The typical self-treatment approaches for tight muscles are to rub, massage, stretch, or foam roll.  These can certainly be relaxing and helpful, without the nasty effects of medications. But if the muscle is tight and irritated for any of the reasons noted above, it will keep coming back, sometimes with a vengeance! 

Too much stretching can also actually decrease or inhibit muscle function, leading to loss of strength, stability, and power in the joints they move and support!   

The usual medical approach is to medicate the pain or take muscle relaxers. These do little to nothing to address the underlying problem and often have nasty side effects. I often see patients who have been prescribed some sort of combo of pain killer, and a muscle relaxer, occasionally with an antidepressant thrown in because they are miserable from being sick and tired.

Here at Frederick Chiropractic Wellness Center in Frederick, we always start by listening to your story, to understand your history, concerns, and health goals.  We will do a through and detailed history and examination of your nerves , muscles, and joints to figure out how they are working (or not!) and why. Because you are unique (just like everyone else) we will teach you the best recommendations for stretching, strengthening, breathing, and mobility exercises specifically designed to reduce your pain and help you heal.