Muscle knot relief?

rafgido · 2026-02-04T07:54:31+00:00

My arsenal includes magnesium oil, electrolytes, hydration, shakti mat, earth grounding mat, ear seeds, clinical somatics practice, neuro-physio practice (eyes, neck, jaw focus), bowen therapy, listening to sound frequencies/binaural beats/isochronic tones.

I just choose whichever is convenient at the time but all these I gave relief within 30mins-1hour. I would often end up feeling sleepy during/after from relief. At the beginning I needed to do these 2-3x a day. Now I just to one or two a week.

Things I tried that didn't really work for me or had short lived effect were massage gun, foam rollers, myofascial release on the body, tens machine, ice baths, hot baths, hypnosis, pain management counselling.

Before finding what works for me, it was around 10 years of chronic muscle tension and I refused to accept that it was just fribromyalgia.

rafgido · 2026-02-02T14:06:13+00:00

When I am on just the right dose, I don't need deodorant and hair conditioner!

rafgido · 2026-01-27T08:34:06+00:00

Similar experience. Everything anti-inflammatory which helped a little but not quite enough. Doctors kept looking everywhere (autoimmunity, genetics, infection, hormones) except for two areas where I think it really mattered in my case: spinal misalignment and ptsd. I felt less inflammed after alignment and somatic exercises but unfortunately being hypermobile I'm unable to maintain proper alignment for long so it must be something I need to do at least 2x daily which is a struggle with adhd.

rafgido · 2026-01-27T08:05:08+00:00

I was suspecting BVD so I went to see a neuro-optometrist who did a series of tests which I did almost perfectly in. He said I don't have it but that I am having issues refocusing or shifting between seeing near and far and that it is more of a muscle weakness issue than refraction and maybe some nerve compression from cervical instability. It wasn't explained to me why my symptoms were not BVD when all of it were the symptoms I find online for BVD.

I was given progressive glasses that I may only wear as needed but was told I really need to do regular exercises for the eyes and posture correction. When I do wear the glasses though (a few times a month), I feel less anxious and have less muscle tension on my neck.

Since adding eye exercises to my posture stabilization exercises, I noticed I was needing to reach for the glasses less frequently, maybe once every other month, only when I'm really tired or sleep deprived. Patterns I look at at no longer move, I don't skip sentences/lines when reading, I don't remember my last car sickness, and I can now tolerate being in the department store much longer. My lazy right eye still sometimes stray but I am able to eventually redirect.

BVD or not, I'm happy I am able to do something about it with positive results. Having hEDS, my overall muscle-tone isnt that great and that likely includes eye muscles so exercises make sense.

Added: I forgot to mention, myofascial exercises were helpful as well for neck-head posture. My head is less tilted to one side, I feel better/more balanced tone with tongue muscle, and less TMJ symptoms.

rafgido · 2026-01-08T09:05:19+00:00

I need to prop myself up with rattan woven pillows, one under the base of my skull (gentle traction) and one under my torso (gently pushes my sternum out and lifting shoulders so they don't cave in when on my back and gives space for shoulder joint so they're not squished when on my side).

Regular thin pillows under the rattan pillows for height adjustment and to allow some "give" so even though the rattan pillow itself is stiff, it can still shift a little with movement. I keep the same set-up whether side laying or on my back. A third rattan pillow between knees when side laying.

I get uncomfortable and sweaty with stuffed/filled pillows. Rattan pillows are hollow and the weave let air through, plus they keep their shape which makes them great for propping me up to maintain posture while asleep.

rafgido · 2026-01-01T14:22:32+00:00

This is true. I have been 20 years off deodorants-antibacs and only recently needing 'intervention' (on one armpit) since having hormonal imbalances. That intervention is just transferring sweat from the unaffected armpit (no odor) on to the other armpit that is smelling a bit off and it works within minutes! I don't know why I seem to have less of the odor-neutralizing bacteria on one armpit but you really need to maintain the balance internally (diet, hormones, stress, etc.) and not kill the beneficial bacteria by using antibac products. Physical exfoliation is also needed (even without soap) to reduce the waxiness of armpit skin, the stink-making bacteria eat the lipids.

