Stiff Person Syndrome
Natural Remedies

Natural Remedies for Stiff Person Syndrome

| Modified on Feb 12, 2025
Add New Post Comments

Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) is a rare neurological autoimmune disorder characterized by muscle stiffness, spasms, and increased sensitivity to stimuli like noise and touch. While conventional treatments include muscle relaxants, immunotherapy, and medications like benzodiazepines, many seek natural remedies to complement medical treatments and improve their quality of life.

Understanding Stiff Person Syndrome

Stiff Person Syndrome occurs when the body's immune system attacks the nervous system, disrupting gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) production, an important neurotransmitter that regulates muscle movement. This results in chronic muscle stiffness, spasms, and painful mobility issues.

Natural Remedies for Stiff Person Syndrome

1. Magnesium Supplementation

Magnesium is essential for nerve function and muscle relaxation. Since SPS involves excessive muscle contractions, magnesium can help alleviate symptoms.

How to Use:

  • Take magnesium glycinate (400-800 mg daily) for best absorption.
  • Use magnesium chloride oil topically for muscle relaxation.
  • Soak in an Epsom salt bath (rich in magnesium sulfate) to ease stiffness.

2. GABA Support

Since SPS is associated with a lack of GABA activity, increasing GABA naturally can help manage muscle spasms.

Ways to Boost GABA:

  • Take a GABA supplement (250-750 mg per day).
  • Consume L-theanine (found in green tea) to support GABA production.
  • Eat GABA-rich foods like fermented foods, nuts, and whole grains.

3. Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Since autoimmune conditions thrive on inflammation, an anti-inflammatory diet is crucial.

Foods to Eat:

  • Leafy greens (kale, spinach, arugula)
  • Healthy fats (avocados, olive oil, flaxseeds)
  • Wild-caught fish (salmon, sardines) rich in omega-3s
  • Turmeric and ginger for their anti-inflammatory effects

4. Turmeric & Curcumin

Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, has potent anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties.

  • Take a curcumin supplement (500-1000 mg daily).
  • Make Golden Milk (turmeric tea with coconut milk and black pepper) for enhanced absorption.

5. Herbal Remedies for Muscle Relaxation

Several herbs can help relax muscles and ease stiffness:

  • Valerian Root: Natural muscle relaxant and sleep aid.
  • Passionflower: Supports GABA production.
  • Chamomile: Reduces muscle tension and spasms.
  • Kava Kava: Natural muscle relaxant, but use cautiously.

6. CBD Oil for Pain and Spasms

Cannabidiol (CBD) has been shown to help with muscle relaxation, reducing stiffness and pain in neurological disorders.

  • Use CBD oil (full spectrum) under the tongue or as capsules.
  • Try topical CBD creams for muscle pain relief.

7. Acupuncture & Massage Therapy

Acupuncture and deep tissue massage can help relieve muscle stiffness and improve circulation.

Benefits:

  • Acupuncture stimulates nerve function and reduces spasms.
  • Massage therapy promotes blood flow to stiff muscles.
  • Myofascial release therapy can ease muscle tension.

8. Mind-Body Techniques (Yoga & Meditation)

Practicing relaxation techniques can help reduce stress-induced muscle tension.

Effective Practices:

  • Gentle yoga for muscle flexibility.
  • Deep breathing exercises to calm the nervous system.
  • Meditation & Tai Chi to improve mental clarity and reduce stress.

Final Thoughts

While there is no permanent treatment for Stiff Person Syndrome, natural remedies like magnesium, GABA support, an anti-inflammatory diet, turmeric, herbal medicine, and relaxation techniques can significantly improve quality of life. Combining these remedies with medical treatments and stress management strategies can help manage symptoms effectively.

Have you tried any of these remedies for SPS? Please share your experience with us below!


The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.

Evening Primrose Oil

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Jean B. (Old Glory, Texas) on 02/09/2025
★★★★★

When I saw Céline Dion in a coma from Stiff Person Syndrome and crying out in pain, I knew what I was going to do. Many years ago I had the same thing and it was horrible.

