Spasticity and Tone

[TMAZ]

I am six months out from my SCI. Does Spasticity and tone decrease over time or does it get worse. My lower back spasms like crazy when touched by a belt or any pants for a prolonged period of time. Also, Is there any medication that can stop the muscle tightness?

[alan]

Things may improve, or get worse. There are muscle relaxers like Baclofen, Zanaflex, and Valium. Marijuana works for some. If you're in a state that allows medical marijuana, ask your doctor if other relaxers don't help. For really bad spasms, there is an implantable Baclofen pump.

Here's a thread on this:

http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?t=87896

[darrel]

TMAZ, check your PM.. you might find the info helpfull...

[Lee555]

I have found the Zanflex to work very well for me and the muscle spasms. Keep in mind you need to space them out properly to 1. Keep from falling asleep at the wrong time, and 2. Keep a fairly level blood level in you to keep the spasms at bay. And watch what sort of clothes that you wear. Like the belt, despense with it because that is probably what is causing the spasms because it is too tight. I made the mistake of wearing a T-shirt with some embroidery on the from just at sternum level. OH MY GODDDD!!!!!!! Even though I had taken 4 mg of Zanaflex 4 hours previously when I woke up, by 9 am I was getting numb arms, spasms in the shoulders which were working their way around my rib cage. I didn't realize this until lunchtime when I remembered the one other time I put this shirt on and had to change it within the hour. I thought then it was my imagination, but now I know for sure. So today I've taken 10 mg of Zanaflex which is about 2x as much as I can get by with. Even pants that are too snug start the left leg getting twitchy and shocky. And the inserts to my shoes pressing up into the bottom of my foot get my foot feeling huge and fat. And a sportsbra that's too tight get the chest muscles going into spasm within 10 minutes.

And yeah, the spasticity and muscle tone has improved for me some. I think it depends a lot on the level of your injury and how severe it is.

[rybread]

My personal experience, it got progressively worse over the first two years of my injury. I ended up having to get a baclofen pump put in because I was way beyond what was safe for oral medications, but that was just me. I've known a lot of people who take advantage of the spasms to help them get dressed or whatever.

[TMAZ]

Thanks, I am finding that stress and anything slightly stimulated will make those spasms worse. I am going to join a nudist colony.Warm sun and no clothes!

[darrel]

Thanks, I am finding that stress and anything slightly stimulated will make those spasms worse. I am going to join a nudist colony.Warm sun and no clothes!

ha,ha..you'll freeze that thing off in a couple of days if you are still in St.Louis they are calling for snow tomorrow night here in Macomb..

[Lee555]

Thanks, I am finding that stress and anything slightly stimulated will make those spasms worse. I am going to join a nudist colony.Warm sun and no clothes!

Well that's a hell of a good idea there. Gosh knows we'd be a lot more comfortable. LOL!

I wouldn't have to wear a hat or earmuffs then, because knit hats get spams started at well.

[TMAZ]

I am still in St. Louis and yep you never know here in Midwest what you are going to get. Thanks all for the replies.

[GKTrader]

I recommend avoiding all drugs for spasticity and spasms. Mine have increased steadily since my injury 10 months ago and it is a daily battle with them. I mean they are really really bad. The best solution is standing, stretching and exercise. You will avoid the lethargy associated with the meds and feel better. You also will get the benefit of "free" lower extremity exercise when compared to a 15K FES bike.

[sjean423]

I found that it wasn;t enough for me tho' GK. Standing, ROM, FES bike and 80mg of baclofen as well as Dantrium. Still not enough. That why I ended up with the baclofen pump.

Tmaz, I found they kept getting worse (sorry ....) and cold weather really sets them off. (In fact, even with the pump, I am going in next week to get it adjusted to a higher level. I've spoent the last 3 weeks trying to figure out why mine are worse again, and have decided it is the cold weather.

[graybeard]

Dead-on target, St. Jean. The cold kicks mine up a notch. I do the ROM, FES bike, and stretching, as well as walking,and 80mg of baclofen.

[TMAZ]

Okay one last questions... I cant tell a spasm or if it is just contracture of the muscles. The muscles in my back are tight all the time. Is this a spasm or something else. The doctor does not help me with this at all, he just nodds his head. Pain in the ass! Soooo....is there a shot or something I can get in the muscle to make them relax again?

