I don’t post on here a lot but I do come on and read. It helps me to know that I am not alone. The past 2 months (maybe a little longer) I have had extremely tight muscles in my shoulders and neck. I mean so tight my GP called them “ropes” and a massage therapist I see has told me that I have the tightest, most difficult muscles to get to release. The longer the muscles are tight, the worse my tension headaches/migraines get. They last longer too. A few weeks ago I had a stretch of 4 -almost 5- day headaches. Tonight I’m noticing if I move my neck in a certain way it feels like all the muscles just contract at once from my neck all the way over my skull. Not a fun feeling cause next comes dizziness from the pressure over my skull. As anyone ever experienced something like this? Any ideas to help me? I’m on muscle relaxers (gen zanaflex I think) plus Ambien because I don’t sleep. Heat seems to help while it is in place but once removed, pain and tightness come right back. I need help. I feel like in going crazy.
I use deep heat… My neck and shoulders are super tight, I carry the weight of life there.
Try to relax and use heat as much as possible, my doctor also said to try to switch off with ice, but I hate, hate cold, and I can’t do it…
I also have a neck thing I warm in the microwave so i can walk around with it.
Hope you feel better soon!
Joy
Hi Killian, have you thought about seeing a Kinesiologist for an assessment and to see if they can help you. I went for a few sessions of fascial stretching with a Kinesiologist and although it was initially very painful as he had really strong hands and was able to get in deep. I had tried massage and it didn’t help. It’s been 3 months and it’s probably time to go back. That’s my fault because I haven’t been doing the exercises he gave me faithfully. Not all Kinesiologists do fascial stretching but some are trained to do this. It was expensive but it was worth it to me.
I hope you find something that helps you.
B2chi
Hi Killian,
I have tried numerous muscle relaxants, but this seems to be the best of the bunch for me,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tizanidine
I was started on 2 mg, but that was not enough at night, so he prescribed 4mg, and I can break them in half if necessary. Start out slow with this, it can really knock you for a loop!
Wishing you well,
SK
Sorry, I should have looked at your profile page before responding, I see you are already taking Tizanadine.
I don't know if you were injured, I know that I sustained injuries from all 3 of my car accidents, and it caused the tendons to shrink, and my muscles to knot terribly! I don't have all the answers, but it's a thought.
Hope you can find some substantial relief!
http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/diseases/tendon_disorders.html
Tizanidine is the gen of zanaflex just couldn’t think of that name last night! Lol! I’m taking 6mg at night so muscle will relax enough that I can sleep.
Tendons shrinking wouldn’t surprise me. I believe a car accident is what triggered the fibro in the first place 
Hi Killian and welcome!
I honestly thought that mine were bad...but yours are much worse. I honestly don't know what to suggest beyond a good sports massage. Tiger Balm, have you tried that before? Its smells like Ben Gay but is much stronger. I used to even put it on my temples....gotta watch that though, cause if you get too close, it burns and it hurts!
What about tai chi or yoga? They seem to help some people with stretching muscles, though not necessarily fibro people.
I hope you get a hold of this problem! When your upper back, neck and shoulders hurt, you seem to hurt everywhere!
Hugs,
Pet
Killian, you and I seem to have much in common. I was in a car accident that I think eventually triggered my fibro. I have chronic neck and upper back/left shoulder pain and those muscles, plus my pelvic floor muscles, are chronically tight and caught in spasms. I am taking Tizanidine as well, 4mg up to 4 times a day, with long acting opiates. The Tizanidine can make me very sleepy and it does help the spasming (not to disappearing though) but unsure how much it actually relaxes things. I have migraines too - I take Topamax every day for that to keep them at bay, and diclofenac potassium for full-on migraines. I was taking Ambien, too, but it stopped working. For a while, I was using Doxepin for sleep but it gave me urinary hesitancy (it worked great for sleep though - no other side effects). Now, I'm using Mirtzapine for sleep.
Trigger point massage, in small doses, along with a good massage therapist for craniosacral, often helps me for upper body tightness. Heating pads and long soaks in the tubs - definitely. I have also found that yin yoga and gentle chi gong are great for relaxing upper body and facial/neck tightness. I have an acupressure mat like this but can't swear by it yet - I've only tried it a few times, but it seems pretty relaxing. If you have the time and space for it, I find sometimes listening to some very soothing music without interruption, with a little aromatherapy can be useful too. I have an Aura Cacia diffuser that I'll use with lavender oil, for example (this often helps me sleep too), one artist I like is Paul Horn, and I find that that can sometimes help bring my shoulders down. Also, I see a Tibetan Doctor who gives me medicinal herbs and teas. She gives me a tea for my headaches, an herbal remedy for anxiety, and since Tibetan medicine treats your whole body, I would think it probably has had a beneficial effect on these problems as a whole. Tibetan medicine can be expensive and it takes time though.
If you carry a purse/backpack and can lighten the load by any amount, it's worth it. Anything you do on a daily basis that causes you to repetitively reach overhead, push/pull weights that are uncomfortable for you, lift heavy objects - see what you can re-arrange or change so that those stresses are minimized. Also, I've learned over the years to stop nodding my head in agreement as much and say "yeah" instead, and to turn my whole torso instead of my neck to minimize side to side head movement. I don't know what physical therapists would say about that, but I find it helps stop a lot of snowballing pain/tightness!
Finally, for the moment :), have you considered your pillow? My sister was in the same car accident I was and also has chronic neck pain. She has found one pillow since that accident she can't sleep without. For her, it's the sobakawa pillow. But my point is, there are different ones for side, back, and stomach sleepers, and now there are water pillows, memory foam, and all other kinds - maybe trying out a couple different kinds would relieve some of your pain. I tried some different kinds after my sister's experiment and also found I definitely sleep better with some than others because of different kinds of support. I have to think that translates to more rest/relaxation at night, less pain the next day.
