I have been struggling this last week to get comfortable sleeping with extreme pain in my neck,both shoulders and elbow. I can't even lift a pillow or my duvet it's so frustrating. If I take 2 cocodomol and sit upright I will relax into a sleep but when that wears off and I need to move that's were it all goes wrong. 😢 I have tried different pillow combination and positions but I can't get any relief and having very poor quality sleep. I wail in pain when I have to move. Does anybody have any positions or tips you could recommend I would really appreciate it and so desperately need a decent sleep.
Thanks,Wendy x
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wendana82
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The question is do you work all day with a lap top or desk top computer, if the answer is yes you need to look at the way you sit and work and the number of hours you do work without looking away from you computer. I am retired now. I worked on monitors long before computers, always had problems with pain in my neck and upper part of the body. The other problem can be the eyes, you may need eye test to make sure you have the necessary glasses for computer work.
Please identify the problem and fix it, taking medication is not very good.
would like to know which is a bad way and which is a good way using ones computer, i use a lap top, i only use it for about half to an hour a day but i have been getting upper back ache for over a week now but have put it down to old age, i will give it a rest for a while and see what happens. take care sylvia.
There are stands for lap tops, external key board and mouse to help with the lap top to use at a desk or table. I have a desk top computer as well as a lap top with a stand, external key board and mouse, which helps.
I am 69, I have pain in may areas of my body accumulated over the years. The doctors say wear and tear. The lower back, between the shoulder blades, left shoulder, left wrist, left foot and so on. As you said earlier moving in bed can be a problem, finding the best position to sleep.
A proper bed and proper pillow can help.
I try to avoid medication as I do not want to depend on medication.
thanks for the advice, i do not have any trouble in bed thank goodness, like you i have other areas of my body,joint pain etc, i have never had trouble with my back till now even though i am a keen gardener so i will give my back a rest now and watch tv.
Hiya Sylvia. I already had neck problems (OA cervical spondylosis) but the Physio I had when I suffered whiplash gave me a short demo of the least problematic way to use a laptop. He told me even though the word lap is in the name if avoidable don't use it on your lap, sit in a chair at a table, both feet on the floor & sit back in the chair. If I did use it sitting in armchair to sit back, again feet on the floor & keep checking that you're not leaning forward (as I know I do, I start to hunch my shoulders!), make sure your eyes are level with & focussed to the centre of the screen. I asked him if it would be ok to use the laptop on my beanbag tray & he said ok as long as the laptop sits high enough so you're focusing on the centre of the screen. I now use a tablet (touch screen is easier on my fingers) when in the armchair I but always have it in the reclined position, my tablet in upright case & ensuring my arms are extended (so I'm not hunched over it). It does mean I now have to use my close work glasses because the screen's that much smaller & further away but it is easier on my neck & shoulders. Also, don't use it for more than 30 mins at a time, have a break from it but I admit I'm apt to forget when involved in something!
thanks for the advice by the sound of it i seem to be doing it all wrong, as i am typing this i am looking down on to the screen and sitting very close to it, so i will lower my chair and sit further back for a starter and also give it a rest for a while.
Hi Wendy, I am having exactly the same problem as you at the moment, I am side sleeper and find it extremely uncomfortable at the mo, I take painkillers before bed but I'm finding when I wake in the night I have to take more to get some more sleep...not great! I can't offer you much advice but thanks for posting this and I'm looking forwRd to seeing your replies! I have just started putting my heat pad around my neck/shoulders whilst I'm in bed to relax me too. Long gone are the days when I could fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow and sleep straight through...hopefully they will come back though as rest is extremely important to us especially if we still work which I do and have no intention of giving it up. Good luck 😊
I have been off work for 2 months so don't think it's down to computer use. My shoulders were the first part of my body to show signs of RA so makes sense every time I have a flare even minor that they hurt.never had such discomfort sleeping with it though and such deep pain if that makes sense. I'm not.allowed to take any other meds at the mo apart from painkillers. Has anyone used memory foam pillow ando would recommend?