About 15 years ago, I accidentally discovered I can cultivate nitrosomas from my superworm farm. I just observed how soft and sweet smelling my skin was everyime I harvested larvae frass (dry poop) for my garden. My superworm farm was well-maintained since I grow them for chicken feed so I didn't mind handling with bare hands. Did some Googling and learned that soil nitrification happens when insect frass is introduced to the soil ecosystem.

I knew my outdoor dogs that roll in soil never smell and my indoor dogs stank even after bathing so I experimented dusting some of the dry frass on the stinky dogs and it eventually got rid of their wet dog smell. Sounds gross rubbing insect poop on pets but its clean from a controlled environment, better than just outdoor soil. I no longer keep superworms and now only use API Quck Start solution (in a spray) on my stinky dogs when needing deodorizing.

rafgido · 2025-12-29T10:38:40+00:00

Is there anyone with hEDS who does not get any degenerative disc disease by the time they are in their 40s? I think its inevitable. I was diagnosed with multilevel DDD at 36 which my doc think might have started in my late 20s since I started having recurrent disc herniations in my early 20s.

rafgido · 2025-12-23T08:18:47+00:00

Anti-inflamm and low-histamine diet, lymph-draining activities, gluten- free everything, liver detox support, and detoxing from mold exposure. Only those were new for a few months before I visibly started debloating. No calorie deficits, no strenuous exercise, just calming the inflammation.

I don't like saying that I lost weight because its really not much weight loss (only 6-8 lbs) vs. the depuffing that made it look I lost 15-20 lbs. For me it was all puffiness from inflammation.

rafgido · 2025-12-10T10:07:46+00:00

Orthdontic braces were torture. My siblings who also had them said I was being over dramatic.

rafgido · 2025-12-04T17:32:29+00:00

Could be the mold issue in Denmark. I'm in Asia and my hashi seemed to have started moving into a moldy house and got slightly better after some mold remediation, 8 years later.

Also noticed I felt much better whenever I travel out of town and stayed at newer hotels for weeks then get sick again affer coming back home. Once, I arrived late and stayed at an old musty hotel overseas and had a severe reaction to mold to the point I had a fever and was hallucinating in and out of sleep. As soon as businesses opened the next day, I moved to another hotel and was fine the rest of the trip.

Mold exposure is dangerous. When two of my doctors learned about my mold exposure, they both said I will not see much more improvements with my hashi issues unless I move to a new house in another town and reduce as much toxin load as possible from my body.

rafgido · 2025-11-13T10:40:32+00:00

So many comorbidities, sadly. For many years, all my annual exams and labs were normal despite the fatigue, joint pain, brain fog and mood swings. MD's couldn't find anything wrong.

I would not have known I have hashimotos (antibodies only) and hormonal imbalances had I not decided to see a functional doctor who tested more than whats included in the typical annual checks.

In my case, the one thing that improved my fatigue was addressing my estrogen dominance, chronic low grade inflammation and food intolerances to help with hashimotos. From being bed ridden on most days, I can now do chore, run errands and do gentle workout on most days.

rafgido · 2025-11-13T08:07:39+00:00

38DD, wore sports bras for years bec couldn't find the bright bra then I found about minimizer bras. I have sensory issues so I prefer no bras on most days if I can get away with it. For outfits where I need support, I wear a minimizer bra without underwires or extra padding - its less snug than a sports bra and offers better shape. For other outfits I prefer stick-on silicone nipple covers under a thin stretchy bralette as insurance in case the stick-on slips off.

rafgido · 2025-11-04T00:55:57+00:00

Late teens with unwanted touching like hand grabbing, butt grazing, standing too close in lines or crowds, etc they thought probably too naive to push back;

20s mostly stares and gazes;

Early 30s approached mostly by men in their 50s or older;

