I have been diagnosed with arthritis in cervical spine C5/6/7. There is discogenic degenerative change and discogenic central stenosis at these levels. I have a continual "stiff neck" and I have to take sleeping tablets or else I continually wake up during the night. It affect my R shoulder too and I have constant headaches because my neck muscles spasm and can't relax. I have been having physiotherapy on and off for several years now but that has no long term relief.
Can anyone suggest any medication which might relieve the neck spasms? I am not on any arthritis medication but take MOBIC when necessary. I can't tolerate any other anti inflamatory medication.
I have tried doing exercises to strengthen the neck but it only makes the headaches worse. I would really appreciate any advice you can give.

Mobic needs to be taken daily in order for it to be effective, not as needed when you have a flare up as it is an anti-imflamatory medication that takes time to build up into your system.
You might try some phsycial therapy which may helps to ease up the tension. Also a prescribed muscle relaxer may be of help and it will also help you to sleep a little better at night.
Have you seen a nuerosurgeon regarding the problem? If not you might want to check into it to see if there's anything that can be done to help

How can a neurosurgeon help?? :confused:

If you are experiencing herniations or compressions of the cervical spine as a result of the arthritis they can be removed and the neck fused. Overall the outcome of the proceedure is very good for most people in general.
Have you had an MRI as of recent? If not you may just want to ask for one so that you can get the current status of your bones.
I've had problems for years due to a 3rd level or degree of whip lash (tendons actually tear) back in 1988. A few years ago I was having really bad heaches and neck stiffness so I had an MRI done. They did find some mild arthritis and very mild hernations. Last fall I began having shoulder pains, mild at first and I thought they were just my old bursitis kicking in until one day I woke up in the absolute most horrifying pain I ever felt in my life, it was as bad as when I had my hip replaced the last time.
Long story short, I was misdiagnosed with shoulder problems because I had no major neck symptoms. Had a scoping done, doctors found only spurs and removed them. I got progressively worse the day after the surgery due to the sling I was in and completely lost the feeling in my arm and fingers, it later went to both arms and hands completely. Doctors took a bit in figuring out what was wrong why I was suffering terribly, I would do anything to end the pain. Finaly they figured out that it was my neck because neck problems started creeping up.
Had an MRI done in January showing very severe or large herniations on c6 and c7 that were crushing my spinal cord and c4 and c5 were moderate and only pressing the cord. I had immediate surgery because of this.

What I am trying to get at is that if you have not had an MRI in a while it is time to because hernations if you have them or didn't have them back then you may have them now and they change rapidly. You want to rule anything out before going back to therapy which can only make it worse. After an MRI you and your doctor can figure out the diagnosis or if it has changed diagnosis's and what to do next.

In the meantime ice it lots, it will help. You can also use heat however if there is swelling it may make it worse.

Yes, I initially had an XRay then the MRI diagnosed the problems in my first post. Specialist said there were 3 alternatives:
1. Put up with it as I am doing and managing it all with the sleeping tablets and Mobic and physio.
2. Nerve root injections on the two levels.
3. Surgery to fuse the two levels.
I was going to have the nerve root injections but chickened out as I was not sure that injections of cortosone were the best way to go.
I don't think the specialist likes to go the surgery route until it is the only way to go.
He said that eventually the body will fuse that area anyway but in the meantime I have virtually non stop headaches which I can usually put up with and constant stiffness in my neck. I have had shoulder pain but it comes and goes. Only had one really bad episode. Sometimes get pins and needles in my arm and hand but not very bad.
What would you suggest is my next course of action?

If it were me, and it was me months ago

First try the meds and therapy but NOT traction! Go for ultrasound and massage, gentle stretching. Please avoid the traction, it made me worse

I would not get the injections because SI injections are not meant to be in any joint of the spine regardless of what doctors tell you. The manufacturer of these medications clearly state DO NOT USE THEM FOR SACRIAL JOINTS!
Why doctors fail to miss this is beyond me. It is a personal preferance but please do your research on the serious implications. Repeated injections will deteriate the bone and muscle as well as soft tissue. You are also opening yourself up for a bag of other goodies including scar tissue.

Surgery is only a last option if you have lost the feeling in your limb(s) and the pain is unbearable and doesn't respond to pain medications. I am glad I had my surgery I am doing really well. Minimal pain and I woke up feeling much better than going in.

The choice is really yours but no matter what you do look around and do some research before you make a decision on injections or surgery

Good luck

Thanks for the advice Kissa!
Did your headaches go away after the surgery and how long did it take to get over the operation??

