(Part 2) Best joint & muscle pain relief rubs according to redditors

Currently going through this same issue. There's a few things I've found to give me some relief. I see in other comments that you're from Germany so I'll try to keep that in mind 👍

I use a gel ice pack that wraps around my neck. I also have a heat pack, but personally, the ice pack is much more relieving for my migraines.

Menthol cream like Biofreeze is a great way to give you at least a half hour of pain relief. Just rub some on your forehead, neck and maybe a little on your cheek bones, and you'll feel a cooling sensation that can really help you out in a pinch.

I'm fortunate enough to be in a state that has relaxed its medical marijuana laws, but I see that Germany is still keeping its MMJ close to the chest. Medical marijuana isn't for everyone, but it's worth looking into, especially since you're in a medication overuse predicament. There's a lot of different capacities medical marijuana comes in, at least in the States. I looked up some information about qualifying for medical marijuana in Germany if this is something that interests you.

Best of luck. This isn't an easy battle, but it'll get better.

EDIT: I also recommend the steroid taper for really troublesome migraines. I’ve gotten one mega-migraine per month recently and each time I’ve used a prednisone taper. My neurologist has his concerns about using this method too much, but so far it’s doing the trick.

Another thing I’ve thought of is ER visits. Sometimes you just can’t get any relief and your doctor isn’t readily available. I don’t know what the emergency healthcare situation is like in Germany, but in the States we have ERs in hospitals and standalone facilities. The standalone ER clinics are pretty badass, so if you have some equivalent to that I strongly recommend it. Most emergency rooms are armed with the “migraine cocktail.” It’s usually some combination of an anti-convulsant, anti-nausea, muscle relaxer, steroid, triptan or magnesium. You can tell them about your medication overuse headaches and they can adjust the recipe. Like I said, I’m dealing with MOH and going to the ER has helped me out, so I wouldn’t worry too much about their meds triggering another headache. It’s worth a shot, anyways.

https://www.amazon.com/Biofreeze-Arthritis-Reliever-Analgesic-Original/dp/B000QFOA5K

1 gallon with pump.

You’re welcome, friend.

The pore strips have never worked well for me.

Try PRID Drawing Salve.
(Put on for a few minutes 10-15) and then squeeze the black/ whiteheads out. You can use (clean) hands or a blackhead extractor

OR

Use Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay, follow instructions, and squeeze all the gunk out after. :)

Sort of joining in the chorus here, but yep, that sounds like a muscle spasm. Chronic, gnarly, treatment-resistant muscle spasms are super common with EDS- they're usually associated with a particularly unstable joint, what your muscles freak out overcompensating for, but can be caused by other things as well.

The "zingy" nerve pain is probably caused by impingement- either by the unstable joint subluxing onto it, or the spasmed muscles squeezing the crap out of it. Given your description of the timing, it's probably a subluxation. My random IANAD guess would be AC joint, just because your description sounds a lot like what happens when mine slips.

Treating these things is a bitch and a half. Here are some of the things I do, which help somewhat.

• When it first starts, some self-administered trigger-point masage can sometimes stop it. Here are some tools I use: Neck knobby thing, spine knobby thing, foam roller. You can also use tennis balls or lacross balls, but I uh.. broke them \^\^;;;
  
• Aspercreme / Blue Emu - I find the classic Trolamine Salicylate works best for me, but if you have an aspirin allergy, or if Lidocaine works better for you, they make a version with that as the active instead. There's also a spray form for when an area is too tender to touch. They can be a little pricey, but Amazon has a Subscribe & Save discount on them, which helps.
  
• Combine the above with Tiger Balm or Icy Hot, if you can tolerate them, and I find it makes them more effective than either separately. I think they maybe help the ingredients in the above penetrate better?
  
• If you can get it, adding a final layer of CBD lotion or oil is extra effective. I use Ethos Muscle Melt.
  
• Slap a quality heating pad with a washable cover on the above and bake that shit in- (NOTE: I AM DEFINITELY NOT A DOCTOR, AND THE ASPERCREME LABEL SPECIFICALLY SAYS NOT TO DO THIS but damned if it isn't effective and at this point I'll do anything that works?)
  
• If that fails, grab some alcohol swabs to wipe all that shit I just recommended off from a few spots and then use a TENS unit.
  
• Medicate: this part is obviously dependent on your own rxs and state legislature, etc, but muscle relaxants and CBD are helpful things to have. For an OTC option, I've found that some antihistamines can be useful, but then again I've got MCAS as a complication so YMMV.
  
• Physical therapy- PTs often recommend certain stretches to help prevent spasms, but in my experience, every single time they have at best done nothing and at worst they've triggered/exacerbated them. I have had some good results with exercises designed to strengthen the unstable joint that caused the whole mess, though-
  very light, irritatingly soft and repetitive exercises that drive me crazy but actually are maybe kind of effective? BUT I AM NOT A DOCTOR.
  
