neck discomfort

[Bleakley1]

Hi everyone,

Being a PMR sufferer for a number of years I find it difficult to sleep sometimes with the discomfort in neck and shoulders. Have tried two pillows,then one pillow and still cannot get comfortable. Has anyone had experience of these shaped pillows which are supposed to be good?

Just thought I would ask before making a purchase. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Barbara

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If you have much shoulder and neck discomfort despite pred it is either you aren't on quite enough pred, which is always worth considering, or you have something more specific to the neck and shoulder muscles that could be dealt with with physio or masssage.

A common problem is sternocleidomastoid muscle tightness.

physio-pedia.com/Sternoclei...

nielasher.com/blogs/video-b...

Stretches for this really do help/

[Bleakley1 in reply to PMRpro]

I am on 6mg on pred and have been now for three months. Loathed to increase as during the day I am ok. Could be tense muscles etc as you suggest.

[Wouldlovetorun]

Hi Bleakley1!I use a heat pad that switches off after 90mins I think which helps with my pain and discomfort but I still have bad nights and terrible sleep nightly.

I've a great pillow we bought when I was really rough with pmr but not diagnosed. It helped a bit. Is v heavy and bought it from Argos...was v expensive too. I use this pillow every now and then. I've arthritis in the neck.

I've also got a v pillow which is really good too but I don't use it for sleeping now- usually supporting me in bed sitting.

I hope you get lots of replies. I'm curious to hear people's tips on a good night's sleep.

Hope you feel very much better soon.

x

[Bleakley1 in reply to Wouldlovetorun]

Thanks for your reply. Sleeping is a big problem at times isn’t it.

[Sharitone]

I have a full-sized microbead pillow which means that you can move the stuffing so that when you are on your back you can have a flat pillow but when you are on your side you can shove the stuffing over to get a thicker pillow.

I think it is Heron NS who suggested using one of those horseshoe-shaped travel neck pillows as a kind of halo round your head when sleeping on your back so that your head does not loll to one side and pull on your neck.

Personally, I have finally learnt that if my neck is continually stiff to the point that I am continually trying stretching exercises, and painkillers don't help, then sadly, it's time for more pred.

[Thelmarina in reply to Sharitone]

I had a neck x-ray for these symptoms and they are due to osteoarthritis of the cervical spine. Just a thought. Not always PMR. My rheumatologist suspected this might be the cause to give back my tapering confidence should her thought prove correct,

[Bleakley1 in reply to Thelmarina]

Thanks for reply. You never know when it’s PMR or something different really.

[Bleakley1]

thank you for reply. I have a good travel pillow so will give that a try too. I have ordered a posture pillow so will se how that goes. More pred will be a last resort that I hope not to do.

[marionofnorwich]

I find that making a kind of nest out of pillows helps, but at the very least make two pillows into a kind of V, which suggests that a V-Pillow might help though I haven't used one myself (blessed with being a good sleeper)

[Bleakley1]

so lucky. Ever since PMR my sleep has been disrupted. I will try your tip though.