[darrel]

all my muscles were tightened up in my back and neck and clinching of my jaw last night, being tired and got a cold breaze on me set it off and I never got rid of it till I woke up this morning...it sucked but I just dealt with it..I my self would be leery of any type of shot especially if you are thinking Botox the results are way to iffy..

[denny4104]

I'm pretty stiff from feet to neck...mostly back, legs, and arms. I still don't understand it...there's no muscle contraction..yet it feels (ex the legs) like i'm being crused...while feeling very heavy and full. Injury was 8/16/04 and I continue getting worse. I would love nothing more than to say my case is an anomoly, but there just doesn't seem to make sense or reason why everyone experiences their injury just a little differently. Best of luck.

[firesmurf]

there is actually only one thing at this point that has actually caused a real change in my spasticity,and it was really bad there for awhile,myofascial release and craniosacral therepy.my injury was in sept of 03,and ever since my spasticity has continued to get worse and worse.plus my body was always in fight or flight mode from SNS damage.my therepist said he has never had a pateint who has had such high 'tone' in their body.that kind of suprised me as i didn;t think it was 'that' bad.i had contemplated botox and a whole bunch of other things til my PMs NP recommended i try the cranio and myo release.this therepy consists of very light touch by my therpist in all the right places,and my body actually does the work.this helps somehow to 'unwind' the CNS crap that gets kind of stored in it from injury and inflammation of the overlying fascia?my body has done some just insane things during this therepy.he releases my lower and upper diaphram along with actually ridding my upper back of these hidious muscle wads(the trigger point crap?)that i was dealing with way before my actual injury that were being generated almost constantly by my screwed up c spine mess.it was the best move i ever made,really.i would very highly recommend this particular therepy to anyone who is suffering from any level of muscle crap and spasticity.i actually went two whole days with almost no spasticity.i forgot how to actually walk without that 'bracing' effect that the constant spasticity has on my legs.it was crazy there for a while til i got used to my 'new' gait again.it slowly comes back again just becasue of all the crap i have wrong,but this did work very very well for me.this has helped to keep that high tone down.it has worked a hell of a lot better than my valium.its just something to consider that worked pretty darn well for me.Marcia

[TMAZ]

I just hate it like everyone I guess. SCI is new to me. When I felt bad before I just took something and it went away. Just still trying to deal with something that there is not much relief you can get from medications. Hard to think that is this way but I guess that is life.

[alan]

What dosages of Zanaflex are used, and how often per day?

[Lee555]

Hi Alan. Not sure if you're asking about how much someone who's answered you takes in Zanaflex, but, max dosage for it is 36 mg per day. See the link below for drug info on it. It can make you sleepy so perhaps taking a heavier dose before bed is a good plan. Not sure if it would help, but I have found that taking Naproxen (OTC) 2x a day seems to help me with stiffness. Might be worth a try for ten days to add it to the daily med intake.

http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/tizanidine_ids.htm

[Imight]

zanaflex works very well, but be careful it will make you very very sleepy. im trying to tapper off baclofen now that i have 4AP. however, my body is tripping out. my mornings are terrible. my spasms have gotten worse, hopefully as i drift off baclofen it will allow 4ap to kick in harder.

This transition is really killing me. =(

[alan]

Zanaflex works for me, but only for a few hours, so I take it an hour before range. I also take it before attempting to sleep, so my legs and belly don't shake when I fidget under the covers (I always fidget, because of pains. If I don't fall asleep soon after the lights are out, I don't fall asleep at all. For some reason, one of the meds make me drowsy, not even sleep meds.)

[graybeard]

zanaflex works very well, but be careful it will make you very very sleepy. im trying to tapper off baclofen now that i have 4AP. however, my body is tripping out. my mornings are terrible. my spasms have gotten worse, hopefully as i drift off baclofen it will allow 4ap to kick in harder.

This transition is really killing me. =(

Dude........we gotta talk!!!!! I am considering 4AP, and really really want to know how it is going for you, what doseage are you, and what has it done for you, in regards to spasms, and stuff. The baclofen is all I take right now, and the mornings are the beast!!!!!!!!!!

[nicsquad]

Thanks, I am finding that stress and anything slightly stimulated will make those spasms worse. I am going to join a nudist colony.Warm sun and no clothes!

Certainly one way to de-stress!