severe neck and shoulder pain - Smoking Cessation Message Board

sweptaway76 · 07-31-2006, 12:01 PM

Hi everyone. I have been experiencing tons of pain in my shoulder and neck area. I am a somewhat tense person and do suffer from anxiety problems as well. (bad panic attacks) My shoulders hurt so bad right now that it hurts to just rub the muscles. I have really bad pain on the sides of my upper neck area that feel like somebody is holding a clamp down on a bunch of nerves or something when I try to rub that out and then get a pain all the way up my head. Now I have a headache. Does anybody else experience this? If so, do you do something specific for it? I feel that if I went to a massage therepist and sat there for 6 hours, i would still be all tensed up. Is it even tension? I feel really tight and am trying everything to try and loosen stuff up, but it just hurts to bad. I also have, i was told, a really big trigger point right by my inner shoulder blade and another one on the opposite side that is not as big. Can these be causing this pain? Thanks for any replys.

slipperyslope · 07-31-2006, 12:22 PM

A Few years ago I was rear ended at about 50MPH and I had whip lash so bad that I couldn't turn my neck properly for 2 years the pain went into my neck and shoulders and into my arms it was HIDEOUS. I was in so much pain so I CAN really symptathizw with you. I did Physcial therapy which did help. they use a lot of methods to release tension and to loosen those muscles Ice for one helped me and they put me in traction to stretch the neck out I loved that. I went 3 times a week for a year and it did help me. they did a lot of massage work and used different things on me to lesson my pain it was such a treat going.

There are lots of things they can offer you , One is a Tens unit, and they will show you how to do stretches. they help a lot. You will need to go to your MD and get a prescription for a therapist.

Another thing that would help you is to take a muscle relaxer. they really do work to relax your muslces especially if your muscles are that tight is this chronic or is it on and off ? they tend to make you pretty sleepy so you have to take them at night, but they help a lot with the spasms.

Have you had an MRI of your neck? You could have some disc issue's as that can cause a lot of pain do some research on the net on hernaited cervical disk see if you have the symptoms.
I had 2 herniated disc's from the wreck and that was the cause of my pain.. it happened 8 months after Ihad a major back operation..... UGH!

My neck still flares every once in awhile and when it does I want to die BUT IT LAST ONLY A WEEK OR SO. the pain is so bad. I have a hot tub and this also really helps me to relax those muscles but I am not able to put the jets on my neck as I get much stiffer the next day Do you have access to a hot tub boy does it help. I would start with a DR and see if they can offer some suggestions for you. and you should be checked out.

Good luck, neck pain is so no fun! you can try and do the alphabet with your head ( you move your head as if you were writting each letter, this will loosen things up to and it might help a little)

sweptaway76 · 07-31-2006, 12:43 PM

thanks for your reply. I have complained before to my doctor about my neck and shoulder pain. It was over a year ago. He did an x-ray which was normal but never an MRI. You mentioned muscle spasms. I get tons of spasms/twitches. Are they the same? They arent painful, but quite annoying and occur all over my body. I unfortunately do not have a hot tub. I was just telling somebody at work that i needed access to one. I was going to a chiropracter and he actually used a tens unit for part of my treatment on my trigger point. That hurt like heck but it felt so good. It was that really bad but good pain. I know that area felt really great after that. I actually feel like my chiropracter messed me up more. Ever since I stopped going, the pain has seemed to have gotten worse. (unless that is just in my head) Maybe I can get a tens unit from my doctor. I have also never tried a muscle relaxer. Maybe I can talk my doctor into giving me a RX for one. I swear my doctor is anti drug. (Wouldnt even give me an antibiotic when I had brochitis) So anyway, thanks for your advice. I am going to try the alphabet thing right now.

slipperyslope · 07-31-2006, 01:16 PM

Hi Sweptaway, I am not sure what muscle twitches are, I know muscle spasms are tightness in the musle and they are like knots and you can see them moving sometimes it sort of sounds like what your having all over your body... I would find a new Dr if your not comfortable with your current Dr becasue you will need someone to prescribe the medication you need amd Docs that don't like to prescribe medications are not always the best Dr's to have.

I also saw a chiro and he made me so much worse. that neck cracking and popping was just way to painful for me so I would never go back.

I think a physcial therapist would be a much better option for you if you have chronic neck problems and it sounds like you might need an MRI to find out if you have Disc problems or if its truly muscular.

An X-RAY doesn't show what an MRI will show, its much more detailed and not even comparible.

so I would start with going to your Dr and asking for an MRI and than see if he can refer to a therapist or an orthopedic Dr to figure out whats going on with your neck.

Muscle relaxers really do help and I think you would be a good canidate for those as well as working with a physical therapist to loosen those muscles.

Take care, I went a few times and got a massage it was wonderful but I hurt 10 times worse the next day. I think I am sensitive to jets and massage.

Liamsmom · 08-05-2006, 07:20 AM

Have you tried valarian root as a muscle relaxant. It's a natural remedy however if you're on any kinds of medications I don't know if it'll react with them. Valarian root is what they use to make valium if memory serves correctly I use to take it when I had trouble sleeping but only half a pill because I am super sensitive to narcotic like substances but it worked like a charm.You can get it at a health food store but check with pharmacist about mixing it with anything else.