recommend me topical muscle-pain relief

[kate_nepveu]

For extremely tight muscles: menthol, menthol and camphor, or capsaicin? Bonus if you can vouch for non-stinky brands.

(No Aspercreme or equivalent.)

Comments

[kate_nepveu]

Fuck, I forgot to ask about cortisone. Well, I have another appt in two weeks, and anyway I'd probably wait until at least then to see how PT is doing.

(I've had them in the past and they helped some, *except* for the time when an idiot masseuse leaned hard on the tight muscles around it, which I think caused them to seize up so much that it undid the good effect; so I'm dubious whether one would help since I'd have to keep sleeping on that spot.)

My PT hit the spot today that I thought was the bursa, which has been causing me pain when I sleep on it, but she said it wasn't, the bursa is way too far down and it was the muscles. She said alternating ice & heat was okay for inflammation generally, though.

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

As far as heat goes, I've been very happy with the ThermaCare air-activated disposable heating pads. Some of 'em (the menstrual ones, I think) you adhere directly to the skin, others to the clothes over the affected area, either way you get an isolated heat source.

[kate_nepveu]

Oh, I love those for menstrual pain.

I meant to say that I was going to avoid those because they do tend to raise my body temperature generally, though I've never checked how much; but if body temperature isn't a concern, they *rock*.

[leighdb.livejournal.com]

If you really want to make it easy on yourself and don't mind spending a little cash, I highly recommend an automatic cold therapy cooler/pad system, like this one (http://www.cszmedical.com/products/localizedcold/portablecold.htm).

It may seem a little frivolous, but my mother has one and dude, that thing was a lifesaver last Christmas when I wrenched my back right before flying home. Much, much less problematic than dealing with ice packs all the time.

Hope you feel better, whatever you end up doing.

[kate_nepveu]

I may recommend that to my mom, who has back issues . . .

Thanks.