pain relief
Relieve muscle tension: This is how you can actively do something about the pain
Muscle tension can be stressful in everyday life
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Stress, incorrect posture and various misalignments can lead to painful muscle tension. The back, neck and shoulders are often affected. Read here which (home) remedies can bring relief.
It is not a question of age: Painful tension in the back, shoulder and neck muscles can affect anyone. Anyone suffering from muscle tension longs for quick help, because the symptoms often burden those affected in everyday life. Most tension is caused by stress, so when treating the symptoms it is particularly important to look at the problem holistically. In the following, you will find out when you should see a doctor and what you can actively do to relieve tension yourself.
How does muscle tension arise?
The most common causes of muscle tension are lack of exercise and one-sided postures as well as stress and psychological strain. More serious triggers such as anxiety disorders and depression can also be behind the causes of the symptoms. Especially if the pain keeps coming back, you should see your family doctor. You can discuss the symptoms with them and then receive recommendations for action and referrals to other specialists, such as an orthopaedist. The problem is that when muscles are permanently tight, pain and tightness are bound to occur at some point. Affected people usually notice this too late, because if the tension is already very painful, physiotherapy is usually needed. Anxiety disorders and depression, on the other hand, have to be treated differently. Your family doctor will probably recommend contacting a psychologist who will work through the causes with you so that you can recover in the long term and no longer have to suffer from the stress-related tension.
How can you release muscle tension?
Muscle tension that occurs, for example, due to a lack of exercise or incorrect posture can be treated with various (home) remedies. Nevertheless, if the symptoms last longer and you have the feeling that there could be deeper causes such as psychological factors or malpositions, you should consult your family doctor. The following tips can relieve minor muscle tension and help relieve pain in the short term.
pain ointments
Specific pain ointments have an anti-inflammatory effect and can relieve pain caused by bruises, strains or sprains.
warmth
Heat relaxes the muscles by increasing blood flow to the tissue and relieving pain. You have the choice between different methods. So you can for example hot water bottles or cherry pit pillow apply to the affected body part. A hot bath can also help. Special heat plasters, which are glued to the muscle area and usually worn for several hours, can also relax the muscles. The same applies to Anointthat give warmth.
Regular exercise
If muscle tension develops due to a lack of exercise, those affected often adopt a relieving posture to avoid the pain. But that usually aggravates the symptoms and is therefore counterproductive. Build more movement back into your everyday life and try certain exercises to relax your neck, shoulders and back and keep them flexible. You can find inspiration for this on the internet, for example.
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acupressure and acupuncture
Both approaches are treatment methods of traditional Chinese medicine, in which a therapeutic effect is to be achieved by activating certain points on the body. For example, there is the option lattice plaster to use, which come from the Asian region and are used to treat everyday complaints. They are based on the principle of acupuncture and are said to be able to help with hardened muscles, joint pain, tension in the head, shoulder and neck area or circulatory problems. The self-adhesive Cross Tapes are attached to specific pain, acupuncture or trigger points. Similar, but based on the principle of acupressure, work acupressure mats. Like lattice plasters, they should be able to relieve tension by triggering certain points on the body.
Note: This article contains general information and cannot replace a visit to a doctor.
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