Occasional, I don't know why, but I will get this horrible cramp in my right latissimus dorsi (shoulder blade muscle) that will be this totally unbearable dull aching cramp that will last for like 2 hours. I don't know what brings it on but, basically I've had one for the past hour or two and I NEED to get to sleep. It is so bad that my right arm feels like it is all hot and I can feel the shockwaves of the cramp go through it everytime it aches.

Things I have done:
1. Taken two 500mg extra strength tylenol
2. Eaten a yogurt (for potassium)
3. Drank orange juice (for potassium)
4. Punched my shoulder many times to try to do anything to relieve it.

Does anyone know what else I can do aside from finding someone with novicaine to inject into my shoulder?

1/12/2006 3:55:12 AM

in hs wrestling our couch always recomended we eat bananas(B-a-n-a-n-a-s!) or a couple tblspoon of mustard. both have crazy potassium. have you tried any creams? or how bout a hot bath.

1/12/2006 4:02:14 AM

^yeah I dont have any bananas I went looking, and I'm not going to eat mustard

no creams around here, and maybe i'll go in the bath but my girlfriend will wonder wtf i am doing drawing a bath at 4am

1/12/2006 4:04:24 AM

my god, it is still going... this is fucking unbearable

1/12/2006 5:14:06 AM

Drink gatorade. I did rock climbing for a while and would always get foot cramps afterwards. Drinking a gatorade when I was finished always helped.

1/12/2006 6:25:00 AM

drink pickle juice

1/12/2006 7:59:02 AM

man up and take the pain.

1/12/2006 8:20:03 AM

If it's in the same spot all the time, it's unlikely due to dehydration.

Try something that has a muscle relaxant in it. Instead of tylenol, try aleve or the generic (Naproxen)

1/12/2006 8:29:37 AM

i've always had the best results with advil for things like that.

1/12/2006 8:31:11 AM

I like the icyhot patches. They work really well for my back.

1/12/2006 9:38:34 AM

m a s s a g e - great for the stimulation of blood -> reducing cramps, and various other pain

1/12/2006 9:47:27 AM

ALEVE - tylenol does nothing for muscle pain. Its a pain reliever. ALEVE has Anaprox in it- the prescription drug they give women with severe cramps. Take 2 Aleve if it is really bad - then you shouldn't need any for 8 hours. And then get to student health. Aleve will relax the muscles so that they don't hurt so much. Much better than Tylenol in this case. Tylenol is for general, low grade aches and pains and fever.

1/12/2006 9:52:27 AM

Get a thermacare heat patch.

1/12/2006 10:27:57 AM

I get the same thing and everyone says to go to the chiropractor

fuck that shit.


I think it has a lot to do with posture while sitting and using the computer, or driving. Those are the things that make it worse in my case.

1/12/2006 6:35:46 PM

Quote :

"in hs wrestling our couch always recomended we eat bananas(B-a-n-a-n-a-s!) or a couple tblspoon of mustard. both have crazy potassium. have you tried any creams? or how bout a hot bath."

you had a wrestling couch. thats money.

seriously, epsoms salt bath. works wonders.

1/12/2006 6:43:16 PM

Wow, I have this exact same problem. It's like a dull throb of pain in my right shoulder blade. I think it's from bad posture from playing guitar. Massage has helped, but doesn't seem to keep the problem from reoccuring.

1/12/2006 6:58:26 PM

Run face first into a wall. Trust me, you won't be thinking about your shoulder.

1/12/2006 7:28:45 PM

bananas....someone else said it I know, but they work. When I was pregnant, I got mad cramps in my legs at night. Eat a whole bunch of bananas (like 4-6)...you will be sick of them, but I guarantee the cramps will go away.

1/12/2006 7:44:03 PM

massage

capsaicin patch (they come in large sizes; capsaicin is the fiery ingredient in red chilli peppers)

heat some olive oil and apply to area (heat to whatever you can take)

1/12/2006 8:20:22 PM

there are much better sources of pottasium out there than bananas

# High Potassium (more than 300 mg potassium):


* 1 cup milk (all kinds)


* 1/2 cup orange juice


* 1/2 cup prune juice


* 1/2 cup tomato juice


* 3/4 cup vegetable juice

# 1/3 cup raisins


# 1 cup watermelon cubes

# 1/2 large avocado


# 1/2 cup cooked dried peas, beans, or lentils


# 1/2 cup mashed potato or 1 small potato


# 1/2 cup pumpkin


# 1/2 cup spinach


# 1/2 cup tomato juice or 1 medium tomato


# 1/2 cup tomato sauce


# 1/2 cup winter squash


# 1 small sweet potato

1 oz bitter chocolate

1/13/2006 5:24:21 AM

^that's what i was going to say

1/13/2006 8:33:25 AM

pounding a couple beers could also help...

1/13/2006 8:37:40 AM

stab it with a fork

1/13/2006 8:43:54 AM

more potassium...more water...less caffeine.

1/13/2006 9:22:51 AM

i wouldn't consume more water, without more electrolytes.

1/13/2006 10:37:50 AM

3 words:

TOO MUCH MASTURBATION

1/13/2006 11:37:27 AM

Quote :

"drink pickle juice "

get that electro massage thing that the russian dude in the rocky movies used.

or use TIGER BALM>>>>>>>

1/13/2006 1:09:02 PM

Quote :

"bananas....someone else said it I know, but they work. When I was pregnant, I got mad cramps in my legs at night. Eat a whole bunch of bananas (like 4-6)...you will be sick of them, but I guarantee the cramps will go away."

If you eat this many bananas for extended periods of time, make sure you eat some fiber or apples too...If you don't, you'll be constipated for WEEKS.

1/13/2006 4:52:44 PM

Apples can constipate as well as regulate. You're better off with whole grain to get regular.

1/13/2006 6:50:53 PM

Midol?

1/13/2006 7:09:19 PM

go see a physical therapist.

1/13/2006 8:30:51 PM

I think it is pretty obvious that you have repetetive stress from being at your damn machine too much. Go get some exercise you freaking nerd.

1/13/2006 11:51:14 PM

try this...

http://www.muscleactivation.com/

i know the MAT specialist in raleigh and have had great results w/ him (former patient or whatever)...the only thing i recommend is finding a partner who will be willing to help you out w/ the exercises for a few weeks to a couple of months (depending on how bad you're messed up and how quickly you respond to treatment; apparently you have a gf, so this will help some)...in my own opinion, this is much better than deep tissue massage because it gets to the cause of the problem (unless you have a structural problems, but then you might be SOL)...

oh, and i'm all about natural cures and shit, but potassium isn't a miracle drug/vitamin/element...

good luck!!!

1/14/2006 1:05:15 AM

pamprin?

1/14/2006 1:14:27 AM

Stop being a pussy.

1/14/2006 1:15:31 AM

u probably got a muscle strain or something... that was my problem... if it happens after lifting or exerting force thats probably the problem

1/17/2006 3:31:48 PM

sex

1/17/2006 3:41:41 PM

make sure you are getting enough calcium too

1/18/2006 9:21:44 PM

heat

add salt to a drink

pickle juice

bananas

or go to the doctor it might be something more than a cramp

1/18/2006 10:29:38 PM