I have a friend who is a problem solver. Some might say a know it all. We all know someone who can offer a solution with confidence to any problem but this particular friend has charisma, the kind of friend who knows people and can more often than not actually help with alacrity when called upon.

I have been battling an injury for 6 months, an injury I have no idea how it had been incurred. It has dragged on for so long not improving I have sort of got used to the pain, changed my mind set to this is something I’ve got to live with, stopped sharing about it and sucked it up.

My body language, the grunts, the struggles obviously told a different story when my friend appeared this week with a big bottle of horse pills.

She explained she knows the man in her local Holland and Barrett very well, he is someone she had built up a relationship with, she described him as passionate and knowledgable and had presented my problem, symptoms and levels of pain to him for a solution at best or at least a recommendation of something to try.

She told him I’d tried a few remedies courtesy of Dr. Google and CHATgtp combined. CBD, straight Magnesium, Vitamin D supplements, daily yoga exercises, a stretch program suggested by a physical therapist via their patient, another friend and was researching Red light therapy and as a last resort acupuncture.

Knowingly she told me he had handed her this jar of pills saying 2 per day and she’ll be better in two weeks.

So here’s the deal, don’t just buy Magnesium and think it’s a fix all. Here’s the list of different types of Magnesium, all doing different things, administered in different doses at different times of the day.

Magnesium Sulphate, Magnesium Taurate, Magnesium Choride, Magnesium Carbonate, Magnesium L-Threonate, Magnesium Oxide, Magnesium Malate, Magnesium Citrate, Magnesium Glycinate. Who knew???

Symptom/Goal Best Magnesium

Sleep & anxiety Glycinate

Muscle cramps Glycinate, Citrate, Malate

Constipation Citrate, Oxide

Bone health Glycinate, Malate (with calcium & vitamin D)

Brain health L-Threonate

Fatigue & pain Malate

Heart health Taurate

Digestive upset Carbonate, Chloride

It was an unexpected gift from someone who usually pulls out an expensive make up item or luxury of some kind with the words I’ve got a present for you.

I was not convinced by her enthusiasm after 6 months of sleepless nights and agony that varied day to day from a 6 out of 10 to a 9 but I was willing to try anything and before lunch I popped the bottle and swallowed two of the massive pills without water.

That was two days ago. Last night I slept through the night and this morning I got up without the need to do 20 minutes of stretches to be able to start the day.

I am stunned to be honest at the turnaround. I’ve been rubbing in balms day and night, grimacing through basic tasks like getting dressed and brushing hair, putting on deodorant was virtually impossible and taking a shower needed psychological build up.

I am not 100% better but OMG the difference is remarkable and the impact happened almost overnight.

I’d recommend these magic pills for anyone suffering with extreme muscle pain. Mine was in the shoulder and arm, persistent chronic especially at night and life limiting during the day. This is not an advertorial in any way. The solar citrate Magnesium from Holland and Barrett were a present and have ended up being possibly one of the best, most memorable gifts I’ve ever received.

When you think pain is never going away you forget what it feels like to be without it. The only comparison I can make is the feeling you get when braces are removed after 30 months of treatment to reveal straight teeth you cannot stop running your tongue over, in search of the brackets.

I am still conscious of checking for pain that has melted away like snow. it has left behind only a clear puddle, a gentle reminder of what was once there. Although I am sure after the couple of weeks my friends advisor at Holland and Barrett suggested for his treatment it will has said goodbye for good.