Am having major problems with disc's in my neck vertebrae at this moment, been going on for 2/3 weeks now and still no pain relief.
I was at my GP the other day, he was going to prescribe me baclofen to help with the spasms, then realised that I had these a few year back and they did no good, so he's looking to prescribe something else...now if there is something else he can prescribe, is anyone on something different from me that deals with spasms etc etc.
Am looking for some idea's guys, as this pain is now doing my head in....
I have had a couple of operations on my neck and now over the years I have tried Tramadol, Gabapentin and am now on Morphine and still not sure it it is working as have only just started, keep on to your GP he shouuld refer you to a pin clinic or at least a pain management program where you can get more information of the drus and what they do best.
As a quick, short term bit of relief, have you tried a heat pack? That helps my neck pain. I've got a couple you heat in the microwave and some that you can buy from supermarkets / pharmacies that stick on to clothing or the skin.
I feel for you, sometimes I think my neck pain is the worst and hardest to manage.
Have tried the heat pads, they where not much good... going to get a appointment with doc today, to discuss away forward...
Been a crap night, at one point I woke up to having no feeling on my left side...which ain't funny when your trying to get too the loo...lol.
The feeling is slowly coming back now....but hey getting used to this now....
Feel we are just pawns wi gp's etc etc, they don't give a shit on how we live with our conditions...
Hi, don,t worry about your " rant " .I have had such a rotten night , pain, no sleep, etc not very easy to appear cheerful first thing in the morning! I am better if left alone while the meds kick in! Have a good day, Ann
This sounds like you may have an infection. There are a variety of bacteria which can infect this area. Get you GP to look at that possibility. There are web sites which discuss infection in the spinal region.
here are a few things I've found really helpful for degenerative (wear and tear) changes in my own neck, some of which might help, I really hope so..
I got a memory foam pillow about 3 years ago, with a recess for the back of my head and then retrained myself to lie on my back for longer periods to keep my spine aligned. This has had a really profound and positive effect on the numbness and tingling in my fingers.
Then I bought a plug in heat pad that stays on for 2 hours and I put it under my shoulders, this helps me feel comfortable in bed and helps me get off to sleep..
At around the same time I was taking naproxyn as an anti-inflammatory and amytryptiline in a small dose to block nerve pain. I didn't feel too happy with the potential of being on them long term and tried a couple of alternatives - collagen powder once a day, and a trip to a homeopath. I know all this doesn't sound very scientific, and you won't be able to find controlled experiments anywhere, but like you I was finding it unbearable sometimes, and would throw anything at it if there is even a small promise of improvement.
I am a yoga teacher, so I know a few neck mobility exercises which I do as early in the day as possible. I also find the regular practice of yoga with its breathing techniques and relaxation meditation are great ways of managing chronic pain, and are a great distraction
And finally I treat myself to a deep tissue massage to relax the muscles around the areas affected, as its so easy to hold them tight, which worsens the pain. I do the massage as often as I can afford it.
My best wishes Joe, I really hope this helps. Barbara
I have posted another post, reference strokes, now with the pain am having in my neck with my nerve damage, maybe the cause of this slight stroke, on which yet it hasn't been confirmed...hopefully will get it confirmed later....
Joe
Hello
groin you may be having problems with the arteries in the neck, they become narrow and restrict blood supply, to the brain,it is possibly that the swelling of the verterbry may be restricting blood supply. This is also very common in older middle aged men as you seem to be.
Sometimes this problem causes blackouts for a slight period of time, they are called ITA
Inter Transiet attacks. ( slight stroke ) have a further talk to the doctor who may give a little bit of encouragement. One other problem it causes is a dizziness that is caused by the moving of the head.
One of the best ways of getting over this is the use of a memory foam mattress and pillow
also raise you head a little so the neck is straight an adjustable bed assists in that, One of the main problems with the dizziness when out and about you may stagger once or twice
I am just repairing/healing/moving out of a very very terrible experience with neck/occipital bone pain caused by a car accident fifteen months ago. It has been agony plain and simple. One of the worst periods of my life.
Do you have a diagnosis? If so, what is the recommended course of treatment? Not knowing that, I'll put in my two (hundred!) cents of my own experience in the hopes that it may be of help to you. I very much hope so, as I know how miserable you must be feeling.
My neck pain was caused by trauma and if I had to do it over again, I would have spent more time in the early three month period resting while alternating heat and ice. I was too gung ho about getting it fixed and I believe some things I tried early on actually aggravated the problem -- including chiropractic, physical therapy, and massage. Rest and sleep are very important. Take a sleeping med if the pain is keeping you awake. If you sleep twelve hours at a time, that's fine, you are healing. From my experience, doing too much to get better too soon is counter productive.
Another mistake: I avoided pain pills because I was afraid of getting addicted and that was wrong headed of me. You don't need to learn one damn thing from pain. Pain should be nipped in the bud, I have learned, so that the pain mechanism doesn't get in a rut and consequently never shut off. Also the pills prescribed, Percosette, made me nauseated which made them easy to avoid. I was too naive to know that I should have been asking for a different pain med. Finally, many months later, I did. The pain med I take now is another narcotic but it actually relieves the pain for the most part without the added stress of what it means to vomit to a person with a very very very sore neck. With the better medication, I could far more participate in life, somewhat. That helped me, being more productive, feeling better about things despite the pain.
I've also tried different muscle relaxers and finally found one that is really making a difference and I also recently heard that it helps heal nerve damage -- Flexerill.
I also worked with a Feldenkrais practitioner who did wonders. For the first month I went twice a week. Then continued weekly for two more months. Even though I had already done doctor advised three months of physical therapy, it was my Feldenkrais practitioner who really helped me turn a corner. I am now working with a cranial sacral therapist; the pain I struggle with now is focused around my occipital bone, back of head, and inner ear. I feel a very positive change after two sessions, plus added the new muscle relaxer at this time which probably has a lot to do with it.
Also, if it doesn't hurt to walk, try to do that. If it hurts, turn back, rest, ice, heat. Keep learning about your body. Fifteen months ago there was nothing I could do that made it better. Every thing hurt. I focused on learning what I was doing that made the pain worse. Which activities and movements are the most aggravating? Don't do them. Don't carry, don't reach, whatever it is, be mindful about completely avoiding them.
There were many days I cried -- a lot -- out of frustration and fear that I would always be in pain and that I'd lost my life as I knew it. I couldn't understand why my pretty decent fifty year old body wasn't healing. Doctors seemed so lacking in answers. One specialist told me I had severe whiplash and it would take two years and there was nothing he could do to help me. Mostly my experience was one specialist sending me off to another and so on. Take what you can and leave the rest. Don't give up seeking help and support and understanding. Be open to doctor-alternatives, but do research their work as your body is in a fragile state.
Read as much as you can, learn about your body, be patient, be open to alternative treatments as there are many wonderful skilled healing people out there with a lot of knowledge and experience. Rest, use heat, use ice, sleep with a heating pad at night, get proper pain meds, maybe also include a medication for anxiety or sleep as needed, and try different muscle relaxers. Be gentle with yourself. I never thought I would recover... but I'm pretty sure I'm on my way. Wow. Quite a journey. My very best wishes to you.
Usually sitting for hours at same place leads to neck pains and shoulder pain and I have been through terrible neck and shoulder pains and I was prescribed for Soma medication and it really worked well on my pain though i was given long list of directions from my doctor for it dosage and intake and lucky me didn't go through any side-effects.
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