does anyone else experience alot of neck pain from back of the head to top of shoulders i have tried alot of things to fix it and nothing seems to work. any ideas?
Have you tried one of those neck buddys that has rice or beans in it that you eat up your microwave? I have one at work and and use it constantly. I spent 2 years in pain and ended up with 2 herniated discs in my neck. Surgery to fuse them n 2007 helped a lot but still get really tight working at computer all day. I try to get a massage as often as I can. And if anyone offers to give me a neck rub I take it! Good posture helps, but I find that when you're in pain, it isn't tops on my memory. Even a heating pad works. Remember, your head weighs 7-8 pounds so it's a lot to carry around all day. Hope it gets better!
Neck and shoulder pain is my worst enemy with fibro. I bought the neck and shoulder heating pad at Walgreens and it works great. I have my heating pad on my back and then the neck and shoulder heating pad going at night. They both have automatic shut offs and I have found the heating pad really reduces the pain in my neck. I also had Bowen Therapy on Monday and it has alleviated a lot of my pain. I posted about it on another discussion if you are interested and you can YouTube to see what it is like.
The link to heating pad I got is the following:
http://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-885-000-Renue-Therapy-Shoulder/dp/B001JCXJTW
Hi river,
The Chiropractor has always been able to do an adjustment on me and help my neck, but it is a temporary fix. The neck is a hotspot for fibro, but there could be something else going on. Make sure you mention this to your Dr, he may want to take a look at an up to date x-ray of that area.
OTC sports cream helps me, you cannot use a heating pad with it though.
Hope you get some answers and some relief soon!
Yes, I do have a lot of pain in my neck and on up into my head but it extends down the right side of my body. This is since I was diagnosed several months ago with osteoarthritis in my right knee moderate to severe. So, today I have lots of pain the length of my body right side. But the pain is also where the fibro trigger points are so sometimes it is difficult to know which pain is the worst.
I have a lot of neck pain. I had surgery in Dec. of 2005, where they repaired two herniated dic's. I still have neck pain and shoulder paiin. I tried something new two weeks ago that has helped. I got six trigger injections in my neck and shoulder area. They have helped a lot. I don't know if this will help you but its worth a try. I drive a school bus and I stay with neck and shoulder pain. Sue
Hi River.
Yes, unfortunately I can relate. I've had neck pain for years. Since fms my neck pain has worsened, it goes up the back of my head, over the top and down into my face. Sometimes I have numbness in my face. Driving is a trick because I can't turn my head to the left very much at all. Or the right for that matter. I've had mri's of neck and head. DDD is the only thing they find wrong. I'm trying to avoid a disc replacement, so I see my chiropractor and massage therapist for relief. Thank goodness the massage gets included with the chiropractic, otherwise I wouldn't get that. But, my entire annual $ allowance for chiro is teensy tiny. So, anyway, problem #2, I saw my chiropractor last week because I've been so tense and starting to hold my jaw and teeth clenched, causing another type of headache. Chiro says the two areas (back of neck and sides of neck/jaw area) are very closely related and it's really hard to separate them when treating. Well, something like that. All I know is...ouch. I see dentist Monday and will ask for a mouth guard for that part of neck and head pain.
Good luck Riverofsurvival. We will get through this! It's hard, but we have to be harder or stronger.
L-Kitty
hi everyone sorry i havent been able to get on lately i have many things going on ty all for the responses atleast i know its normal , i have been in a flare for just a hair over 9 weeks now, i have had several friends pass away after my adopted dad passed so i have gone to 2 funerals been put on new meds for the pain and the new med causes severe dizziness and i fell sprained my ankle im back on crutches, i have some form of arthritis in every joint in my body docs r still testing and i found out last night after i went to the e r for my ankle that i have raynauds disease the secondary type so its been very busy lately and now your all up to date lol
Oh river, so sorry to hear this, as an arthritic with Raynaud's and Sjogren's I know exactly how you feel! Hopefully they can determine the type of arthritis you have and get you on something to slow the progression of the disease. Hopefully the new meds will stop the dizziness, gabapentin did that to me, so for me Lyrica is better, but any of them can make you dizzy.
When you are feeling better, and if you feel you need to know more or just simply want to, we have groups for fibro with arthritis, and fibro with Raynaud's, in case you do not already belong.
Wishing you well, heal quickly!
SK
So very sorry for the loss of your loved ones, my heart goes out to you, my friend!
Hi River,
You've certainly had a time of it, haven't you? How sad that you lost your adopted dad and several friends. No wonder you've been in such a long flare, with the loss of so many important people, and fibro knows that and feeds off it. I'm so sorry for your losses, River. It must be very hard to deal with them plus the stupid fibro. And arthritis in all of your joints? Oh man, how painful! It's a wonder that you only sprained an ankle, but thank goodness you did nothing more.
Yeah, those meds can make you wicked dizzy. Have you thought of using a cane until you get used to the meds? I did and boy did it help keep me standing up straight! They make some very pretty ones too. Definitely worth considering.
Gentle hugs to you,
Petunia
What a great idea, Eydis! I’ve used them before on my low back but forgot about them. Just went and put them on my shopping list. Going to get the ones for my neck and back for work and both cars! And I think I saw a coupon in the flyer yesterday - great idea!
Oh River, I am so sorry to hear of all the turmoil you have been through. The losses through death of several special people certainly complicates your grieving journey. No wonder your fibro has been in a flare for so long. Fibro flares drain your energy just dealing with the increased pain.
Know that we are here to support you. We do not expect you to respond to each posting. You have so many other things to deal with.
Love and gentle hugs
Rachel
hi sk the docs r supposed to test me for r.a. and a few other things, i see my primary doc tomorrow for referrals to a pain doc and tell him about the e.r. visit and what they found and its the new med that caused the dizziness but doc told me how to control that better so im not worried but if i hadnt gotten dizzy from the new med and sprained my ankle i wouldnt have known that the cold numb fingers and toes and such was actually raynauds and not just from the nerve damage i have cuz thats what i thought all this time when my fingers get numb and cold i thought it was nerve damage so didnt think much of it and i just wonder how much raynauds plays a role in my core body temp being as low as 96 to 97
hi petunia and ty and yup i have several canes and 2 pair of crutches and just bought a new cane a few days ago it is pretty and the handle and tip glow in the dark for night time walking i paid 19.99 for it and doc said keep wearing my boots i always wear low healed boots i couldnt figure out why my feet hurt worse when i wear tennis shoes, flats or regular dress shoes and doc said cuz of the arthritis in my ankles the boots give me more support being i dont wear boots that r low cut
ty rachel yup its been rough my adopted mom is having a hard time with losing dad im trying to be there for her too but with things acting up so bad its been hard to drive as far as miscellaneous especially now that i sprained my driving foot and such and yup i have been very tired friends said the other day i must be addicted to the net cuz im always logged in lol i said im always logged in true but i do more sleeping and napping in my big comfy chair than i do playing on the net lol i cant use my regular computer desk chair so i put my big padded one and foot stool in front of the computer for now until things calm down
ty eydis i may have to check those out at a pharmacy i did get a heating blanket and will be getting a 2nd one for backup so i dont have to keep dragging this one around the house lol
right with u sandi i have them on my list for my next pharmacy run lol
Eydis, what do these cost? Good idea, I agree. I''ve used the Salonpas, but want to try the Therma Care. I'll put them on my list too!
Also, River, have you thought of using a Tens Unit?