Muscle Rigidity: Causes and Home Remedies

Put simply, muscle rigidity is when the muscles feel tense and are hard to move. Experts say that it is one of the most common causes of muscle pain — since the muscles are unable to relax completely for an extended period of time, trying to move them can bring about pain, usually the kind that is sharp.

If currently you are experiencing muscle rigidity and wondering how to deal with it at home, read on. After checking out this article, share it to let everyone important to you know about muscle rigidity, too!

Sometimes referred to muscle stiffness, tension or rigor, muscle rigidity is more common than you think. Usually, it is brought about by stress, which is something that can disrupt the normal functioning of the nervous system. Stress can cause the brain to send signals to the muscles telling them to stay contracted.

Because the muscles stay tensed for a long time, they can eventually become painful — trying to move them can make that fact clear. The longer your muscles stay rigid, the more pain you end up experiencing.

In some cases, muscle rigidity is brought about by dehydration. More often than not, dehydration-related muscle rigidity is encountered by those who engage in intense exercises or physical activities as they tend to lose a lot of water and electrolytes. Muscle rigidity due to dehydration can worsen if the lost fluids are not replaced promptly.

There are also various medical causes of muscle rigidity, ranging from chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis to multiple sclerosis. If you suspect that your muscle rigidity is due to a serious matter, pay your doctor a visit. This is especially true if you also have rashes, dizziness, neck stiffness, high fever or shortness of breath.

Given a clean bill of health by your doctor? Rejoice because it only means that the muscle rigidity you are experiencing is nothing serious and can be remedied at home. See which of the following can provide relief:

Warm Compress

Twice or thrice a day for 10 to 15 minutes, you may apply warm compress on the affected muscles. Doing this solution can help in loosening muscle tightness as well as assisting in relieving muscle pain. Refrain from opting for a cold compress as it will only cause the rigid muscles to tense up further.

Gentle Stretches

Just because your muscles are rigid doesn’t mean that you should allow them to rest all the time. On the contrary, gently stretching them from time to time can help you attain much-needed relief. However, momentarily steer clear of any physical activity that requires you to use the affected muscles a lot.

Do Yoga or Tai Chi

Earlier, it was mentioned that one of the common causes of muscle rigidity is stress. It’s for this reason why you can benefit from doing yoga or tai chi — either of the two helps in reducing stress and at the same time gently stretching the tight muscles. You may also engage in any other activity that you find very good at relieving stress.

Consume Water

It was also stated earlier that dehydration is sometimes the culprit behind muscle rigidity. Make sure that you consume about 2 liters (about 8 glasses) of water a day. If you exercise a lot or the day is a hot one, drink more water so that the fluids you lose in the form of sweat is replaced.

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