any three of these tips and use this stuff.

“Because You Deserve To Feel Better!”

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Can Your Back Heal Its Pain?

We have really, really strong backs. Really, we do!

But, sometimes when something happens, like a spasm or a “catch”, we start to think that our back is frail, or fragile. We think we have to “baby” our back.

When we start to baby our back, or move tentatively, we are setting ourselves up for injury. We start to move stiffly, instead of smoothly. We are more likely to get hurt when we move stiffly instead of gracefully.

The bones of the spine are called vertebrae. They are built in a way that allows them to bend, twist and move in a variety of ways. The vertebrae in the neck and upper part of the back are smaller, but the lower back bones are larger and sturdier.

Pads of tough tissue, called disks, cushion the bones and separate them from each other. The disks give us more ability to move.

Long, strong muscles run the length of our spines. They secure each bone to the rest of the spine bones so that the spine acts as one long unit. Muscles allow us to move. Muscles move bones.

Sometimes we panic when our back hurts. Sometimes we become afraid it will always hurt. We may make an appointment with a doctor or surgeon, hoping they will “fix” our back.

Now, I will admit, occasionally someone does have a back problem which requires surgery. For instance, a chip may have broken off a bone, maybe through an accident. If the bone chip presses on a nerve, it may require surgery to remove it from the nerve. That should correct the pain.

And, thank goodness that doctors and surgeons are available for the times when we truly need them.

But, can your back pain heal naturally? You bet!

Think about it. If you cut your finger, does it heal by itself? If you scrape your knee, does it heal? If you break a bone, will it heal? (If it’s a bad break, it will require repair, but the bone will heal, with or without repair. The repair will help the bone heal in the correct position.)

Our skin heals itself. Our bones heal themselves. We get germs, and get sick, and we get better again.

So, please don’t panic.

Ice helps muscle spasms. The rule of thumb is ice for the first 48 hours, and then you can switch to heat, or alternate heat with ice. Ice for 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off. Do this several times in rotation.

Take an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen. If there is inflammation, or swelling, in the muscles, an anti-inflammatory is supposed to help reduce the swelling. Reducing the swelling may take pressure off a nerve, if you are having nervy pain.

Keep gentle movement going. Move with as much fluidity as you can. Try to be graceful, not lurching. Gentle movement keeps the muscles warm and keep fluids moving through our tissues.

If you have extreme pain, or lose control of your bowels or bladder, see your doctor immediately.

But, even with extreme pain, if you are patient, your body can usually heal by itself.

I had a client who had such pain that he could only kneel on the floor with his upper body supported on the bed for two days! He crawled to the bathroom and crawled back to his bed. Kneeling helped him feel a little better because with his belly supported on the bed, it took some pressure off whatever nerve was getting aggravated.

It took several weeks for him to feel well again, but it did happen. He resumed walking, but it was from picnic table to picnic table at the park. Eventually, he could walk normally again.

Lots of manual muscle therapy, or therapeutic massage, helped his tight muscles relax and took pressure off his nerve.

When he was first injured, his doctor said, “Well, you could have surgery, if you’d like.”

The problem is, sometimes surgery helps and sometimes it doesn’t. Back surgeries are done less now than they used to be, because often they didn’t help.

Often muscles are the cause of our pain. Really often.

And muscles are really good at going into spasm, but they are not so good at releasing their spasm. If we keep moving gently, use ice and an anti-inflammatory on a consistent basis, and get manual muscle/massage therapy if possible, our backs can get better.

Posture plays a big part in back injuries. If you suspect that your back is not as strong as it should be, that would be a good thing for you to work on.

You can find more information about getting a strong back at Simple Strengthening

Strong backs rule!

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How Many Causes Does Pain Have?

I love helping people feel better, to reduce their pain.

Sometimes I even help them see things differently, so they can function better. I help them move better and hurt less. I help them understand why they hurt.

And I have my personal story about pain.

I have had scoliosis, a curvature of the spine. With it came not only neck pain but also migraine headaches that would take me out of commission for three days at a time. Three days of barely being able to think and that if I died right then it would really, really be okay.

I have had various types of pain in my hands, fingers and arms. Understandable, after all the years of using them extensively treating people as a neuromuscular therapist.

You will notice that I said I have had those problems. I do not have them now.

But today, I began reading a book about pain which is very well written. And that author also helps people. She had much more pain than I ever did. Much more formal education than I ever did. And much more training than I have had. And, she basically healed herself with education and by taking action. (And, so can we, by the way.)

So, I am feeling insignificant. She has a lot on me.

But, I know she doesn’t have any more heart about helping you than I do. My sincerity is as much as hers. My desire to help you is just as strong as hers. And, I, too, have a lot of education! (But not the beautiful resume’ that she does.)

So, here is my plan.

I will continue to share with you information about the many causes of pain. The reasons why you hurt, and the actions you can take to reduce or eliminate your pain.

I will share with you the physical reasons. Sometimes we will talk about the psychological or emotional reasons for pain. We will talk about diet and nutrition. We will discuss the role of medicine for pain relief. We’ll talk about massage and bodywork.

