United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Today, it is raining like CRAZY and I am tense... iH ave a final tonight... but I have NEVER felt like this before!! My upper trap, which works quite well, is so tight I can hardly tilt my head to the side! It is giving me a headache and makeing my arm/hand hurt like hell! WTF! I have NO ipain pills here at work, might need a muscle relaxer?? Anyone have any ideas on this one?? Thanks in advance!!

COurtney

Courtney
Damp weather and cold always makes my back and neck tighten up.
It was much worse when I was younger or I got use to it...
You can try putting heating pad along with Mineral Ice.
You really need to get those muscles warmed up so that you can loosen up.
I can't tolerate any type of cold damp weather my neck gets so tight.

I use one of those bean bag things that you put in Microwave... It is something you can keep in the car and bring with you.
It really helps me to warm my muscle to get moving. The mineral ice just distracts from the pain that comes with being tight.

I hope this helps
Kath ( adult/robpi)

Be careful with the heating pads and mineral ice. My mother did that once(NON BPI) and got third degree burns on her legs !!!! Have no other advise, but please be careful with any topical pain reliever and heating pads....GAYLE

Gayle
I did not mean the electric heating pad but one of the rice/bean type you heat in microwave.
I am obpi so I test all heated pads on my unaffected arm first...
I use the heating bag first then put the mineral ice on to go to bed.
I did not explain that and I guess I should have.
I have heard of others getting burns from electric heating pads...
Glad you reminded everyone.
I really can't feel heat on my robpi arm and have burned myself with hot water because I forgot to test.

Kath (adult/robpi)

Kath,
No any heating pad of any kind......hers was an electric one, and she thought she had wiped off all the icy hot off, but she hadn't and it burned her through her jeans....BE CAREFUL...GAYLE

Hi Courtney,

This is Narelle, Michael's mum. The aussie contingent. We have not been on the boards for some time. Life has been passing by so quickly. Just thought I would put in a note to say hi to everyone and give a quick update on how Michael is going. He is doing great. Two years now since the surgery and accident. He now has full shoulder and bicep control and movement and has built the upper arm nearly back to normal. Still nothing in the fingers and wrist as yet but dr still believes things are improving each day and will wait for another 8 months to see what happens before we look at any more surgery. He can also bend the elbow from straight down to 90 degree angle.
The pain is still an issue. Gets the pain only in the hand and fingers now but really fully on. Some days it really flaws him.
He has done excellent with his studies and will be completed by the end of the year. He will have his real estate licence and has studied every area of real estate. We were so proud of him he topped the state in which we live in his course. Not bad no 1 in the course in the entire state. He has worked hard for it.
We have had the pleasure of Jamies company a few times in Sydney and is great to catch up with him.
I hope that you are doing well and the same for everyone else on the boards.
We will try and post a bit more in the future. We still look in regularly to see what is happening.
Take care Courtney
regards Narelle and Michael

Have you tried stretching? I'm sure you've guessed this but a tight muscle causes pain. Also, because of your injury your muscles in your shoulder are weak,and often the trapezius muscle will pick up the slack. It is not innervated by the brachial plexus. Could be that you trap is a bit tired. I would definitely do heat(if you can tolerate) and then stretch.
Becky

Hey Courtney - Long time no post. I tend to take Epsom salt baths in the fall/winter. It really helps to drawl all the toxin in your muscles out and relaxes me immensly. The toxin in your muscles are just uric and lactic acid which are biproducts of muscle contractions. If your tense or all hunched up because of the cold, these levels go up and make your muscles ache and inhibits them from naturally relaxing. This can go in vicious circles and adding a bad fight to the mix can really jam everything up. I know you can't take a bath at work so try going somewhere dark and quite and breathing slowly. If you have a good friend ask them to take five minutes to rub your shoulders and do your best not to talk or think about what's making you mad because you'll just tense up more and the massage will only aggrevate the muscles.

LOVE SUSAN