muscle cramps, and rarely is potassium or calcium need-
ed. Proper breathing can help prevent and treat
diaphragm problems associated with the common “side
stitch” type spasms.Pain Remedies
Prevention of pain is best accomplished by avoiding the stresses that
cause it. Over-working, overtraining or otherwise abusing the body
typically causes pain. Invariably, many people develop pain, especially
related to muscle activity. Here are some factors to consider:
- Home treatment of pain associated with physical activity
is best accomplished with cold stimulation — soaking the
body area(s) in cold water for 10-15 minutes can be
miraculous. Ice is not always needed as cold tap water
works great and sometimes ice can cause excessive irrita-
tion due to freezing the skin. Use the cold stimulation
two or three times the first day, once or twice the second.
In most cases, pain is significantly improved quickly. - The use of heat for pain is a common remedy. However,
it can do more harm than good. Inflammation can be
worsened with the application of heat. Unless you’re
quite sure an area is not inflamed, avoid using heat. Most
areas of pain, including the joints associated with muscle
imbalance, are accompanied by some degree of
inflammation. - Inflammatory pain occurs when fat imbalance produces
more pain chemicals — balancing dietary fats (discussed
elsewhere) helps prevent chronic inflammation. - Low-fat diets can worsen pain and increase the risk of
other muscular injury. - The use of NSAIDs should not be a casual thing. Try to
avoid any drugs unless absolutely necessary. However,
the stress associated with pain may be worse than the
drug; in this case the smallest dose for the shortest peri-
od of time necessary may be best.
286 • IN FITNESS AND IN HEALTH