I hope something here may be of benefit. If you want to know more about anything, feel free to send me a message! I hope you find some relief. :)
Meadow
Reading your post is like reading about myself. I have been trying everything to get rid of the knots in my neck. I have constant migraines too. I was at the dentist today and he said I should try a night guard to help me with my grinding of my teeth and clenching throughout the night. So I had impressions done at the end of my appt and will get them next week. I am at my wit's end so I will try anything to reduce the tension running through my neck, jaw, and temple. The dentist feels it will help. Also I just read about myofascial release (is that the correct term?). I am going to try that too. I hope that you feel better soon!!!
Wow Meadow thanks for all the info! :-). I actually started out on Topamax before I was actually diagnosed with fibro. It worked for a couple of years before my body adjusted to it. Right now we are hoping if we can figure out how to release the tension, we will help the migraines. For the most part I have what I term “functional migraines”. With these I can do my job, which is very physical but I love it! There have been a few in the past 6 months that I was definitely non-functional and one that I remember was bad enough I came very close to asking my husband to take me to an er. Once the non-functional ones show up there isn’t a lot I can to except try to sleep until it breaks.
I have a monthly massage appointment (most I can afford right now) and my husband does his best to try to help release the knots on really bad nights - I got pretty dang lucky with him as I was diagnosed after we got married. I’m not sure how much lifting/pulling I can change in my job. I work at a pet boarding resort, which requires a lot of handling big dogs, little dogs, bending over to get bowls/toys/bedding and then standing up. I know eventually I will probably not be able to do it but I love my job and want to do it as long as possible
I’m going to look into the acupressure mat. :-). And possibly a new pillow - I have a side sleeper which I do sleep a lot on my side but I also sleep on my back too.
I’ve tried yoga and it didn’t seem to help but it’s quite possible that I tried it on a day that I was already beyond stressed and shoulders were so tight that the yoga couldn’t do anything. I may try it again once it gets warm again so I can do it outside. I seem way more relaxed when I’m outside 
Killian,
When my neck and shoulders get like that the only thing that helps me is the TENS machine and heat. You can get a home version for like $30.00. You put the pads on your knots and turn it on for 15 minutes and it helps. I usually have to do it a couple times if I'm really bad. My doctor gave me I think it was Vicodin as a muscle relaxer but that didn't help.
If you have someone who can give you a massage at home, I met a therapist last week and she suggested having someone grip your shoulders where the knots are and you turning your head to the left and the right slowly to stretch the muscles. She also suggest that I press on my left clavicle and turn my head to the right and then up to stretch the muscles in the front of my neck and then do the other side. And if you have someone kind of cup their hands and place then there your spine meets your scull and you just rest your head in their hands, that seems to help. She suggested these exercises because I told her my husband was afraid to massage my neck because he was afraid he would hurt me.
I used to have the knots really bad but since my doctor put me on the Zoloft for Anxiety my neck and shoulders haven't been that bad. I still have tightness but not knots.
Gentle Hugs and I hope you find some relief,
Stacey
Hi, I'm very new on here, and haven't even introduced myself to everyone yet...but I'm Laura, I live in Missouri and I have the answer to your prayers, as it's been the answer to mine (at least for the issues you mentioned above)
The company is called "Smart Relief"....I found it through Living Social online. Their website it smart-relief.comI got the Ultimate Combo which will even allow you to do your feet!!!
It's about the size of an MP3 player and then cords with pads that snap on (all included). On the website it shows like $400, BUT I got it for $50 through Living Social. It's exactly what they use at chiropractor's offices...(actually this one was better than the one at my old chiropractor). It has different massage modes, you adjust the strength. I get the exact same terrible pain in my neck and all between my shoulders that you do, my left leg always hurts and gets that "tight" feeling, my headaches are excruciating.....and this thing makes it STOP!! Enough that the other night I was almost in tears and I ended up falling asleep after using this. It feels SO good!! Sorry for rambling, but when I saw your post....I got excited because this IS your answer! I'll check if Living Social still has the deal, and let you know! : )
Blessings,
Laura
I use Prospera Pl009-p Electronis Pulse Massager and its wonderful.
Geez, that's too bad about the Topamax not working after a couple years! When you say your migraines are functional/non-functional, what do you mean? Your job does sound great although probably somewhat taxing to your condition. I can relate to that too - I used to be a librarian and I loved it, but I regularly was lifting heavy crates of books, pushing/pulling carts full of them, or shifting shelf-fulls of them. It was my life but it took a toll on my body after the car accident and there wasn't much that could be done to accommodate my limitations, so I just worked through the pain until I couldn't do it anymore. It's a difficult choice when it's your livelihood and you love it.
I know - massage is expensive. That's my trouble with it too. One thing I keep meaning to check into are the local massage schools around my area, where there are teachers nearby supervising the students giving the massages and you can get a steep discount. It's one way of getting them more regularly.
I'm glad to hear your husband is helpful and supportive, that's so important. The accupressure mat - I'm not swearing by it, but a lot of other people on Amazon seem to! :) I think it has the potential to do some good over the entire body and release a lot of toxins. I see Lalabug mentioned a night guard - I usually have one of those too.
By functional and non-functional migraine (those are my terms not a dr’s) i use those to describe if I can do anything during the day or not. I do have headaches that I consider migraines that I can continue to do things it just takes me longer. And then I have migraines where I can’t do anything except lay in a dark room