Lavender & Chamomile for spasms

    • Anonymous
      January 15, 2008 at 4:33 am

      Hey ya’ll,
      Just thought I’d share another mini-treatment. For those of you that don’t know me I avoid taking medications because I am unusually sensitive and typically exhibit all the worst side effects. So – I get lots of muscle cramps, twitching and spasms and I get sick of it like I’m sure the rest of you do. For awhile I’ve been experimenting with essential oils 1) because I used to make soap so I had them and 2) because lavender and chamomile are supposed to be calming. Here is the end result of about 2 months of experimenting:

      1 cup light vegetable oil (I’ve used safflower and olive)
      1-2 tsp. lavender essential oil
      1 tsp. chamomile essential oil
      (I don’t really like the smell of chamomile so I use a little less of it)

      Use this combo as a massage oil, I can’t really give myself massages because my arms and hands aren’t strong enough so I just rub it in. This results in about a 50% reduction in twitching and spasming for 2-4 hours, sometimes longer. If I’m really annoyed with my muscles I’ll take an epsom salt bath and then use the oil – but I have to make sure I’m lying down by then because I’m likely to turn into an overcooked noodle!

      If you try this make sure you use essential oils, not synthetic oils that can irritate your skin. I’ve seen them at some bigger Walmarts and at Michaels craft store they are located in the soap making aisle.

      Oh, and I smell a little nicer too. 😉

      Julie

    • Anonymous
      January 15, 2008 at 7:17 am

      Thanks, Julie. I may have to try that recipe for my “busy” leg muscles!!!

    • Anonymous
      February 19, 2008 at 9:14 am

      I just started with the muscle twitching on my upper left arm just above my elbow. It’s driving me nuts. I do also have the cramps in my legs and ankles. I goggled muscle twitching and many things came up about ALS, It seems that ALS and CIDP have alot of the same things and I was wondering if you understood the difference?

    • Anonymous
      February 19, 2008 at 12:32 pm

      Hmm ~ smells wonderful 🙂

    • Anonymous
      February 19, 2008 at 2:21 pm

      [QUOTE=LamekaG]I just started with the muscle twitching on my upper left arm just above my elbow. It’s driving me nuts. I do also have the cramps in my legs and ankles. I goggled muscle twitching and many things came up about ALS, It seems that ALS and CIDP have alot of the same things and I was wondering if you understood the difference?[/QUOTE]

      There are lots of differences the most obvious being the presentation – CIDP tends to be bilateral, occuring on both sides of your body relatively evenly, whereas ALS is usually one sided (at first). In addition, and possibly the most important, there is usually NO treatment for ALS that works – it is usually progressive and fatal.

      Here is the Wikipedia article on ALS – I’m sure you will agree that while nobody wants a neurological disease – given a choice between the two I’d rather have CIDP.

      [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amyotrophic_lateral_sclerosis[/url]

    • Anonymous
      February 19, 2008 at 2:38 pm

      Thanks Jules

      That does sound good! I will definitely give it a try, but I do agree with you about chamomile.

    • Anonymous
      February 19, 2008 at 2:47 pm

      Thank you for your reply, you are very right about rather having CIDP than ALS. I do have symptoms on both sides ans I did ask my Dr about MS and ALS and she said my test are consistant with CIDP.

      Thank You

    • Anonymous
      February 19, 2008 at 4:46 pm

      [FONT=”Comic Sans MS”][SIZE=”2″]Aw..
      I love the smell of chamomile and make an infusion of the flowers in 2 cups of rain water to rinse my (faux) blonde hair.
      Have you tried Lemon Verbena as an alternative to chamomile? It has the same relaxing qualities and smells pretty yummy.
      I just started taking epsom salt baths again, had forgotten how soothing that is. Would you believe that while in an unfamiliar store, I asked 3 different (young) clerks where I might find the epsom salts and was met by blank stares, one actually asked if it was for the ice on the sidewalk:confused:
      Am I [B][I]that[/I][/B] old?:p
      Gonna go run a tub with your recipe Julie, Thanks
      OldBat[/SIZE][/FONT]