  Hopefully this will be of some use. I swear some of the worst pain I've experienced in EDS has been from muscle spasms, geez.

Make sure your electrolytes are good and stretch a lot. That's always what helped me get over the paaaainnnnnnnn. ;) I also love the terribly named China Gel for muscle soreness. Good for you for getting your fitness routine so on-point!!! I'm inspired to get back into it. So far my exercise routing is zero, but my injury is doing way better, so it's time to get my body in gear!

My right eye is much worse than my left. I spent years with badly fitted RGP lenses. I finally found a someone that knows what they are doing. It took months to learn to relax the muscles around my right eye to see.

I've eye patched before. Try using migrastick or gentle topical muscle relaxers on the stressed muscles, basically deep heat but for sensitive areas.

http://www.amazon.com/Counterpain-Analgesic-Hot-Cream-120g/dp/B007CELB9G

http://www.amazon.com/Salonpas-Pain-Relieving-Patch-Package/dp/B00FOB5BOK/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1409417829&sr=1-1&keywords=salonpas

http://www.amazon.com/Tiger-Balm-Sports-1-7-Ounce-Pack/dp/B001GCU09C/ref=sr_1_3?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1409417814&sr=1-3&keywords=tiger+balm

All used all over Asia, all hot as hell. Particularly Tiger Balm. As a beginner I recommend you try Salonpas.

It's really hard to find good care on medicaid sadly, if your currently at an office and think your not getting good care from one doctor ask to be seen by another. Make a fuss, your in terrible pain and this should be taken seriously.

Have you tried capsaicin cream?

https://www.amazon.com/Zostrix-Arthritis-Pain-Relief-Cream/dp/B00E4MIDZE

Capsaicin is interesting as it is effective for both arthritis pain and neurological pain. I've had mixed responses with store brands but Zostrix HP with .075% has been spot on 100% of the time.


I haven't tried their new packaging

https://www.amazon.com/Zostrix-Strength-Arthritis-Analgesic-Capsaicin/dp/B000F5IEK8/ref=pd_bxgy_121_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B000F5IEK8&pd_rd_r=Q5MMB3VWC51XD9WYY3H6&pd_rd_w=gOSVN&pd_rd_wg=jmBTG&refRID=Q5MMB3VWC51XD9WYY3H6&th=1

and its rather stronger then the stuff I have used.

Wallgreens/DuaneReed carry the correct stuff as well.

For me
Prescriptions:
•Toradol (Ketorolac) - a strong anti inflammatory drug, given in injection or pill form.

•Medro (MethylPREDNISolone dose pack) - a steroid to help reduce inflammation.

•Indocin (Indomethacin) - anti inflammatory drug.

• Neurotin (Gabapentin) - a nerve pain drug

•Valium (diazepam) vaginal suppositories -works as a muscle relaxer directly into the pelvic floor to ease spasm. Can also be made with Baclofen and other drug compounded.

Over-the-Counter:
•Doan’s (magnesium salicylate tetrahydrate) - a pain reliever that isn’t acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

•Hot Hand’s adhesive body warmer -cheaper and heat lasts longer than Thermacare Heatwraps

•Bengay cream - active ingredients are: Methol, Camphor and Methyl Salycilate.

In addition, Pelvic floor physical therapy, very gentle yoga, hot tubs and water walking. I also have a Rollator I use to help on bad days (I also have hip chronic hip pain). I hope this list is helpful. Hugs

After years of dealing with chronic pain I was introduced to something called CryoDerm and it's changed my life. I use this whenever I have a flare up (like right now) and it definitely helps take the edge off and provides relief long enough to fall asleep. They have a cold and a heat therapy and although I have not tried the heat, if it's anything like the cold I would say it's definitely worth a shot. I recommend the roll-on because I find it's less messy and way easier to apply to yourself. You can get it off of amazon for around 10 bucks.

Cold: https://www.amazon.com/CryoDerm-Analgesic-Cryotherapy-3-0-Roll/dp/B000FRIWUS/ref=sr_1_18?crid=2FU0DRHGACJBL&keywords=cryoderm+roll+on&qid=1550288077&s=gateway&sprefix=cryoderm+r%2Caps%2C176&sr=8-18

Hot: https://www.amazon.com/Cryoderm-Heat-Roll-On-3-oz/dp/B00GYRC9ZM/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=2FU0DRHGACJBL&keywords=cryoderm+roll+on&qid=1550289726&s=gateway&sprefix=cryoderm+r%2Caps%2C176&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1

Got the bio freeze on amazon