Mine came on slowly and if I even lifted a bucket of feed, I'd have to go to bed for the rest of the day. One day I woke up paralyzed and unable to even turn over to call for help. The pain was incredible!

When my husband came home to eat lunch, he was shocked to find me still in bed. I asked him to slowly help me sit up and then help me to my feet. Being a man, he just didn't understand the word slowly. Talk about agony! When he helped me to my feet, I nearly collapsed from pain. It took hours before I could flex enough to pull on my socks.

That was ‘the' day I knew I had to find a cure for whatever this was, for I had no name at that time. I searched my herb books and finally found an herb that sounded like what would help me. Logic told me it was inflammation of some sort and the one herb that worked like a miracle was Evening of Primrose Oil. Swanson carries this. In just a few days I was able to trim 10 Boer goat's feet m(40 feet), well rope them into a trailer to get a health certificate and not one pain! It has never come back, thank goodness!

I understand there is even an association for this disease where they ask for donations. I'd like to see them acknowledge a cure and then go out of business.

Anyway, I found out Céline Dion was on Facebook but I'm not and will not ever be! I asked my Niece Susan to write her what I'd done for this awful disease and how well it worked. We received a capitalized THANK YOU!! Just after this, Céline Dion went to Paris to sing.

I wrote EarthClinic.com to let them know of what I'd found out but in their limited wisdom, they did not publish anything to help others. So much for being helpful!

Jean

EC: So sorry, Jean, we never received your post. Otherwise, we would have created a new page and posted it, as we have done now.

Replied by Art
(California)
02/10/2025
2424 posts

Hi Jean B.,

Could you please include the dose and frequency of EPO that you found effective for your Stiff Person Syndrome and whether you were actually diagnosed with that disease? Thank you!

Art

Jean Baugh
(Old Glory, Texas)
02/11/2025

Hi Art,

No one diagnosed me but with the symptoms, there was no doubt in my mind what it was. I took whatever the bottle of EPO said to take. My take was, what was there to lose?

Jean Baugh

Old Glory, Texas

Replied by Elena
(Seattle)
02/11/2025

SPS is an autoimmune condition just like Paraneoplastic Syndrome. A "paraneoplastic syndrome" is an umbrella term for a group of disorders (such as Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder that weakens the immune system and causes limb weakness, especially in the legs) that can occur alongside cancer, where the symptoms are caused by the body's immune response to the tumor, attacking healthy tissues in organs like the nervous system, skin, or endocrine system, rather than the cancer itself directly.
In other words YOUR BODY ATTACKS ITSELF.
Doesn't hurt to try Evening of Primrose Oil.
I have POTS, MCAS* and PNS, will try the Oil. They wanted to put me on $40,000/mo medication with devastating side effects.
* Mast cells activation syndrome

Replied by Elenseattle
(Seattle)
02/11/2025

Thank you for sharing One never knows where his cure will come.
Angie's TMS/PDP Success Story - POTS, h-EDS and MCAS on Pain Free You will turn your world upside down. You'll question everything u think u knew.

Akira
(South Africa)
02/12/2025

Hello Elen. How intriguing. I am not sure if you meant to post a link, but who is Angie and where can we read the story?! Thank you so much..

Bob
(The USA)
02/12/2025

I did watch the interview. Thank you. You are right, I am flabbergasted just like I was after learning about Anita Moorjani's story. These two recovery stories don't fit into anything we know about health and disease.

Art
(California)
02/11/2025
2424 posts

Thank you for the reply, Jean.

I looked at 5 different EPO products and the label suggested dosing ranges from 1, 000 mg day to 1, 500 mg per day with the most common daily dose being 1, 300 mg / day. So that seems to be the most common suggested dose.

I forgot to ask you, how long did it take for the EPO to resolve your SPS?

Art

Replied by Ruralady
(Illinois)
02/12/2025
61 posts

I'm wondering if tDCS aka transcranial direct current stimulation can help with this like it does fibromyalgia and MS...



Advertisement