Neck pain is most frequently the result of a muscle strain or sprain. Increasing your intake of magnesium, a mineral that aids in the contraction and relaxation of muscles, may help avoid these pain causing problems.
Along with stiffness and tightness, muscle pain is a common symptom of low magnesium. This pain can be anywhere in the body but is commonly felt in the back and neck. Generalized aches and pains throughout your body are possible indications that you may be low on magnesium.
Antioxidant vitamins such as vitamins C and E, taken on a regular basis, can help to prevent the painful deterioration of joints in your neck and elsewhere in your body. Take 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C and 400 IU of vitamin E daily.
Numerous clinical studies have found that magnesium has beneficial effects in patients suffering from neuropathic pain, dysmenorrhea, tension headache, acute migraine attack, and others.
If you have pain, a dose of 250 to 500 mg of magnesium a day can start to decrease these deficiencies as well as the pain, after just several weeks — while also leaving you feeling more energetic and decreasing your risk of heart disease! (If you have kidney problems, do not use without your physician's OK.)
Magnesium is essential for proper muscle function and acts to relieve tight, sore and cramped muscles. It controls muscle contraction and acts as a muscle relaxant.
Magnesium reduces stress hormones in the brain to lessen anxiety, restlessness, mood swings, memory loss, depression, insomnia, and a host of other mental health issues. Magnesium limits the release of cortisol, which is the primary stress hormone, and prevents it from reaching the brain.
1 Specifically in chronic pain magnesium can be helpful for offsetting the effects of calcium, which relaxes muscles and nerves. Magnesium acts like a plug in nerve receptors that are over-stimulated.
Hot and cold therapy. Using ice packs or heating pads can help relieve neck pain fast. Ice reduces inflammation, while heat relaxes stiff muscles. For best results, you may alternate the two for about 20 minutes several times a day.
Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency can cause or worsen neck and back pain and muscle spasm.
Magnesium can play a huge role in managing stress and reducing pain levels associated with chronic neck pain and chronic back pain. In fact, many people choose to increase their daily intake of magnesium for this reason in particular.
Magnesium plays two important roles in the brain, which may contribute to these symptoms: It blocks the activity of more stimulating neurotransmitters and binds to calming receptors, resulting in a more peaceful, resting state.
Magnesium can be taken at any time of the day. Many people prefer to take supplements earlier in the day, such as with breakfast or lunch. Taking your magnesium supplement with a meal can also help prevent any stomach upset.
Magnesium supplements should be taken with meals. Taking magnesium supplements on an empty stomach may cause diarrhea.
Generally speaking, you will find that magnesium supplements start to work after one week of using them. After one week of regular magnesium supplementation, individuals may experience benefits such as improved energy levels, reduced muscle cramps, better sleep quality, and reduced anxiety.
Magnesium for sleep
Some studies have found that magnesium supplements can: Make it easier to fall asleep. Improve sleep quality. Reduce symptoms of restless legs syndrome, which can interfere with a good night's sleep.
People with diabetes, intestinal disease, heart disease or kidney disease should not take magnesium before speaking with their health care provider. Overdose. Signs of a magnesium overdose can include nausea, diarrhea, low blood pressure, muscle weakness, and fatigue. At very high doses, magnesium can be fatal.