What causes chronically tight muscles all over the body ?

[Motif]

Dealing with this for over half of my life.

any ideas?

 

[Sila]

Look into PRI (Posture Restoration Institute).

Basic Concepts of the Postural Restoration Institute®

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOxBRPqI9A1kT9xZFWQfz1w

 

[korpesh]

In the past, I have had extended bouts of muscle cramping and stiffness, which have been helped quite a bit by supplementing potassium in the form Cream of Tartar. If you sweat, drink a lot of coffee, or go to the bathroom a lot, I would try the potassium angle and see if it helps.

 

[YourUniverse]

Look into PRI (Posture Restoration Institute).

Basic Concepts of the Postural Restoration Institute®

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOxBRPqI9A1kT9xZFWQfz1w

This is money, thank you.

Magnesium and aspirin help short term but I think @Sila 's post is probably the long term solution

 

[youngsinatra]

In my experience it could be due to a low A : D ratio. It doesn‘t matter how much magnesium I ingest, my body feels relatively tight on vitamin D3/K2 alone, even in small amounts, but once I add sufficient amounts of retinol supplementation, this dissolves really quickly for me.

I need a ratio of 5:1 of A : D for this to happen. Do you take D3, K2 or A, how about magnesium?

 

[Motif]

In my experience it could be due to a low A : D ratio. It doesn‘t matter how much magnesium I ingest, my body feels relatively tight on vitamin D3/K2 alone, even in small amounts, but once I add sufficient amounts of retinol supplementation, this dissolves really quickly for me.

I need a ratio of 5:1 of A : D for this to happen. Do you take D3, K2 or A, how about magnesium?

I don’t think that’s it for me.
It did not improve from high dosed A.

magnesium is somehow calming , but does nothing for this.
I take some d3 and k2 too, but only 2 or 3 k daily.

i think ive been pretty close to 5:1 a/d3

 

[Spokey]

Could be a thiamine deficiency.

 

[mmb82]

For me, the following has helped (over time, not immediately):
- topical magnesium, especially when used directly on the muscle/body part that feels tight; epsom salt baths for full body
- doing a vitamin A "detox" for two years (see Grant Genereux's Theory Of Vitamin A Toxicity)
- stopping vitamin D supplements
- stopping calcium supplements
- avoiding high oxalate foods

I am not implying that one or all of these may help you, but they are things you can try.

 

[pauljacob]

Two things tie me into knots: Stress and Radiation. Since I live in an apartment, I'm subject to wifi radiation all around. Also a huge microwave tower is no more than 50 yards away. Go to a large park that doesn't have a tower nearby and spend a few hours there and see if you feel better. If you do, then you have to find a better, secluded place to live. Easier said than done.

 

[opethfeldt]

Lowering serotonin greatly reduces this for me. I become all loosey-goosey, which I associate with low stress. It kind of matches what serotonin does to your personality. Rigid and inflexible.

 

[LucyL]

Progesterone is a great muscle relaxant (as any woman in their third trimester) which might mean high estrogen is having the opposite effect.

 

[Motif]

My cousin and some other people I know have similar issues.
i wonder if this is really more a nervous system thing and what to do about it.

prog did nothing . Same for b vitamins etc.

Does topical magnesium really work? How much of it daily?

abd the stuff is sticky. Can I was it off after some time? @mmb82

 

[mrchibbs]

Lowering serotonin greatly reduces this for me. I become all loosey-goosey, which I associate with low stress. It kind of matches what serotonin does to your personality. Rigid and inflexible.

Progesterone is a great muscle relaxant (as any woman in their third trimester) which might mean high estrogen is having the opposite effect.

I think this is the main end pathway...serotonin enduces this torpor, rigidity and anything that reverses this state like cyproheptadine, progesterone, magnesium etc. help get away from that.

Ultimately it's a thyroid (or rather low energy) problem, which is characterized in part by an impaired ability to retain magnesium in the cell.

In individuals with naturally intense and robust metabolism, tension and general stress is greatly alleviated. It makes sense, warmth relaxes all the tissues and improves their functioning.

 

[cjm]

Look into PRI (Posture Restoration Institute).

Basic Concepts of the Postural Restoration Institute®

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOxBRPqI9A1kT9xZFWQfz1w

Asymmetry between the sides of the body is a powerful concept with a lot of mileage. I've never come across a system that made it the focal point of the therapy. Nice link, thanks! Linking a few paragraphs below.

"The human body is not symmetrical. The neurological, respiratory, circulatory, muscular and vision systems are not the same on the left side of the body as they are on the right, and vice versa. They have different responsibilities, function, position and demands on them. This system asymmetry is a good thing and an amazing design. The human body is balanced through the integration of system imbalances. The torso, for example, is balanced with a liver on the right and a heart on the left. Extremity dominance is balanced through reciprocal function; i.e. left arm moves with right leg and vice versa.

