Neck issues linked to post concussion syndrome- I can’t lift anything!

[Outdoor123]

Hi,

I had a mtb accident nearly 2 years ago, going over the handle bars off a drop and landed on my head-breaking my collar bone before I got my arms out to break the fall.

I was diagnosed with post concussion syndrome a few months in.

I’ve made lots of progress but still have lots of symptoms. As the ‘fog’ clears however I able becoming for aware of certain unusual symptoms which are making me wonder if they are caused by PCS or something else.

I get regular eye/ neck pain.

Scans show my cervical spine is straightened (though I gather this isn’t unusual and is seen as being caused by pain)

Lifting anything causes discomfort to the point I can’t do it, even a bottle of milk is too much.

I can’t look up at the sky without supporting my head with my hands.

I get a sensation that ‘by brain is shutting down’ and walking/ speech can become difficult. I feel it might be to do with blood flow through my neck being restricted.

Any weight on my shoulders is very uncomfortable.

If anyone had any experience of the above linked to PCS it would be useful to know, I am trying to get the other symptoms looked at but not getting far. Any suggestions you be greatly appreciated.

[Marnie22]

This may be a rubbish suggestion, but have you thought of trying an osteopath or chiropractor?

[Outdoor123 in reply to Marnie22]

Thanks very much for your reply- I’ve tried an osteopath. That seems to help but nearly 2 years after it just doesn’t make sense to me why I can’t lift or look up still and has remained quite similar. Wondering if it’s something to do with the straightening of the cervical spine. I’m also now getting back/ pelvis pain so just wondering how much is PCS and how much is something else. Hard to know what to put money into. I will keep going with the osteopath =)

[paxo05]

Hi there.

This is a wild guess but did you suffer any nerve damage.

I initially had major problems coordinating my left side. To the point I wondered if I had suffered a stroke.

Fast forward 21 years nearly and my left arm is sort of fine but at times my left hand grip seems to go. No matter how much I try and increase the grip through my left hand it will not play ball. I can hold things but I also drop a lot of things.

My left leg however is a strange thing . Numbness at the high and sole of foot but fine on lower leg.

I was told it may be trapped nerve but more likely nerve receptor damage. Diagnosis didn't help me much but time has.

If your symptoms remain try working with them. Not fun I know but hey only you know your own body and limits.

Things do improve , even if it's by you adapting. I now walk without sticks....okay it's a sort of limp and weird gate and yes I do fall from time to time.

You will hee the 2 year recovery period said often but trust me improvements continue long after. What you can't fix adapt round.

You saying you seem to loose strength seemed to remind me of how I am with my hand. Hopefully they may be able to offer better treatment than I was offered if it is nerve related. I was told to try and live with it.

Hope some of this helps in any small way.

Pax

[Outdoor123 in reply to paxo05]

Hi, thanks so much for taking the time to reply. They’ve tested the nerves in my arm and all was ok. You’re right about having to adapt though. Going to have to make some changes for lifting I think rather than just keep thinking it will get better! It sounds like you’ve had a tough time, great to hear how you’ve adapted and found ways to make things work for you. All the best and thanks again for taking the time to reply.

[sospan]

hi,

I broke a bone in my neck and have a disc pressing on my spinal cord and used to get those symptoms and then a few years later a Head Injury as well.

With a severe whiplash injury you can get exactly the same issues as a HI. Some of the issues are related to damage to the brain stem and surrounding nerves. Whilst I don't need to support my head when I look up, If I look up high for more than a few minutes it can make me quite ill.

The problem when you lift anything with your arms is that it affects the muscles and nerves in the centre and back of the neck c4-c8. C4 is an interesting on because that is were my injury is and also connects to the collar bone.

I struggled for quite a few years with the neck injury when one day, I just sat down and relaxed and felt my collar bone swivel and then a big rush of air into my lungs as something released. After that my symptoms eased quite significantly.

The problem being that the area from the shoulders to the base of the skull is a very complex area and needs treating very carefully.

I would try and find a neurologist whom has specific experience in neck and shoulder trauma before going down a physiotherapy / orthopaedic route. Getting a referral to the correct Neurologist will be quite difficult on the NHS and you may need to go private (£150-£300) which may indicate where the problem is .

This link has some information and a search facility for specialists brainandspine.org.uk/suppor...

[Outdoor123]

Hi, thanks so much for taking the time to reply, it was really interesting to hear there were some similarities, do you mind me asking which ones you had which were similar? Everyone just looks blank and like I’m crazy when I mention I can’t lift anything because of feeling in my head when I do or bear any pressure on my shoulders! I spoke to someone today and they said ‘all sounds like PCS and wouldn’t be the neck after this long...I wasn’t sure if this was true or not! So hard to know! Really interesting what you say about your collarbone, had you broken it previously? Even though I’ve not felt it do that, I can really relate to that, from the top of my neck, down under by collarbone and down my arm it feels like a block on concrete when I stretch! When I had the op to remove the metal work from collarbone it felt like a ‘release’ but as it healed the ‘tension’ came back. You can see the skin stretching from the scar it’s almost like things are too tight! Great advice about a neurologist, I will look into a private one. Thanks so much for your advice. I hope you are getting in on now and things have kept improving for you.

[Feebie8]

Yea, I gave myself whiplash and concussion. I have ongoing neck pain, it has eased over time but I believe it's all connected to my brain (sounds dumb 😄 of course it is).

I notice that when I do too much my neck pain increases. That means, reading, concentrating, watching/staring at T.V etc all things that you don't imagine would cause symptoms.

I am able to work. My job is pretty physical. I have had major issues with stiffness and restricted movement. There are times that I can't look over my shoulders but...I can't say this for sure as I am only a matter of months into my vision therapy but I believe the work my behavioural optometrist is doing with me, is helping my ability to initiate movement and also improving my actual movement.

Long story short we are working on restoring fine motor and gross motor movements along with primitive reflexes. When I knocked my head I injured the pathways where the above information was contained so I lost abilities that I had learned as a baby/toddler. This includes my ability to move and connect my brains intention to my body in order to make it do so. As an example I started off not being able to crawl. I was asked to do it, thought that I could do it and just sat on the floor looking at my body that couldn't move in the way I was asking it. It was an eye opener. After about two months crawling had become an automatic movement again in the sense that I don't have to think about the movement I just do it. I am working on hopping at the minute and other reflexes that boggles the mind but do work. Of course this also has a knock on effect, if I can't crawl what other more "complicated" movements can I not do?! Believe me as simple as I believed crawling to be, it is very complicated when your brain doesn't connect to your arms and legs to complete the movement.

Maybe your inability to hold your head up stems from a programming issue and not muscular or skeletal 🤔

[Feebie8]

Sorry I forgot to say I have had major brain shutting down moments when I was unable to complete a movement that I was telling my body to do.

Most recently last week at neuro physio, I have been working on this (if the link doesn't work google youtube VOR X2)

m.youtube.com/watch?v=vChuw...(Not working as expected?)

VOR X2 exercise for about 7 weeks, it's a slow process...

I am trying to do it walking around a room. I somehow switched my hands while looking left but moving forward and I went into shut down mode. Couldn't move, speak, think - instant zombie!! It is exhausting when it happens.