Neck and shoulder pain

[Bev95]

For the past few days my neck, right shoulder, right arm and hand has been in agony I spent one night awake took pain meds these seem not to work ..tried heat rub and finally a wheat bag warmed up in the microwave...in the end I managed to get a little relief and some sleep...But this pain is relentless Its been a while since I had a bad flare up like this.. I am also getting some awful headaches at the same time....The pain gets so bad I have to lie down and have used Olbas oil would you believe to help ease off the headaches along with pain meds..I hate FMS I feel like its a curse........I have seen my GP and all she has done is increase my Sertraline....other than that I think its a case of self-help!!!

Bev

[Shads]

Hi Bev, touch wood my neck and shoulder have been quiet for the past year, after being agonising for about 18 months. I was living in Bristol then and my gp referred me to a physio who was lovely, explained that this was common in ppl with chronic back pain and talked me through why the muscles were behaving so badly. She was also very realistic with the gentlest excerises so as to not increase any inflamation. The best bit was the acupuncture she gave me - i'm sure that was the thing that really eased the pain and enabled me to do the excercises and move my arm again. Sorry, for rambling, the point i was trying to make was does your surgery offer any complimentary therapies that might help you and if you haven't had accupuncture it might be worth a try. I know different things work for different people but as I say I found it wonderful (it also relieved agonising sciatic leg pain before i had a lumber disc removed).

I'm also a huge fan of Olbas Oil my family tease that i think its a cure all for everything - it definately helps with headaches and little aches but that could all be in my mind!!

I hope this eases soon for you.

Shads xx

[Hidden]

So sorry you are feeling this way.... do you have any lavender oil? I use this and its a safe way.. either in the bath or just lightly circling my temples with a few drops or put a few drops on a hankerchief.. it also helps when sprinkled on your pillow/bedding at night as it aids rest. But for me it works for headaches, not always but mostly to help them not be so severe. Also check your lighting ~ even the light from the pc can have huge effects to our sensitivity.

Self help can be one of the best helps...you are the only one who can honour yourself and know whats needed or what you need.. I know I know for the pain to stop... I wish I had the answer but I dont, but you can ease it Bev95 ... sometimes I say.. GO AWAY.. and tell it to go... or its a simple case of taking my head off.. no not really but the feelings there.. disassociating helps too..like looking at yourself as if you were somebody else and being the best friend to you .. sounds mad but it really works.. its like asking.. okay what would you do.. meaning I.. but in the third party.. or what do I need, or what can I do... its surprising what come to mind and can actually help.

For now sending you love x

[irenegee]

I agree with you that it seems to be 'self help'.

I suffer greatly with my neck shoulder and tension headaches, I have found that pain killers don't help (the side effects just make it worse) and I am not a lover of popping pills.

But what I use a lot is wheat bags and I have a massage once a week which helps break down the knots and release tension. there is no long term fix for fibro so it is short time fixes that help especially when you having a flare up.

hope it eases soon

[Extremelygrumpy]

Try getting you gp to refer you to the pain clinic I went with my husband a nervous wreck... Saw lovely consultant who felt my neck and shoulders and agreed it looked like I had been doing macramé with my muscles and he gives me trigger point injections in both shoulder and neck every 3 months .... Ahh the relief within minutes I can feel the muscles relaxing . It's not 100 per cent I do use a hot wheat pack now and again but it's given me back a lot of quality of life

Hugs VGx

[Bev95]

Thanks everyone for your kind responses and comments.....I was referred to a pain clinic when I was first diagnosed way back in 2004 they advised clinic psychotherepy but I found I just could not connect with the psychotherepist as for a start there was a desk between us and her attittude was not exactly sympathetic...I was given accupuncture great whilst I was having it but 20 mins after leaving the clinic the pain was back twice as bad!!! But thanks for replying..the clinic finally sent a report to my GP at the time saying that I was not co-operating with the clinic...which was nothing of the sort it is just nothing was working!!! I decided then after my GP decided to send me to a psychiatrist as he thought I was imagining all my pain...I went along with it and when I saw the pyschiatrist he asked me what was I there for????? HELLO I told him what I was diagnosed with and went through my medical history etc...he thought there was nothing wrong with my mental health state of mind....so therefore decided that he couldnt help and I didnt need that sort of help...He then sent a report to my GP stating that my problem was physical ....My GP was not happy and decided that I had to help myself..I did I changed GP's !!!! But I also discovered that I think because I was not responding to all the treatment offered I had to revert to self help...and that is how it has been since then....I have had physio but they can only help so much and my physio at the time told me to carry out tasks in stages and not to overdo things...so I have done that ever since...I have learnt to accept what I have and what is wrong...just I have a moan every so often...LOL!!! I havent however,had such a bad flare up in a long while...so, it just goes to show that FMS will not go away its not something that will disappear... I may have some better days but do still get bad ones....I just wish the government and some medical so called experts would realise that too!!!! I have learnt to cope with the different levels of pain...because I realise this is a lifelong disability! Yes, I get a bit depressed because when a person lives with constant pain that is bound to make anyone depressed and fed up!!! Sending you all gentle hugs