We will talk about getting stuck and losing the abilities we had as children. We’ll discuss posture, car seats and couches. Walking and breathing correctly. I will give you good sources of additional information, and I will offer programs to help you. And much, much more.

And, definitely, we will talk about the ability of your body to feel better, get better and be better.

Because you can!

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Does Massage Help Tension Headaches?

Massage definitely does help tension headaches. No question about it.

There have been studies done which indicate that trigger point therapy and other forms of massage are beneficial for tension-type headaches.

I’m really biased about the value of massage. I have seen, and experienced, tremendous relief at the hands of highly skilled massage therapists.

But I have a question. Or two.

Why treat something after it occurs?

Why not prevent it from occurring in the first place?

Tension-type headaches, along with other types of head pain, are caused by making our muscles tense. How do we do this?

Poor posture, working or walking with our head forward, instead of over our shoulders. Sitting in rolled-forward positions. Being out of balance.

How can we prevent muscle tension headaches?

Sounds simple but it takes a little effort: We have to get back in balance.

Do you remember (your body remembers) the great posture you had when you were a toddler, when your head was over your shoulders and everything was in alignment? Your ears were over your shoulders and your shoulders were directly in line over your ankles. That is the same posture we should all be in again.

Rather than use therapeutic massage only to treat the symptoms of being temporarily or generally out of balance (your headache is a symptom), take advantage of massage to help you get back into balance. Talk with your massage therapist about this. Not all massage therapists have the education or skill to help you get back into neutral.

Of course, he or she will want to help you get rid of your tension headache, and that’s fine.

But he or she will be doing much more for you if they can help you by straightening you up and helping you get into a strong, neutral position.

Avoiding headaches is possible a great deal of the time. All we have to know is why we get them and how to stop doing that.  That’s where Head Pain Natural Relief can come in.

We get headaches because we are out of physical balance. We can avoid headaches by getting back into balance–into neutral posture–when we sit, stand or walk and, yes, even when we sleep.

Pay attention to what you are doing when you start to hurt. That will give you clues as to what position you are in, which may be out of neutral.

Sometimes a headache doesn’t come on for a while after an activity, so look for a pattern. “After I do (blank) I get a headache.”

Ask yourself, “Why?” “What can I do to change my position, so I don’t strain my neck and back muscles?” “What can I do so I don’t clench my jaw muscles?”

Sometimes the (blank) can be as simple as watching tv. Why? Because most of our “comfortable” couches and chairs put our necks into forward positions, and that position strains our neck muscles. Our car seats are not so good most of the time, either.

If you pay attention and think about it, you may be able to pinpoint the activity or position which aggravates your muscles.

Even though there are advertisements for pain relieving medicine which addresses “the common everyday headache”, we are not supposed to have them. We are not designed to have them.

Let’s work on getting you back into the position you were born to be in.  And, yes, massage can help you get rid of your muscle tension headaches.

Let’s work on getting you back to the neutral toddler you were.

Your body remembers; you can do it. A little time, a little work, but you can do it!

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Are You Sitting Down? What Hurts?

I wonder if you are sitting down while you are reading this?

I’d pretty much bet you are. And, I’ll bet there is a good chance that something is hurting you while you are reading this.

How about trying something different?

Stand up to read. While you’re at it, reach up to the sky with both arms. Big stretch, that’s good.

You know how a cat or dog stretches their back legs when they wake up? One leg at a time goes into a backward stretch, away from their body. While you are standing, stretch your right leg out, behind you. Ahhh, that’s nice. Now stretch your left leg (while you are standing on the right leg, of course.)

Reading while you are seated is not bad. It is fine, as long as…

1. You are using your strong posture muscles to be upright.
2. You aren’t collapsing forward.
3. Nothing hurts.

Otherwise, try a different position to read. You could kneel, or stand, or sit on a big, round ball which will cause you to balance and use your muscles.

Or, start a program which will develop your strong back muscles so they can hold you up while you read.

My goal is for you to be pain free!

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10 Simple Pain Relief Secrets

I recently read an excellent book about natural pain relief.

It has a great disclaimer. It said, basically, if you think you need the protection of a disclaimer, then close the book now.  🙂

The author believes that the most important consultation is the one each person has with himself or herself. He believes in taking personal responsibility for one’s own health. I think he is very wise, and you will be very wise if you take responsibility for your own health and well-being.

Your body wants to be well and pain-free.

There are simple techniques we can follow to get out of pain. There are easy movements and simple “tools” which will help us get back to where we want to be.

There are logical ways to eat, move and live which will enable us to feel well.

So, what are the “10 Simple Pain Relief Secrets?”

1.  Be responsible for your own wellness.
2.  Take good care of your body:  feed it wholesome foods and avoid fake foods and additives.
3.  Reduce your stress.
4.  Improve your posture.
5.  Stretch in the correct directions.
6.  Breathe deeply.  Move your ribs.
7.  Get enough sleep.
8.  Drink sufficient water.
9.  Become knowledgeable about your body and the causes of your pain.
10.Do what you need to do to become pain-free, naturally.

These ten simple pain relief secrets are a good start.  I am looking forward to sharing more with you.

“Because You Deserve To Feel Better!”

Kathryn Merrow – The Pain Relief Coach

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