Thanks for the vote of confidence Ati, you're right, I've really kept up with this repetitive strain injury topic because I kept getting injuries for a multitude of reasons (sports, doing deep muscle massage, computers, etc.) and I had to figure out how to treat myself because I couldn't find anyone who could work deeply enough and be focused on just the muscles causing the problem. "Necessity is the mother of invention."
I've used capsaicin topical creams for years and it was great to read the "why" of the healing properties. I can attest that they definitely work topically and I didn't know they could be taken internally, so thanks for sharing that. There isn't any limit to the amount of times it can be used topically, and boy, are you right about not getting it into your eyes!!! OUCH!
As for the circulation problem, when the pectoralis minor muscle contracts it pulls down on the coracoid process of the shoulder blade (scapula). This puts direct pressure onto the axillary artery that goes to the arm and diminishes the blood flow to the arm and hand. It's really easy to self-treat the pectoralis minor muscle and quickly see if it's involved. If there isn't any pain (tight muscles are always painful to touch when you press deeply on them) then there is a good chance that it could be more serious. But before jumping the gun, it's also easy to self-treat the biceps and flexor (under side of the forearm) to make sure they aren't trapping the artery.
If all of those muscles are fine, then I'd head for the doctor because once you eliminate the muscles, you can be dealing with something more serious and it's good to get it checked out by a qualified medical professional. Fortunately the vast majority of times it's only the muscles, so that's a plus.
Wishing you well,
Julie  |