What Causes Those Nasty Knots and How to Get Rid of Them?

[misskitty]

Everyone here knows about those nasty little knots you get in your back, your shoulders and neck and how they cause you to be all tight and achy. I hate them just as much, if not more than the next person. Believe me they don't do anything but complicate my exsisting back problem.

Anyway, my question is, what causes these nasty little so-and-so's and what is the best way to get rid of them?

If you've got any good suggestions, (preferably inexpensive please) let me know, these knots are on my nerves!

 

[Kerrie]

If you've got any good suggestions, (preferably inexpensive please) let me know, these knots are on my nerves!

Funny you should bring this up, as last week I went to an accupuncturist to relieve some long overdue neck/shoulder tension and a pinched nerve. Since then I have felt a huge difference in my shoulders (not tightening up), and I am keeping accupuncture in mind again next time I have this sort of thing. Try going to a licensed massage therapist to help you. Generally those knots just might be where you store tension. LMT's charge around $50/hour, or if there is a massage school in your town, they will charge less and be just as good.

 

[misskitty]

Ohh...sounds good! Lol.

I have been told about the acupunture thing before. I'm getting ready to go find one myself.

 

[Moonbear]

Yep, they're usually just a tense muscle that is flexing and not relaxing. It could be from muscle fatigue such as over excercising or even sitting too long in a position that tenses that muscle, or you might clench your muscles a bit when you're stressed. People have a lot of different ways of relaxing to alleviate the knotted muscle. A hot bath or shower or heating pad is sometimes all it needs, or trying things like meditation to relax are good. Massages are always a great option.

 

[misskitty]

This is some good advice. This might sound stupid: when you go to see a massage therapist, they always tell you to drink a lot of water after you see them so that it flushes the chemicals out of your system...what the heck are they talking about?! When I asked a friend of mine (who is studying massage therapy ) what that ment she said something about lactic acid. That didn't tell me much. So why do they have you drink so much water, what chemicals are they talking about, and what's this thing about the lactic acid?

 

[DaveC426913]

Yes, ask your massage therapist friend for a layperson's explanation of lactic acid and muscle pain.

Essentially, lactic acid is the emergency fuel/lubricant your muscles use when they can't get enough oxygen. Lactic acid that's left over in your muscles is what causes the burning and the pain you feel after running. Same thing happens in muscles that haven't relaxed in a long time.

When the massage therapist goes to work on you, the kneading increases blood flow to the muscles. The lactic acid is flushed out. Drink water to dispose of it.

 

[misskitty]

Uh-huh. I'll need to drink ten litres of water to get all that lactic acid out of my system.