Magnesium Supplementation for Improved Neural Activity

Based on the article below, I contacted my internist and am trying it out. I am taking 1,500mg/day of Magnesium Gluconate. Magnesium comes in many different chemical forms, each on has different dosing requirements. Although I am generally into self-help, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO TRY ON YOUR OWN WITHOUT TALKING TO YOUR DOCTOR. My dosage at 1,500mg/day is quite high and I will take a test 3 weeks from now to test my magnesium levels. I figured it is worth a try as it can improve muscle relaxation and decrease nerve pain.

Magnesium for Pain Relief

By Jacob Teitelbaum, MD

Clinical experience, as well as research in nerve pain conditions such as pancreatic cancer, has shown that magnesium can be an effective treatment for pain. Although it is clear why magnesium can decrease muscle pain (it makes muscles relax), why it would help nerve pain was less clear. A new study on rats to be printed in The Journal of Physiology confirms our clinical experience that magnesium decreases nerve pain — while also pointing to how it works.

A major mechanism of pain is the excessive stimulation of a brain chemical called “NMDA.” The few medications that help decrease and balance this pain-carrying neurotransmitter have the downside of causing significant side effects. Magnesium seems to settle down NMDA without the toxicity. The upside of magnesium is that is very inexpensive (pennies a dose). The downside is that it hasn’t yet made it through the FDA approval process.

The good news is that you don't have to wait for the FDA. Magnesium can be found in supplement form at most health food stores.  And magnesium oxide, though not as well absorbed, can also be found for about a nickel per 500 mg tablet.

For an especially powerful effect, the magnesium can be used intravenously, and is an important tool used by most holistic physicians (including those at the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers). Many holistic physicians use IV magnesium to eliminate an acute migraine headache. It has even been shown to ease the incredibly severe nerve pain that can sometimes be seen in pancreatic cancer. It is also very helpful for settling down fibromyalgia pain, which has a muscle and nerve component.

The authors of the study suggest that magnesium deficiency can be a major amplifier of pain. Because of food processing, most people are magnesium deficient.  If you have pain, taking magnesium each day can start to decrease these deficiencies as well as the pain, after just several weeks — while also leaving you feeling more energetic. (If you have kidney problems, do not use without your physician's OK.)

UPDATE: Valium Again, but Suppository Form

Update January 30, 2014
Between the original post and this post, my doctor had me use compounded valium suppositories instead of putting a pill meant for oral ingestion into my vagina. The idea of using a valium suppository is that it allows the valium to be more available for absorption by the pelvic floor. I didn't notice any improvement, but there is research to support this idea and it is an "easy-try".

Had it worked, I the compounding pharmacist said he could "trick it out" with gabapentin and other meds.

I believe the oral wafer clonazepam .125 is working. I take it orally four times a day.

She also had recommended use of aspirin to reduce overall body inflammation (this was my hypothesis, not hers). I took one per day (read the safety data but for most people it is fine). But this time when I went in, I mentioned an alternate to the overall inflammation hypothesis: mast cells. I haven't written about or researched intensely mast cells yet. The basic idea here is that people with vestibulitis have increased neurons and mast cells in their vestibular area. I lifted this from a research abstract, "Mast cells are found resident in tissues throughout the body, particularly in association with structures such as blood vessels and nerves, and in proximity to surfaces that interface the external environment...After activation, mast cells may immediately extrude granule-associated mediators and generate lipid-derived substances that induce immediate allergic inflammation. Mast cell activation may also be followed by the synthesis of chemokines and cytokines. Cytokine and chemokine secretion, which occurs hours later, may contribute to chronic inflammation. Biological functions of mast cells appear to include a role in innate immunity, involvement in host defense mechanisms against parasitic infestations, immunomodulation of the immune system, and tissue repair and angiogenesis." What this is saying is that mast cells emit irritant chemicals during degranulation. And degranulation is encouraged by aspirin. So out with the aspirin. In with the Benadryl. 

Original post

I did a follow-up with my Stanford vulvar dermatologist Dr. Joanna Badger. No improvement to the vulvar pain since the last visit when she prescribed Triamcinolone Acetonide ointment 0.1% topically. She came up with the Valium idea on her own and so I am back on inserting Valium 3 times per day to see if that helps.

I am also to take oral disintegrating clonazepam .125 four times a day. The benefit of clonazepam is that it is a muscle relaxant and an anti-anxiety medication.