I also have been diagnosed with cervical arthritis, along with bone spurs, pinched nerve, herniation at C6/7, spinal stenosis, and cervical ribs. I must though disagree regarding the advice for no traction. I was diagnosed with all but the cervical ribs in March of this year. I've known about the cervical ribs for 18 years. I had a MRI after suffering unbearable pain into my shoulder because of the pinched nerve. My doctor sent me to physical therapy where they did traction for 20 minutes, three times a week for six weeks. I now have a home traction unit that I use each evening for ten minutes. For me traction has been a god-send. I will gladly use this each evening if I can avoid surgery, or even delay it for several years. My pain is now bearable, not gone though it is controlled with over the counter meds (Motrin or Aleve) and Neurontin 300 mg each evening. Hope to go off the Neurontin all together soon. But my opinion, is try traction if your doctor or therapist suggests it. It has been a big relief to me.

Thanks Hatcher, do you have trouble sleeping and using a computer?

Sorry that I haven't checked for a couple days! Yes,when I was first diagnosed in March I had a horrible time sleeping. Could not sleep for more than 2 hours a night. This went on for two weeks until they put me on Neurontin and that helped tremendously. Still at times I do have trouble getting comfortable and I've found that the best thing to do is lay flat on my back with no pillow. This though is not how I normally sleep but it lets me get untensed enough to eventually get into my normal position on my stomach/side. I still think that I must toss & turn a lot though.

Also, computer work is tough too. And of course that is what my job is. My monitor is directly in front of the key board and I stretch and get up frequently. Sitting is also not good. That brings on symptoms in my hand and arm if I sit too long. The weekends when I'm able to be up and about are best. My therapist also had me laying down flat on my back every two hours for ten minutes when I was at my worst. I did this for two months and I think that helps a lot too. When I do start feeling bad even now, that's the first thing that I do.

How have you been feeling? Have you given traction any thought? I know some say it makes them feel worse. But from the beginning, it helped me a lot. That plus the Neurontin and laying down frequently. I still am not normal but doubt that I ever will be. But from what I've read about surgery, that scares me to death. It seems that most end up in just as much pain afterwards, if not more. So like I say, I'll do my traction everynight for ten minutes, thank you very much! Take care and keep in touch.

I have been keeping the physiotherapist in business for years but it is only recently that I have actually had the xrays etc. to find out exactly what was wrong. If I hadn't pushed the GP to refer me to a specialist I would never have known what was wrong and why I had such a stiff neck, etc.
So all these years of going to physio approximately every 1 to 3 months have really achieved little except a temporary relaxation of my neck muscles which spasm because of the arthritis.
They usually include traction in the treatment plus I have done it at home. It is something that helps sometimes but not always. I also use the heat pack at night.
I take Doxepin 10g every evening and that is enough to help me get a reasonable nights sleep. Apparently Doxepin in greater doses is an anti-depressant but they found that it had a sedating effect so it is used as a non-addictive sleeping tablet.
I had hoped to be able to stop taking it at some point but that doesn't seem possible at the moment. I simply couldn't sleep for more than 1 hour without my neck getting all seized up.
During the day recently and at the moment I have a permanent headache at the base of my skull so that is telling me it is time that I went back to the physio for another session.
Like you, I am not anxious to have surgery although I have heard that a lot of people have had wonderful results - no guarantees though!! :)

Traction is a hit or miss thing, either it works or it can make it worse. In my case and the case of many others I spoke with it actually made the pain worse and certainly increased my headaches. My situation may of been different, C6 and C7 were so herniated that they actually crushed the spinal cord while C4 and C5 were pressing on the cord but not crushing and that is most likely why the traction only made my problems worse overall.

My headaches did decrease after having an ACDF but they are not gone completely. It is hard to say if it is caused by the neck, my allergies or various other problems I have. Each person is going to be different.

Have you seen a neuro surgeon lately or had a new MRI to see if your problems have gotten worse over time? I had gone through problems over 2 years ago with the pain and headaches and muscle tightness but the MRI's indicated minor herniations and arthritis with no stenosis, it wasn't until 2 years later it has progressed to the severe point that I was that required surgery.

I really would get it checked out just to be certain. It doesn't mean you have to have surgery but it does give you a baseline of where you are and what to expect possibly in the future.

Ice is actually better if you are having any indications of swelling at all. I know heat feels good, I use it as well, but it is my understanding that if there is a problem with inflamation that the heat will only increase the problem. At least it's food for thought.

I do know that just prior to my neck being at it's worst massages really helped me get through some rough periods before the surgery and I really recomend it if it's something you can do!

Good luck
Barbie