Long term neck stiffness

[nickb1066]

Hi, I am looking for some help on what my problem might be and some possible solutions. I have had a very stiff neck for about 2 years. The stiffness is mostly in my neck but spreads to my upper back and shoulders and possibly beyond. It is not painful, mostly just stiff with a very limited range of motion. It is not just left and right but also up and down and tilting that is stiff. I am told that my head is always slightly tilted to my right. I don't notice it so much but everyone else does. I have not had any injury to cause this. Its more as if it just developed over time. I have been to my general doctor, a chiropractor, and massage therapist and have had both X-Rays and an MRI. My general doctor was clueless. The chiropractor read the x-rays and the mri and thought he could help me. He told me there were no defects on the mri such as fused vertebra, just mis alignment that he though he could fix. He worked on me one or two times a week for about 3 months before he determined that he made very little progress and I wan't progressing anymore. It was unclear if his adjustments just weren't helping or if tight muscles were preventing his adjustments from doing anything. I have been going to a massage therapist weekly for about 2 months with one month overlapping my time at the chiropractor. I have noticed a little improvement but nothing major. I'm still very limited in my movement. My thoughts is that it is more muscular then anything else. I say this because it feels like tense muscles and it isn't completely consistant. My range is always very limited but the stiffness can vary slightly from day to day and throughout the day. There isn't any particular pattern to this change though. The worst part of it is everyday several people ask me "did you do something to your neck?" I would appreciate any insite anyone may have on my condition. Thanks

[Breathr]

Yes I have had torticolis diagnosed And your symptoms sound identical to mine. It was completely annoying and I'll tell you, I believe it was spurred on by general helplessness feelings related to things happening in my life. Those feelings were causing my body symptoms - and people constantly ask me whats wrong with my neck. I did all the physical tests like you and went to the er and they couldn't figure me out. I even found a doc who gave Botox injections in my neck. The biggest thing that helped was cutting out the alcohol, exercise, learning how to have greater acceptance over myself through therapy, and I also took lexipro. Anxiety and worry obsession runs in my family. Also a big reliance on others opinions of myself was unhealthy and I believe the irrational beliefs that were negative also made my neck condition tense. I just felt so low and bummed out about my self worth. But I did get better and felt the neck loosen one day/hour at a time. This was 4 years ago and I'm having another episode with the same symptoms except this time I know I can get thru this. I see parallels of helplessness like before...be good to yourself!

[nickb1066]

I have tried flexeril and it seems to have almost no effect. I forgot to mention that I'm 26 in case that makes a difference.

[ferret5]

Have you tried muscle relaxants along with the massage therapy