where do I start, I have the most awful neck pain. I have seen the osteopath and he won’t touch me due to my problems so then went to see the doctor and given ibuprofen gel and exercise sheet to do. 5 weeks in and pain still bad try to get help from rheumatologist no joy ,back to doctors and even by phisio and given exercises again pulled muscle they say.
Can anyone give me advice I’m thing it’s my PMR as I’ve come down to 7 and a half milligram in the past few weeks. Thoughts please I’m getting desperate with this pain
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Shaza123
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Reading this and your post a month ago it’s not difficult to deduce that your concerns have and are being shabbily treated. It seems to me that you are being fobbed off at every turn and the rheumatology nurse is undeserving of her title! If I were you, and especially as it’s the weekend, I would ring 111 and not hold back from describing the pain you are in or how physically and mentally distressed you are. Five weeks is a heck of a long time to have neck pain. With a bit of luck you may get a call back from a doctor who will advise you. Other than that A and E is your only choice until Monday when you should ring your surgery.
(Hold that thought! Does your practice website say that weekend appointments are available at a nearby location? It’s worth a look.)
It has occurred to me that your sternocleido muscle may be causing your pain: see here…………..healthline.com/health/stern....
I hope you get proper attention very soon. Please let us know how things go.
Neck pain was/is my major PMR symptom. it moves around some, but is usually on the left side and then another day can move to the back of neck (also left side) and once in a while presents at the base of the skull. Very little pain on the right side, but sometimes it presents there (but lesser and for shorter durations). Had to sleep solely on my back for 6 months until the Pred helped it.
Obviously, it could be a pull or pinched nerve, but that seems like a long time for that. For me, stretching and exercises made it worse, somewhat confirming the PMR. I really have no real advice, other than treating it as a flare (going up 5 milligrams fora while) and seeing if it improves. I feel for you, it stinks and you cannot function really or help it by sitting down..because it is still there.
Right lying down, sitting..made no difference. On good mornings, all it took was being up less than an hour, and it was back. Also, turning the head (or up or down) made no difference really (good or bad), so- to me - that pretty much ruled out a pulled muscle. If ONE more person told me to take ibuprofen, put heat on it and stretch (like I hadn't thought of that!), I was gonna lose it..lol. Only the Pred worked, and it took a lot of (30 mg) to do it. I spent around $7,000 for over 1.5 years trying to "fix" it at physical therapy, trigger point injections, facet joint injections, different muscle relaxers, ,you name it - I tried it.
Have you had blood work done recently? If not, I would recommend that. I certainly don't want to alarm you and have no medical background, but I suffered from neck pain consistently for about nine months before I was dx with GCA. I know you said that was 'your not-so-sweet spot' with PMR; never hurts to check. My best..💞
I had neck pain like that for two years until I was finally allowed an MRI to find that I had two herniated disks one on top of the other. Don’t let anyone touch it until they know what they are dealing with. Through the doctor I had originally seen a physio who made it much worse!
I had both neck pain and lower back pain when I had PMR. After a year of prednisone (and likely a genetic proclivity) I was diagnosed with advanced osteoporosis, and I was only 53. Even after the PMR subsided I had to deal with that back/neck pain for years. Most of us can’t feel osteoporosis, but it wasn’t until had time (took about 3 years) to treat and heal the osteoporosis, that my back and neck pain gradually healed…especially under any sort of stress. Now at 61 I can hike without pain and even wear a back pack. I strongly suspect that I had hair line fractures that needed to heal. As part of your overall long term therapy, and in addition to what others recommend here, care for your osteoporosis as well as your PMR. Also, if you haven’t already tried this, I recommend sleeping without a pillow or the lowest pillow you can tolerate. Best wishes! (Oops…just realized it was a commenter who was diagnosed with osteoporosis. Might be something to get screened for in addition to screening for the other possibilities)
I have a lot of neck pain from time to time and I can honestly say that it is my Osteopath that keeps me going. However, he has years of clinical practice under his belt and it really interested in older techniques of pain management. In the past he has used 'cupping' placing of plastic cups to bring extra blood to the affected area, and my particular favourites, heat lamp and acupuncture. Sometimes it will take a couple of sessions before things loosen up enough for actual bone moving or massage (his massage is not gentle rubbing!).
Anyway, I am quite shocked that the osteopath you saw has declined to help you, particularly as you are in so much pain. Perhaps try someone else, or a private physio or even accupuncturist? I have such a good relationship with mine that I wish you success in finding someone to help.
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Back of skull and neck pain 
Persistent neck pain NOT pmr.
Neck and Back Head pains
Bad neck and shoulder pain 
Pain in Neck
