Sky seems to have some excellent answers. I know what you mean by muscles being so tight they are like knotted, and you can feel the lumps in the muscles when the spasm is. Some spasms are like twitches, but then there are the kind that are like big bumps of tension, like a clenched fist. A TENS Unit or lying on tennis balls placed on the effected area helps with this. Then there are the kind that are like what we call "charlie horses" where you have to get up and walk and moan and groan until they ease up. Again, review Sky's wonderful post. She has some excellent ideas to offer. With a TENS Unit, you have to get the rubber pads placed right, use conductive gel and tape them down good and tight with tape squares made for this purpose. Without good, lasting contact, you may think the TENS is not working. You can order similar devices from catalogues, but I don't know anything about these and would have my doubts. Best bet is to get your primary doctor to refer you to a Rehab Clinic for a TENS Unit evaluation, and have him write a prescription for the device, so that insurance might pay for the TENS or at least for renting one. Tennis balls are cheaper. The muscle relaxes down over the ball. It kinda hurts but feels good at the same time. Feeling like sighing is my sign that I have the tennis ball or the TENS Unit pad placed correctly. billieJ