Discussion
Just been down to A&E as my neck has suddenly packed up..
Bit of back ground, I'm 31 generally good health, quite a physical job, and ride a lot of miles on a motorbike.
Over the last few weeks i noticed my neck getting a bit stiff and painful...thought nothing of it. Then riding the bike yesterday nearly got taken out, and as a reaction made quite a sudden move to the left with my head. As soon as i did it i knew something wasn't right, but was only 1/2 a mile from home so carried on. Got off the bike and threw up, then noticed my pinky finger and ring finger on my left hand had pins and needles...and that my neck was bloody agony to move.
The O/H was quite insistant i go to A&E with her. Anyhoo... very very helpful doc does all the checks, pokes and prods me and diagnoses 'Wry Neck' which he describes as a trapped nerve in the neck which swells up, and everytime it swells it tears a bit, and when it tears it swells etc etc
Gave me a shot of anti-inflammatory in the arse, a pescribes 600mg Ibuprofen tabs 3 times a day together with some form of antacid to stop the Ibuprofen killing my stomach.
My concern is that this seems to be a 'cover up' job, that meaning it will help the pain....but how do i fix the problem? Its bloody painful and extremely restrictive, and i'm really quite worried this could plague me for quite some time.
Has anybody had this condition and can give me some advice please?
Thanks in advance
Bit of back ground, I'm 31 generally good health, quite a physical job, and ride a lot of miles on a motorbike.
Over the last few weeks i noticed my neck getting a bit stiff and painful...thought nothing of it. Then riding the bike yesterday nearly got taken out, and as a reaction made quite a sudden move to the left with my head. As soon as i did it i knew something wasn't right, but was only 1/2 a mile from home so carried on. Got off the bike and threw up, then noticed my pinky finger and ring finger on my left hand had pins and needles...and that my neck was bloody agony to move.
The O/H was quite insistant i go to A&E with her. Anyhoo... very very helpful doc does all the checks, pokes and prods me and diagnoses 'Wry Neck' which he describes as a trapped nerve in the neck which swells up, and everytime it swells it tears a bit, and when it tears it swells etc etc
Gave me a shot of anti-inflammatory in the arse, a pescribes 600mg Ibuprofen tabs 3 times a day together with some form of antacid to stop the Ibuprofen killing my stomach.
My concern is that this seems to be a 'cover up' job, that meaning it will help the pain....but how do i fix the problem? Its bloody painful and extremely restrictive, and i'm really quite worried this could plague me for quite some time.
Has anybody had this condition and can give me some advice please?
Thanks in advance
Edited by wiliferus on Sunday 18th October 00:14
Driller said:
I had something very similar for a few years funnily enough since I started biking. Get yourself in the gym regularly and it will disappear.
Do you think it may be neck muscle related then? Only problem is i have a neck like a feckin bull-dog! If i build it up anymore i'll be in danger of having a neck wider than my head!!My theory is that this is a neuro-muscular problem brought on by our sedentary lifestyle. Your body is like a machine, if you don't use it it tends to seize up.
I personaly found shrugs and lat pulls helped me a lot. You say your neck is in good shape, what about your upper back and traps? Anyway it's not just a question of strength, it's about mobility and flexibility too.
Maybe your problem is not identical to what I had, I don't know. Nobody was sure if it was a trapped nerve, a strained muscle or both. One thing for sure that it was inflamatory and doing regular gym, to keep things strong and moving, completely cured the problem.
If you're not doing any regular sport, give it a go (gently obviously) and see what happens.
I personaly found shrugs and lat pulls helped me a lot. You say your neck is in good shape, what about your upper back and traps? Anyway it's not just a question of strength, it's about mobility and flexibility too.
Maybe your problem is not identical to what I had, I don't know. Nobody was sure if it was a trapped nerve, a strained muscle or both. One thing for sure that it was inflamatory and doing regular gym, to keep things strong and moving, completely cured the problem.
If you're not doing any regular sport, give it a go (gently obviously) and see what happens.
I put up with 'wry kneck' for a couple of years until they finally got fed up with me nagging for an X-ray. That showed degeneration of the C5 & C6 intervertebral disks. Same symptoms: pain, stiffness and numb fingers. My prognosis: Tough, you've got it, live with it.
I'm a good bit older than the OP though.
I'm a good bit older than the OP though.
Best bit of advice i ve read here is push for MRI but before that see a good sports physio, may not be nothing to do with you neck could be referred from your shoulder get an assessment mate. As for working upper traps and lat pulldowns avoid at all costs could be over dominant traps giving you the issue. Even your posture on the bike needs looking at over dominant neck flexors causes neural problems over time. Hopefully at your age degeneration wont be an issue.
Avoid the gym before you see a physio, you could do more damage than good. I had a similar problem a few years back and it turned out that the root of the problem were the muscles supporting my shoulder blade, which were pretty weak so put extra strain on my neck as it was those muscles that held my shoulder blade in place.
It could be so many things things and diagnosis by internet is dangerous, but get to a good sports physio and let them assess you.
