Monday, March 21, 2011

Deal With Chronic Muscle Inflammation

Several conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, arthritis and lupus, cause chronic muscle inflammation. As a result, sufferers deal with ongoing pain. While the cause of inflammation is often a mystery, there are ways to deal with chronic pain and lead a relatively active life.


Instructions


Go See a Pain Specialist


1. Make an appointment with a pain specialist. Knowing the exact cause of pain is important. Rather than accept chronic inflammation, visit a rheumatologist and obtain a diagnosis. You’ll likely have to complete a series of blood tests and have an imaging test to rule out various muscle diseases.








2. Take prescription medication and/or vitamin supplements. Several medications, such as anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids, are effective in reducing muscle inflammation. If you don’t want to take prescription drugs, consider a vitamin supplement such as distilled fish oil.


3. Apply heat to trouble spots. Both cold and heat therapy are ideal for counteracting pain. However, if dealing with chronic muscle inflammation, heat therapy is preferable. Heated gels and pads increase blood flow, which reduces inflammation, joint pain, muscle spasms and stiffness.


4. Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. Chronic sufferers rarely enjoy long term relief. However, adequate rest can decrease your pain level. Resolve to take frequent breaks throughout the day, and make every effort to receive a full night’s sleep.


5. Examine your foods and eat healthier. If chronic muscle inflammation isn’t caused by a muscle or autoimmune disease, the foods you eat may be the culprit. Foods known to increase inflammation include pasteurized juices, packed meats, wheat, flour and sugar.

Tags: muscle inflammation, chronic muscle inflammation, chronic muscle, deal with, heat therapy