Postural Restoration Institute® (PRI) credentialed professionals recognize these imbalances and typical patterns associated with system disuse or weakness that develops because of dominant overuse. This dominant overuse of one side of the body can develop from other system unilateral overuse. For example, if the left smaller diaphragm is not held accountable for respiration as the right is, the body can become twisted. The right diaphragm is always in a better position for respiration, because of the liver’s structural support of the right larger diaphragm leaflet. Therefore, the left abdominals are always important to use during reciprocal function, such as walking, to keep the torso balanced."

I like seeing parallels between different systems and this line in the same Basic Concept summary harks of the "focal points" of Anusara-style Hatha Yoga:

"Balancing muscle activity around the sacrum (pelvis), the sternum (thorax) and the sphenoid (middle of the head) through a PRI approach best positions multiple systems of the human body for appropriate integrated asymmetrical function."

http://www.doyoga.com/book.pdf

 

[YourUniverse]

Asymmetry between the sides of the body is a powerful concept with a lot of mileage. I've never come across a system that made it the focal point of the therapy. Nice link, thanks! Linking a few paragraphs below.

"The human body is not symmetrical. The neurological, respiratory, circulatory, muscular and vision systems are not the same on the left side of the body as they are on the right, and vice versa. They have different responsibilities, function, position and demands on them. This system asymmetry is a good thing and an amazing design. The human body is balanced through the integration of system imbalances. The torso, for example, is balanced with a liver on the right and a heart on the left. Extremity dominance is balanced through reciprocal function; i.e. left arm moves with right leg and vice versa.
Postural Restoration Institute® (PRI) credentialed professionals recognize these imbalances and typical patterns associated with system disuse or weakness that develops because of dominant overuse. This dominant overuse of one side of the body can develop from other system unilateral overuse. For example, if the left smaller diaphragm is not held accountable for respiration as the right is, the body can become twisted. The right diaphragm is always in a better position for respiration, because of the liver’s structural support of the right larger diaphragm leaflet. Therefore, the left abdominals are always important to use during reciprocal function, such as walking, to keep the torso balanced."

I like seeing parallels between different systems and this line in the same Basic Concept summary harks of the "focal points" of Anusara-style Hatha Yoga:

"Balancing muscle activity around the sacrum (pelvis), the sternum (thorax) and the sphenoid (middle of the head) through a PRI approach best positions multiple systems of the human body for appropriate integrated asymmetrical function."

http://www.doyoga.com/book.pdf

View attachment 24841

nice, thank you

 

[cjm]

My cousin and some other people I know have similar issues.
i wonder if this is really more a nervous system thing and what to do about it.

Are your paraspinals tight? Restless legs at all? Have you ever taken GABA?

 

[cjm]

warmth relaxes all the tissues and improves their functioning.

Hot as hell epsom salt baths are bar none. Give me 90 minutes in the tub and I'm limber enough for a nap. That's kind of the solution and the problem with baths.

But what if you drank hot water to shower your insides and radiate heat from within?

"“Hot water?” People will say. “Just hot water?” “Yep, just hot water.” “That’s weird.” “Not really,” I’ll say. “Hot water is delicious. It warms you up. It’s like a shower for your insides.” “You’re not okay.” That’s pretty much how that conversation goes, but I’m not about to be peer-pressured out of my hot water habit."

Why I’m Weirdly Obsessed with Drinking Hot Water

Because your insides deserve a hot shower too.

www.bonappetit.com

So I decided to start only drinking hot beverages after my coffee. (A third cup of coffee is always temping [and warm obviously] but never forgiving.) Hot water by itself was nice. Sort of zen. But I like the suggestions to use magnesium and aspirin and in fact what I've settled into after coffee is near boiling water with an Alka Selzter and some tasty KAL magnesium chelates and variations of that throughout the day. Tea at night to induce relaxation. Cold beverages are now delicacies to be used sparingly.

This is funny from the article:

"Many of my colleagues are in on it—we exchange knowing glances when we see steam unfurling from each other's cups in a meeting."

 

[Motif]

Are your paraspinals tight? Restless legs at all? Have you ever taken GABA?

yeah , pretty much.

i never tried. I considered taking it and then I chose theanine and glycine

 

[schultz]

Ultimately it's a thyroid (or rather low energy) problem, which is characterized in part by an impaired ability to retain magnesium in the cell.

In individuals with naturally intense and robust metabolism, tension and general stress is greatly alleviated. It makes sense, warmth relaxes all the tissues and improves their functioning.

I was going to post something similar, but you've already said it nicely here.

I think tightness and knots are essentially caused by a local energy deficit in the muscle. Lactic acid may be involved (and a host of other things). I was investigating this recently in regards to "trigger points" which can cause either local pain in the affected muscle or a referred pain somewhere else. Like a trigger point in the gluteus medius causing lower back pain. People walk around with chronic back pain which may just be inflamed muscle (caused by energy deficit) pressing on a nerve or something of that nature.

We are all aware that hypothyroid people have muscles that don't relax as easy and stay semi-tense. Ray has also mentioned hypothyroid people don't retain magnesium as well.

 

[BearWithMe]

Do you feel stressed? Are you often worrying about something?