It could be so many things things and diagnosis by internet is dangerous, but get to a good sports physio and let them assess you.
996 sps said:
Best bit of advice i ve read here is push for MRI but before that see a good sports physio, may not be nothing to do with you neck could be referred from your shoulder get an assessment mate. As for working upper traps and lat pulldowns avoid at all costs could be over dominant traps giving you the issue. Even your posture on the bike needs looking at over dominant neck flexors causes neural problems over time. Hopefully at your age degeneration wont be an issue.
As mentionedwiliferus said:
Driller said:
I had something very similar for a few years funnily enough since I started biking. Get yourself in the gym regularly and it will disappear.
Do you think it may be neck muscle related then? Only problem is i have a neck like a feckin bull-dog! If i build it up anymore i'll be in danger of having a neck wider than my head!!Flying out to work I was in agony on the plane, couldn't get comfortable, my left arm just aching inside the bicep.
At work I got the same pain all the time, and I could only sleep on my left side with my arm straight, no other position would relieve the pain.
So, I hit Google to scare myself. It seems the most common cause of shoulder/arm pains is bad posture when people hunch over computers and stuff. The vertebrae scrunch together, squash the discs, pinch nerves etc.
One of the main times I got the pain was when on the internet, so I reshuffled my chair, moved the monitor up a few inches, brought it closer to my rheumy old eyes, and the pain lifted just like that!!!
I suffered this really badly a few months ago.
I felt a slight twinge in my neck one morning when I raised my head off my pillow. I thought nothing of it so went downstairs for breakfast, only for my trap / neck muscles to start spasming, literally sending me to the floor in agony.
I had around 5 or 6 spasms over the course of that morning and spent the whole day face down on my bed as it was the only position I could remain in without my neck spasming.
The spasms were, without doubt the most painful, uncomfortable thing I have ever experienced.
At the time I had no idea what was going on, so my wife called 999, she was diverted through to the NHS helpling and after convincing them that I didnt have swine flu (
) I was told it was probably a wry neck.
A call to the doctors resulted in the missus going down to the pharmacist to pick up some anti inflamatories and muscle relaxants which did help.
The next day I went to see an Osteomyologist who numerous members of the wife's family have used over the years. His diagnosis is that I hunch over my computer putting a strain on my neck / shoulders.
Ive had a few treatments with him now and do feel a lot better but my neck is still not 100% right. Ive adjusted my chair at work as per his recommendation and makesure I take regular breaks from sitting down and staring at the computer.
I felt a slight twinge in my neck one morning when I raised my head off my pillow. I thought nothing of it so went downstairs for breakfast, only for my trap / neck muscles to start spasming, literally sending me to the floor in agony.
I had around 5 or 6 spasms over the course of that morning and spent the whole day face down on my bed as it was the only position I could remain in without my neck spasming.
The spasms were, without doubt the most painful, uncomfortable thing I have ever experienced.
At the time I had no idea what was going on, so my wife called 999, she was diverted through to the NHS helpling and after convincing them that I didnt have swine flu (
) I was told it was probably a wry neck.A call to the doctors resulted in the missus going down to the pharmacist to pick up some anti inflamatories and muscle relaxants which did help.
The next day I went to see an Osteomyologist who numerous members of the wife's family have used over the years. His diagnosis is that I hunch over my computer putting a strain on my neck / shoulders.
Ive had a few treatments with him now and do feel a lot better but my neck is still not 100% right. Ive adjusted my chair at work as per his recommendation and makesure I take regular breaks from sitting down and staring at the computer.
I did this when I was about 8 years old. About every other year since (i'm 31), I'll feel the twinge and *snap*, I'm on my back for a few days.
The only thing I can do is rest my neck. I usually wrap a towel around my neck as a neck brace when I need to move i.e. go to the toilet.
Hot baths also help.
But be very careful with massages, for me it's a recurring injury and can 'go off' at any time for the lamest of reason.
The only thing I can do is rest my neck. I usually wrap a towel around my neck as a neck brace when I need to move i.e. go to the toilet.
Hot baths also help.
But be very careful with massages, for me it's a recurring injury and can 'go off' at any time for the lamest of reason.
Thanks for all the advice. Had to stop taking the Ibuprofen as they gave me hiccups from the moment i took them..... nearly 48 hours of hiccups in total!!
Went back to my GP who suggested Ibuprofen Gel which has helped, and thankfully got a good healthcare scheme through work so am off for some physio at the end of the week. Still very hit and miss, some very painful days, and some days where i feel nothing is wrong! (Today is not a good day
) Signed off work till monday, then going back on restricted duties until all is well.
Still, sounds like all is slowly on the mend, fingers crossed.
Went back to my GP who suggested Ibuprofen Gel which has helped, and thankfully got a good healthcare scheme through work so am off for some physio at the end of the week. Still very hit and miss, some very painful days, and some days where i feel nothing is wrong! (Today is not a good day
) Signed off work till monday, then going back on restricted duties until all is well.Still, sounds like all is slowly on the mend, fingers crossed.
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