It's not ideal really especially if you don't need them for what their intended but my GP prescribed me amitriptyline for muscle relaxation, I was having troublesome nights, back & neck OA pain limiting me to a couple of hours bad sleep a night. The bonus is it's an effective sleep aid & I now get restful restorative sleep, it's made a big difference. I'm now back to my normal routine of lying on my back to straighten it to begin with & then I turn on my side (my normal sleep position) & it's rare if that's not the last thing I know until morning. I just have the one pillow & if my neck's particularly bad (like last night, it was particularly tense after motorway driving) I wear my neck collar. We'd not long changed our bed base & mattress before I started on amitriptyline, thinking the old ones (3 years old) were adding to my problems but it didn't help, I'm feeling the benefit now! Actually I think I'd be ok on the previous one but at least my h is noticing the difference.
Has the cause of the pain in that area been discussed or being treated? If not maybe that would be the place to start, more effective pain relief might help or depending on the root cause physio or amendment in treatment. You could also ask for recommendations pertaining to the sleeping problem & which type of pillow would be helpful, particularly if yours isn't supportive enough. There are a few different types & shapes nowadays, bolsters, knee pillows, have a look online if something specific is suggested.
You need proper sleep to cope with the rest of the day, it's rotten & hard work when you don't have it.
hi I just read your post I see you are on amytriptyline can I ask how you are on them can you drive after them in the day my doctor has given me some I’m not sure about taking them cos of side effects he gave me them for muscler skeletal and cervical spondolosis and awful headaches stiff neck any idvice be lvly ,
Of course, no problem. I have been on them a good while now (certainly more than 7 years given the age of this thread), & whilst I started on a low dose titrating up it can take a little while to get used to them, some never do (enter my husband, but he is sensitive to many meds). That said for many they are really a great help & side effects are limited my, or outweigh the positive effects. I had monthly reviews for about 5 months with my GP & increased the dose when my body was ready.
Because I'm used to them driving isn't a problem but I would suggest when you start amitriptyline you play it by ear, see how you feel. Maybe have someone who knows you well with you the first time you drive on them, so they can determine if they think your driving is affected because you may not be able to gauge if it really is if you understand?
I was also prescribed them initially as a muscle relaxant due to cervical spondylosis & awful associated headaches. I had a history of cervical spasm prior to my RD diagnosis so I wasn't surprised when I started having issues. I take them twice daily, 25 mg mornings, 50 mg evenings. I did need to play with my evening dose timings, too early (with my other evening meds with my evening meal at 8pm) & I was asleep in the chair by 10pm, too late & I was a bit groggy in the morning. They do relax you & whilst I wasn’t previously a poor sleeper pain would wake me… on amitriptyline I sleep very well, proper restful sleep, most do find that it's a good sleep aid. If I take any more than 25 mg for my morning dose I’m not as on it, & I dare say my driving would be affected, but I’ve never tried to confirm this.
I hope this gives some encouragement for you to start your amitriptyline. They can work well & will certainly help with headaches if my experience is a general one. If there's anything else I can help with just ask.
what are your headaches like , mine are a stabbing pain on same side all the time more so when I bend over they horrendous told my go this I’m not a headache person tbh so this is new ,,
They're a typical T, across the way down to C1/C2 & across my forehead in line with my brows. It can vary between what you described as stabbing or dullness when grinding with the slightest movement, when your head feels like it's 20 kilos.
Another common issue is driving! not adjusting the driving seat position properly, with a front wheel drive car. Again the tyre pressure of the front wheels can cause a lot of problems with neck and shoulder. I learned this the hard way.
I agree bala! Thankfully I don't drive the one I had the other day but it's diifficult when the car you're driving isn't exactly built for comfort & boy do I know about it now! I wasn't high enough & was very aware of how my arms ached because the steering wheel was in the wrong position for me. The accelerator was oddly positioned so my foot was in an unnatural position & I started to get cramp. No lumbar support either & I didn't realise the back was too upright until I was on the motorway & daren't try to address it in case I ended up flat on my back! The steering was light enough for a FWD but not enough compensation for the other issues.
Hi Wendy, I have PsA and a lot of arm shoulder neck pain even though I’m on meds, I find sleeping with one ordinary pillow and then one thinner one across the middle like a letter T, needs to go to top of first one right
across the middle find this helps me. It’s so frustrating when tired and
The pain is keeping U awake, hope this helps. Good luck. Marian.
PS also sometimes use a magnesium sleep rub natural relaxer support
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