Muscle Stiffness: How It Occurs and How to Treat It

Muscle stiffness is a condition when your muscles feel tight, stiff, or constrained.

The affected person usually finds it difficult to move about or engage the suffering muscle group. It is also common to experience cramps, muscular pain, and general discomfort with muscle stiffness. 

The condition is widespread and typically not alarming.

It tends to go away on its own, although medical attention and a more proactive approach might be required in some cases.

Before delving into the different cures, it is vital to understand the causes of muscle stiffness.

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Causes of Muscle Stiffness

One of the most common causes of muscle stiffness is a high-intensity exercise.

Similarly, hard physical work or heavy weightlifting can also exert tremendous pressure on different clusters of muscle groups and cause stiffness. 

In the case of high-intensity exercise and weightlifting, people accidentally sprain or strain their muscles. These are also known causes of muscle stiffness. You can usually feel the symptoms after periods of inactivity or getting out of bed. 

Additionally, some rare causes of muscle stiffness also include the following factors:

• Insect bites
• Rapid temperature fluctuations
• Anesthetics 
• Infections and medical conditions
• Tetanus (a bacterial infection that is fatal without treatment)
• Meningitis (bacterial meningitis is deadly and requires immediate medical attention)

The causes of muscle stiffness dictate what treatment options you might choose. If you notice other underlying symptoms and muscle stiffness, visiting a doctor is a wise decision. 

Common Treatments

If you have muscle stiffness because of typical strains or sprains, plenty of treatment options can deliver good results.

Home Treatment

A home treatment plan works wonders for muscle stiffness. Rest and heat packs work wonders to relieve the pain and soreness associated with muscle stiffness.

Sleeping and resting are vital processes that boost the body’s healing mechanism. Heating packs, like the Wheatie Heatie, enable proper blood flow and circulation, so the affected muscles get more access to essential nutrients and water.

Cold packs are essential for bringing down swelling and inflammation in case of accompanying strains or sprains.

Massage Therapy for Muscle Stiffness

Massage therapy is one of the best treatments for muscle stiffness.

Make sure you visit a reliable massage center to avoid any health complications. Standard massages used to relieve muscle stiffness include sports and deep tissue massages. 

Massage therapy helps target sore and stiff muscles to relieve inelasticity and tightness.

A good technique is essential to reach deep muscle layers. Moreover, the pressure applied in massage therapies helps promote healthy blood circulation in and around the muscles.

This ensures that different muscle groups have access to nutrients, such as sugars and amino acids, while increased blood flow promotes healthy temperature. 

Conclusion

Consider contacting Kay at Gentle Therapies to book a massage and purchase a heat pack. Wheatie Heatie heat packs are handmade in small batches by Kay and are available exclusively through Gentle Therapies.