So for the past...oh two years I would say, I have had the strange but all be it strong assurance that my head must be too heavy for my neck. Some days I honestly can't even lift it off my pillow without using my arms for support, and if I lean back it feels like my neck might snap at any moment. Yes, I am joking when I say my head is too heavy, but that's honestly how it feels! Does anyone else out there suffer from very weak neck muscles in fibro? Is there anything you have done that has helped it?
I would sure appreciate some advice or assurance that I'm not the only one out there that feels like a bobble head.
I have migraines that cause my neck to hurt Poss; TMJ that causes face pain and headaches and a tired jaw. nut never a weak neck ... but hey with Fibro. you never know what can happen next. Make sure you discuss this with your Dr.
I know exactly what you mean. I get this maybe one day a month. The only thing that seems to help me other than a high dose of painkillers is a neck brace. You can buy them at pharmacies for a reasonably price maybe £15/$25.
Yes, I feel the same way. Today I went to the Ortho-on-call, kind of like an urgent orthopedic care center, because I've had sciatic pain for 3 weeks now. I asked him to check my neck and shoulders because they hurt so bad. He said he could only do one or the other, the neck or the hips, and since my primary gave me an anti-inflammatory for the sciatic he was going to focus on the neck to make sure there wasn't any arthritis in the neck. He took a few x-rays and said my neck looked fine no arthritis but there was definitely an issue with range of motion. So he put me on a steroid and muscle relaxers. Hopefully this will also help with the hip/sciatic pain. He also made me an appt with a spine specialist. Not sure why but since it feels like my head is to heavy for my neck I feel like my whole spine it being squished. Which may be the cause of the lower back and hip pain. We will see. I hope you feel better.
Ahava, after reading your post Dancermom and I wanted to post some info to bring awareness, to the fibro community, about Chiari Malformation and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and the accompanying symptoms. So many of us are either misdiagnosed or only partially diagnosed; there are so many symptoms that overlap for Fibro, Chiari, and EDS in particular. Many Chiari and EDS patients have been diagnosed with Fibro.
Stats: approx. 1 out 1000 people have a Chiari malformation, but only 1/3 are “symptomatic.” Approx. 20% of Chiari patients also have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.
Chiari malformation is a herniation of the bottom of the cerebellum, through the foramen magnum, into the area of the spinal cord. This can compress the spinal cord and block (to any degree) the flow of Cerebral Spinal Fluid. In some cases the herniation is so small that it can be difficult to measure, but non- the- less can block the flow of CSF and compress the spinal cord, cranial nerves, and arteries. Diagnosis is important- prolonged amount of time can cause lasting or permanent neurological damage - especially if a cyst has formed in the spinal cord.
Symptoms are: headache/migraine, face pain, neck pain, numbness to extremities, dizziness, balance issues, cognitive issues (memory, word finding, speech) swallowing difficulty, bowel and or urinary incontinence or issues, Dysautomomia, and many more. Some experience only a few symptoms and everybody has a different combination of symptoms. For more info-
CSFinfo.org
Ehlers Danlos Syndrome is a connective tissue disorder that causes soft tissues to become lax and unable to hold their structure. Ligaments that become too lax and stretchy can’t prevent abnormal, increased amounts of movement of joints. This can cause joint subluxations or dislocations. The neck is very susceptible to these subluxations and causes many of the same symptoms as the Chiari, including the sensation of not being able told ones head up- many of our EDS members with neck and head involvement have described themselves as bobble heads.
Symptoms- widespread joint pain, subluxation of any joint, dislocation of any joint (knee caps, shoulders, fingers, etc), hypermobility/ flexible, irritable bowel syndrome, spinal disk disease, TMJ, headache, neck pain, vitamin deficiencies/ malabsorption issues, dysautonomia, costochondritis, neural tube defects, and many more. Again, each patient has a different combination of these symptoms. For more info -CSFinfo.org
Brighton Criteria
Beighton Criteria
Not all EDS patients have Chiari.
Please feel free to message me or join the Chiari Malformation and or EDS forums.
Thats the main area that never lets up on me,my neck pain/fatigue is there even after a night of somewhat ok sleep..I can remeber years ago,as i have gotten sorta use to it now,feeling like i need a neck brace or nogg'in support holder device thingy.Right now hurt'in like hell but i'm happy as long as my head don't fall off..peace out,wayne
Hey, i have woken up and my neck was so stiff i couldn’t turn my head. Was taken to hospital they gave me a shot to relax muscles and morphine shot. Very painful. Melissa
Yes, I know what you mean. Usually for me it is due to dizziness from the medicines I take for fibro. More like lightheadedness, I guess. My eyes also feel like they are kind of bobbling around, causing more of the sensation. For me, rest is best.
I hope you feel better soon! These flares can be killer.
I wonder if you and Ahava are in need of muscle relaxants in order to sleep. The neck pain and fatigue seem to go hand in hand with those tight, fibro-clenched muscles.
As always with any diagnoses do not just assume that all symptoms are related to the original diagnoses. It is important to mention all new symptoms to your Dr. sometimes it is also necessary to ask your Dr. to test you for other things. It is better to be tested and the tests come back negative than to not be tested and you have something other than Fibro. We each have to be pro active when it comes to our health care.
As a support group we can only give you information we feel you may be in need of based on our own experiences and knowledge. The information provided above is not meant to scare you but to inform you of conditions that you may want to be checked for. You are important to us. Please keep us posted on what you decide to do.
Hey everyone, thanks for all of your feedback and information. I am not sure if this is just another joy of having fibromyalgia or something else, it has been an issue for so long I honestly don't remember when the symptoms first set in. Next time I see my rheumatologist I will ask what he thinks of it, though I am pretty sure he will say it is fibro related.
I take muscle relaxants almost every night to help my muscles relax for sleep already, so I'm still not sure if this is fibro related or not.
Hope you all get some relief from your aches and pains soon!
