I don't know about you guys, but, the left side of my head,neck and  left shoulder is completely messed up after a cluster. From my occipital nerve in the back of my head, down into my shoulder, it hurts from all of the tension.

I use some stuff called super blue stuff. (Well, they added menthol so it could be sold OTC now.) It helps with the pain from the muscles being all tense.

I can't use most normal things.

Well, my reason for posting this, was they had a sample on their site. A form you can fill out for it. I figured any of you who may have soreness from the battle might find it useful.

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If this type of post isn't allowed, I apologize. But since this gives me relief, I wanted to share it. I usually try to slather it on before a hit goes full-blown in hopes it might help the area.

I do rub some on my face, after a hit it feels pretty stiff, etc.

Also some back history on this, I've used this since I was 14-15, a friend my Grandpa worked with knew how much pain I was suffering due to my arthritis and osteoporosis... So he sent me some of it. My Mom came in the room and started asking me what lotion I was using. (due to the scent.) Ever since I've used it whenever I have muscle aches, cramps, etc. I have major allergies, so the fact this muscle rub didn't break me out was a miracle...

Anyways, have a g'day!

Mystina

I use similar products (camphor, menthol, etc.) for tense muscles too, in various forms.

Unlike you or Joe, my CH is worse when the CH side neck & shoulders are all screwed up.  So the stuff I use doesn't relieve the CH pain per se but sort of prevents attacks or reduces the pain when CH does hit me.  When my neck & shoulders are extra tight, I get a nagging shadow all day that could explode by a slightest trigger.  I even had my hair butchered about a foot this summer, thinking it might help the neck by reducing the weight  .

Anything to relax the muscles is a good thing......

MrsT: I know what you mean with that. That's part of why I try to get rid of it immidiately after an attack. My family knows, you do not touch the back of my head, or my neck, because I WILL scream. My boyfriend/eventual husband, made the mistake once... and spent an hour apologizing while I sobbed. With me, I know it's that occipital nerve. Not all of my clusters irritate that nerve...but one will damn well be triggered if it's touched. I hate brushing my hair, or blow drying it... because I know touching it might cause a shadow. It usually does... (This is also why my doctors think an occipital nerve block will work on me. Since that nerve is acting up and causing me SO many problems now, and it hurts if you touch back there, they said it SHOULD work.)  I don't know if you could handle Capsacin-P, but, it's a topical form of the hot stuff in peppers... Basically, the idea behind it, is you keep applying it. It triggers your pain sensors, depletes substance P (something that helps transmit pain) and eventually, your body doesn't react badly to it. I used to be able to handle it... I can't anymore, but, if you can stand the pain of it (it burns, last time I tried it.) you might find it useful. Then again, it might end up triggering you, since you have such pain in your neck and shoulders. Use your own judgement on it, but I wanted to make sure you were aware of it. If you want, I can see if there are any herbs that might relax the neck area. We have a lot of books on that sort of thing. I can't guarantee any of it would help you, but I'm willing to hunt and see. If you have some catnip, you could always try making catnip tea, it's a muscle relaxant (it may make you sleepy, but it has a VERY pleasant taste.) Pregnant women aren't supposed to take it, though.

I've had doctors tell me that I'd not have headaches if I cut my hair. I walked out of their offices. If it's the weight that you think is bothering you, you may want to try thinning it.

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or That was taken back in 2002, my hair is about that length currently, too.

Chuck:
I'm glad Aleve works for you! Hopefully it'll work for others, too.

Things like Aleve don't really help this for me unfortunately...  I'm on Relafen, 750mg twice a day. I'm also not supposed to take more than that, I've got some kind of coagulation disorder.

Muscle relaxers don't work for this on me, I already know. I'm on Baclofen. I was put on it as a preventative, because I took it from 14-20. Since I had no adverse reaction at that time, and now, they've kept me on it. It keeps my hip from dislocating often, and keeps the muscles from freezing so that I can't get it back in place... but it doesn't help my shoulder. So I'm left with either hot showers...which might trigger another cluster... Or with muscle rubs.

I think the beast just likes laughing at me.

Guiseppi: I wish it was my own personal product. It'd be a helluvalot cheaper just to have it on hand rather than having to buy it. My Grandpa dislocated HIS hip (he fell while trying to work on our house some more...still cleaning up from Ike.) and I kept offering to massage it with the blue stuff. He finally said okay today because "It's obvious you're not going to leave me the hell alone, OR be happy until I let you do it!"   I don't know if it was the chiropractor, or the blue stuff that helped him, I don't really care... I'm just happy he's doing better. I'll know tomorrow if he asks me to get my bottle of it for him. XD

I've rambled on enough..

Mystina

I found that Watkins Linament spray is the only thing to work for any muscle or ligament pain I have.  I discovered it when nothing short of narcotics would work for my severe round ligament pain from my last pregnancy.

It's in a small gold spray bottle from Walmart next to the other muscle pain stuff.  I think it was around $6?

nancyk wrote on Dec 23^rd, 2008 at 6:46pm:


My Grandpa just got some!

I tried it on my wrist, it didn't seem to help or hurt it any. I may just try it after my next hit. if it works, good, if not, I'll apply the blue stuff.

I tried the biofreeze. I think it did almost as good as the blue stuff. It still feels cool on my shoulders and neck... I'll definately be trying it again for this, to see how it does me. I just wish something would make my occipital nerve calm down...

wildhaus wrote on Dec 24^th, 2008 at 1:38am:


You always have the right to an opinion. Any information might help someone else, Michael. I'm really happy for you that the stimulator seems to be working!

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2% Menthol. That's what seems to be in most, if not all of the muscle rubs that seem to have helped people here.

You know, the thing that worries me is using that stuff on my skin with the state my skin is in...this cycle has turned me into an oily mass of acne    and I can't even use moisturizer without it making it worse. 

So I may just try it when I get the soooper-bad hits...and before anyone says anything    I am a licensed cosmetologist and I trained at the Aveda Institute, so believe me there is no moisturizer out there that I can use!!!  (except maybe my own personal recipe that I came up with years ago...which maybe I could modify to include menthol...hmmm...that bears looking into...)