alternative treatment options
 

for spasticity that don't involve rx.. ideas??

massage
stretches
yoga
meditation
relaxation


I dont know of medicinal stuff, but those things really help me.

ditto what dej said.

i don't have real spasms but always have muscle pain.
i swear by my massage therapist. she does deep work.

...heat, on and off 20' at a time. you don't want to dry the muscle out.

i have a homedics chair massager and when i'm really tight it's great for stopping the tightness.

i do use pain meds too.
good luck, keep us posted.

In addition to what the others said . . .I take warm (not hot) Epsom salt baths before going to bed. The magnesium in it seems to be what helps. On bad days I take them during the day as well. On really bad days, I break down and take an Ativan. (I don't do well with most meds but am able to tolerate a small dosage of Ativan). Occasionally, I'll use my TENS unit on them and it sometimes help and other times it doesn't.

Hope that helps and you start feeling better soon.:hug:

Magnesium orally may help as well:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread1138.html

Be careful and only use quality absorbable forms.

Keeping Vit D and B12 at normal levels will help also.

I've zapped some of the spasticity I get with the TENS unit that I stole from my mom.. That actually seems to help sometimes a little better than baclofen does. At least when the spasticity is really painful. The little zaps from the TENS hurts too, but feels a heck of a lot better than the spasticity does.

After my nightly shower, while my muscles and joints are still relaxed and warm, I do stretching exercises.

If I don't I may wake in the middle of the night with a Charley horse cramp in a calf or two, or my toes curl under and get stuck or even my foot arch may spasm.

I get the MS hug but nothing has helped that. I believe it is deep spasms of the torso muscles.

Neck and arms do the same thing at times. I take magnesium and many other supplements to ensure that I don't have to jump from my sleep and be in a very painful spasm. I tried a few antispasmodic medications, to no avail.

Many meds make you so groggy you can't function.