Stiff joints, back pain, sore muscles

[Greaseball]

Yep, those are my problems! Every morning I wake up with stiff, sore joints, especially my ankles, knees and hips. Sleeping with a pillow between the knees helps some.

Also my forearms are really sore, even when I haven't done any heavy lifting, and my lower back constantly hurts. I've never had back problems before, only in pregnancy, and they have been on-and-off for weeks now.

Isn't there some herb that is supposed to help lubricate joints? I'm 23, btw, and not overweight or pg. I do lift weights but nothing over 50 lb, and now with all this pain I'm keeping it to around 30 lb and no over-the-head lifts.

Also, is a chiro a good idea? I hear good and bad things and I guess really I don't even know what one is. I could see my regular doc but I can't imagine what she could do, probably just prescribe some ibuprofen and take x-rays. What exactly does a chiropractor do?

I hear that a lot of women have back problems after they have kids, but I can't imagine what I could have done to myself. I ordered a Maya Wrap just in case I've been holding dd all wrong.

[ladylee]

Glucosamine & chondroitin are good for joints. And Chi Gung is excellent for getting the synovial fluid flowing in the joints.

[Pynki]

The lady who was my lactation consultant, (now my friend) suggested flax seed oil capsules for my knees that sound like bubble wrap... IT seems to be working me.. If that doesn't help i would seek a dr's opinion... It could be any number of things and a good dr won't jsut prescribe ibuprofen, but look deeper to see what is going...

Bes of luck and Warm Squishy feelings

Dyan

[Greaseball]

I saw my doc because I developed a rash where all the tingling was. She said it was just mild sciatica and the rash was from all the heat I was putting on it. She recommended yoga.

My knees have always popped, but it doesn't hurt. I have used hemp or flax oil before, one of those.

[joyfulliving]

Greaseball,

Are any of your joints swollen or red? Is it just stiffness, or is theire any pain? For how long has this been going on? has it been getting worse?

Re chiropractors, IMHO if you go check one out, get a recommendation from trusted friends first. Then follow your intuition about them. My DH went to a few before we finally found a great one who actually works more with *energy* rather than manipulating the bones etc. i.e. no cracking.

Warmly,
Joyfulliving

[plant momma]

I see a chiropractor for pain relief and help with inflammation, I was afraid of the cracking, but it was the manual manipulation that actually provided relief for my neck, not the activator. I still have activator on my lower back though which is great. I guess I am saying it is all different for each person and chiropractor. I found mine through word of mouth and I am so glad I did, my other one was not so good.

[oceanmommy]

Hey Greaseball, your sig lines are crackin me up.

I know of two good chiropractors in Eugene (I have seen them both) if you need a recommendation and feel like driving down here. PM me if you want more info.

[joyfulliving]

Plant momma,

What kind of inflammation did you have? What is an activator? I so don't know anything about chiropractors (except what DH is learning through his visits.) So I'm also trying to learn more from people who go. I have joint inflammation myself and a long time ago a colleague suggested a chiropractor but i was to nervous to go. I do go to an acupuncturist who helps me considerably.

Greaseball, I sure do hope you feel better. I have a little more to add to my last post. I don't know if you are vegetarian or not but I take a broad scale omega supplement called Total EFA from Health from the Sun. It has all the omegas in it from a variety of sources fish, organic flax, borage seed. I have found it amazingly helpful. Additionally I went to a wholistic MD who led me on an elimanation diet (torture) which showed me foods which created significant inflammation in my joints. Wow, when i adhere to the diet during bad bouts I don't even need ibuprofen.

blessings,
Joyfulliving

[Greaseball]

I'll definitely look for some EFA's!

Nothing is red or swollen, and my back has been a little bit better if I stretch it a lot. I still can't carry heavy loads or anything but at least it doesn't make me want to stay in bed.

If it starts to get worse I will try a chiro next time.

How does an elimination diet work? Is that where you omit certain foods for several weeks, stuff like milk, wheat, meat, chocolate, etc. to see if you are allergic?

Thanks, everyone!

[owensmom]

Oh greaseball, you described how I feel!!! Ever since ds was born, I have had such pains! I had some weird sensitive spots on my feet, like it burned when I would rub them against the sheets, but that went away.
Now I just wake up all stiff and sore, and especially my ankles... I hobble around like my 80 year old granny! If I try to put on my bra first thing in the morning, I can barely reach behind me to do it. I assumed it was carrying heavy child, and sleeping all contorted, with a big dog at my feet, and ds inching closer and closer to me as the night goes on, until I am clinging to the edge of the bed in the morning!

