I am not sure if this is part of PTSD or not, but I thought I would ask anyway. For as many years as I can remember when I am watching T.V, reading a book, or just hanging out lying down.....I won't be nervous, anxious, upset, or even thinking about anything, and then I notice.....My entire body is as stiff as a board. I am gripping the book so hard that I have white knuckle syndrome. LOL!!! Seriously....I am so stiff it unbelievable. I talk myself into relaxing, and within a few minutes......Stiff as a board again. All of the muscles in my body become rigid.

Anyone else have this happen to them???? It really is annoying at times.


Thanks,

Wendy

Wish I did!

I am tense 24/7. I've been told, harassed, argued with and had people try to force me to relax. I can't. I just do not relax. If I do, then I'm shocked! Plus everything hurts worse when your relaxed!

At any rate, it sounds like PTSD. Anxiety perhaps or hyper vigilance... maybe both?

bec

Sounds pretty normal. I will find I am clenching my teeth and my neck and shoulders are bunched all up. I do like you and take a moment to try to relax and I try to "breathe" it out. Each exhale, try to let my muscles just melt out with it.

Thanks guys for the replies....I do the breathing thing, and really do try to relax. I even do the relaxing every part of the body from the toes to the head, but by the time I get to the head....The toes are stiff again...:loopy:
I will just keep on trying.

Wendy

Just to say - I definitely have this problem also. Currently my therapist is planning on teaching me how to relax. I laughed at him and wished him good luck... but if I find anything miraculous I'll be sure to pass it on.

Lisa

Omg, that is verbatim what I've said to my doc, old therapist, and chiro! ROFL....

bec

Lisa if he does give you any miraculous cure for tensing up....PLEASE pass them on. I could use them

Bec, as far as Chiro's.......I had one that was absolutely amazing. I swear to god that this guy was a miracle worker. But..........I had to stop going because the next day I couldn't move. Not sure if it was the Fibromyalgia, or the tensing up, or what, but every where he did a manipulation, I couldn't move that body part the next day. Felt like a Mac truck had hit me, then backed up a few times just to make sure.....

Before I had the pain though out my body, this Chiro did wonders for me. I really miss the fact that I can no longer go. I have even tried massages.....hahahahahhahahahah the next day felt like they had beat me with a baseball bat a few thousand times.

Oh well.......... No pain, no gain.....I am really sick of pain..

Wendy

I'm in this club too. My psych said that teaching me relaxation methods would be pointless.

I have a question for you guys about this tension thing - any of you experience severe pain due to the tension? I don't mean cramps, I mean pain above and below your joints, or feeling like your bones are aching. I have had this a few times now - the pain was so bad I would have gladly let someone lop off my arm to get rid of it.

I've had bloodwork done, and nothing showed up. Doc says I've probably been overdoing it... That may well be true, but doesn't explain the pain.

Any ideas or experience?

Yep, I'm in pain all the time. The reason is very simple, we are not designed to be permanently tensed up! Something has got to give right? Well the pain is telling your body, enough now!

If I can relax (which is so rare) it's excruciating. The only thing to be done.. is learn to relax! LOL hows that for going round in circles eh?

Also with the chiro, it hurts the next day because your muscles are pulling the bones back out of place. It means that you need regular chiro treatments and deep tissue work. Quiting was probably the worst thing to do.

bec

Bec,

I went to my Chiro for years....... He helped me so many times. Once I was in pain for 8 months. 3 Dr's diagnosed me with a pulled Trapezius (sp) muscle. After 8 months of pain, I saw a NP. Sh DX'ed me with a pinched nerve in my neck(I had pain in my arm, and shoulder blade not neck). It turned out to be a pinched nerve and I had a rib out of place. Anyway she said I needed surgery and called a surgeon. I went to the Chiro. He fixed me in 4 visits. It wasn't until I was DX'ed with Fibromyalgia that the visits to the Chiro. became so painful that he even said that he was hurting me more than helping. So we agreed that I should stop. This was after 1 year of pain after every visit.

Exercise helps a lot with the pain issue. But I also have other health issues that contribute to the pain too. Arthritis through out my body. Bone spurs in 1 foot, and on L 5 in spine. 3 bulging disc L3 L4 L5

AWWWWWWW Hell I am old, (53) decrepit, and literally falling apart. At least that's what this old body tells me every morning when I try to get out of bed......

Wendy