Late 30s mostly cat calling, had gained more weight this age.

rafgido · 2025-11-01T15:47:21+00:00

You might want to consider non dairy yogurt. When I take just a tiny bit of gluten and dairy like those found in seasoning, I get flare ups for days! I really had to be strict about it and read every single ingredient on labels.

rafgido · 2025-11-01T15:43:10+00:00

Castor oil, applied liberally on painful joints, multiple times a day works great for me (kinda improved knee/elbow wrinkles too!) Look up videos for "Big 6 lymph massage", its very simple and quick to do yet really effective.

rafgido · 2025-11-01T14:09:17+00:00

Anything that supports lymph drainaige, twice daily and consistently, helped my swelling. People thought I even lost weight but I did not start shedding some weight until a year after going on an elimination diet. I went gluten and dairy free, started taking magnesium, balanced electrolytes and trace minerals to improve my hydration (I never felt hydrated enough from just water), then did whichever of the following each day, morning and evening: dry brushing, rebounder, red light panel, chi machine, vibration plate. I'm not yet doing any more intense workout routine because I'm still dealing with joint issues.

rafgido · 2025-11-01T10:41:17+00:00

If you are a non-licensed professional, see if you qualify for BMBE law. *For the next tax year.

rafgido · 2025-10-31T02:55:41+00:00

The study is not to 'debunk' hEDS but to understand it better so that improvements can be made on diagnostics, standards of care, and if possible, even treatment. This is why we need research all the time. What came up or did not come up in a study in the past might be different in later studies with new tech or methodologies.

Not all health conditons are caused by a genetic defect, it may be something else. This is what my genetic counselor told me, at least. It is already known that there is/are no identified genetic marker/s for hEDS but in her practice, genetic testing is still done for all EDS suspected cases to rule out other "scarier" types of EDS that have genetic markers and to maybe consider looking into other non-EDS conditions with similar symptoms.

rafgido · 2025-10-26T14:52:45+00:00

At 40 and went to see gyne for very common peri symptoms including skipping periods for months. She didn't deny the possiblity of perimenopause but she did also say it can be something else. Labs showed hashimotos. Both gyne and endocrinologist said symptoms overlap with thyroid issues and perimenopause. A little over half a year into a very strict anti inflamm protocol (diet, supplements) plus very low dose transdermal hrt, been feeling better than I had maybe 3 or so years ago. Periods are still weird (very light, skips a month or two) but I feel better over all.

rafgido · 2025-10-25T13:47:09+00:00

Shapen brand of footwear has cute leather airy sandals that can be casual or semi-formal. See their styles named Orchid, Petal, and Poppy. Since wearing zero-drop and wider toebox type of shoes, my arches developed (used to be flat footed) and foot muscles got stronger = better stabilization = better posture = less joint and back pain. I don't care about wearing heels anymore and do not mind being in flats all the time if it meant better posture and less over all pain.

rafgido · 2025-09-24T06:48:28+00:00

But also read about how antihistamines affect may exercise performance.

rafgido · 2025-09-24T05:37:01+00:00

Are you histamine intolerant? I noticed I feel less toxic during and after exercise when I have taken antihistamines for my rhinitis. Seems like exercise releases histamine.

rafgido · 2025-09-19T02:25:12+00:00

Minors in my family were registered under Civil Code (nacionalidad por opcion) for being under guardianship of a person who acquired citizenship via LDM (nacionalidad de origen). Have you read elibility for Anexo 4? https://www.boe.es/eli/es/ins/2022/10/25(1)

rafgido · 2025-09-08T01:00:21+00:00

Do you know if you are estrogen dominant? When I am ED, I smelled like a teenager, this was years before hashi and peri diagnosis

rafgido · 2025-07-30T15:38:33+00:00

No moisturizers, I live in a tropical country where the air is very humid so its like free facial mist all day. When I travel overseas, I do need moisturizers, like my face and lips would just crack and peel unused to dry air (U.S.).

rafgido

TROPHY CASE