[joyfulliving]

Sorry it took me so long to reply. What a day!

yes, that's the gist of the elimination diet. here's more detail on the way mine went. First we eliminated all yeast - yeast and mould containing foods and vinegar. As well as all forms of sugar. We also eliminated..oh heck, here's what I COULD eat it's easier. Chicken, fish, lamb. NO TOFU yikes! Brown rice. oilive oil. garlic. steamed veggies only. Lettuce salad if well washed with only olive oil and lemon. NO fruit. The only fruit I was allowed was one apple (peeled) or one orange. yes constipation city. Rice cakes were also okay if plain. Water only. I stayed on this diet until all my inflammation disappeared. This was the torturesome part because i did start to feel better after a week but the inflammation was still there. Once inflammation was gone I began to slowly re-introduce some of the biggies like wheat (you must eat a lot in its purest form in order to be sure it wasn't something WITH the wheat causing the reaction. (i.e. ate cooked wheat berries.) Stopped when and if the inflammation came back. If no inflammation after a week I'd re-introduce another biggie like milk. then soy. you get the picture. I was on this diet for 6 months but I have a diagnosed dis-ease for which I'd gone the conventional route and had lots of prescribed nasty drugs to heal from. i have to say it really worked. I was pain free for years and even now if I go back and pull in those dietary reigns again for a while i can usually go back to allowing small amounts of reactive foods without problems.

Before you try a chiropractor, I was thinking, I'd try a professional Licenced massage therapist. -- have to twist yer arm on that 'un don't I? Then I'd try an acupuncturist if you could find a really good one. Massage works great for the stiffness and general achiness and shoulder problems. Anything that feels good and gets the stress out fo your mind and body are great too.

Oh, have to tried epsom baths before bed???

Been thinking of you. And you too Owensmom.

peace and health,
joyfulliving

[BattleAxe]

me too!!! since ds was born in May, I've had unbelievable pain in my knees, wrist, ankle, back, hips, tailbone... some days I can hardly walk when I first get up. the ankle and wrist pain are where I had old injuries but I never had this kind of overall pain before. I'm 36, but that ain't so old, right? I've been wondering if it's hormonal, or my body readjusting after pregnancy, or what, because this is qualitatively different from aches and pains I've had before. Massage does help a lot, so I highly recommend that, and some of the other suggestions sound good too.

just had to chime in with my $.02 - relieved, in a way, that I'm not alone in this. hope y'all feel better soon.

[Greaseball]

No, not a massage therapist, anything but that!

My BIL is one, and my dh loves to give massages.

Epsom salts dry out my skin, but I could throw some bath beads in with it.

[joyfulliving]

Epsoms did that to me too when I was pregnant (and in the winter) Adding oil also works but bath beads sound sooooooo much more luxurious and that's the point eh?

be well,

peace.

JL

[mama2jonah]

I've had arthritis since I was a small child. I agree with joyfulliving on all counts. There's a few things I would add.

Sugar consumption will almost invariably cause a flare-up. Also, foods with the chemical solanan, ei tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant, tend to cause inflamation in sensitive people.

Letting toxins build up in your system will also have a bad effect, which is why gentle exercise, massage, and drinking lots of water are so important. Cleansing herbs such as burdock and dandelion are also helpful.

One last thing that might help is the new supplement Moducare, made from plant sterols and sterolins. I haven't tried it yet, but supposedly with continuous use it balances the immune system and can help immensely with arthritis.

[joyfulliving]

Great additions mama2jonah. I'd completely forgotten about the burdock and dandelion which are really great liver detoxifiers. Yes, I've also found that lots of water and gentle stretching am and pm for even a few minutes helps tremendously with the overall pain.

peace,
Joyfulliving

[callmemama]

Greaseball, I'm waaay older than you and thought maybe it was normal for me (nursing a toddler) to have to hobble when I got up in the a.m. - or at night. We have those door knob covers on the bathroom door, and I would have to use both hands and still had trouble working it, my joints were so stiff. A friend told me this happened to her and her naturopath recommended a magnesium supplement. I was desparate, so I started taking a magnesium supplement and one for calcium, and within a week, I was soooo much better. Now I'm just tired

[Greaseball]

All right, calcium (I take that), magnesium, EFA's...going shopping!

A few days ago I lifted weights and now my back is hurting more. It's bearable, though. I don't get it - I only did some 10-lb bicep curls! I'm used to working out with 50 lbs. I hope I don't have to stop lifting, but maybe I should get one of those belts.

[joyfulliving]

I am going to qualify my next question by saying that I am absolutely not an expert in the health field and I am only speculating. But, since this has happened to so many of us. ... could this be related to that softening of our joints which happened in late pregnancy? (some of my pains are related to rheumatoid arthritis but other pains are definately not related!)

Just wondering.

peace and health,
Joyfulliving

[wannabemommy]

Did any of you mom's have any stiffness before kids?? I have arthritis in my back (I'm 25 ) and am TTC#1. I am getting nervous about whether my stiffness will get better or worse during pregnancy.

I do know that I have started taking water aerobics at the Y. I has done wonders for my back and hip pain - and I can keep doing it through pregnancy! I've also found that getting in the whirlpool after class really helps my stiffness, too.

Hope you all are feeling better soon!!!

Jessica