Pain in the neck! What could cause.....

[Fluffysmom]

Well, I didn't sleep wrong, or do anything to strain anything, but over the past four days or so a large muscle on the left side of my neck has been getting tighter and tighter and tighter, despite using ice, heat, massage, gentle stretching, etc.

I think its called the sternocleidomastoid; the big one you can see on either side of your neck, especially when you strain forward.  I first noticed that I had pain at the top of my ribs in the middle, then the whole thing started tightening up all the way up by my ear.

For the last couple of days, it has been pulling so tight that my shoulder and left side of my ribs hurt.

Could this be a new twist on the "hug"; that the shortness of breath I had  in CA that I thought was from the heat was a hug starting up, and then things tightened up so much that they started pulling on that large neck muscle?

Could it be from those possible spinal lesions that the questionable radiologist noted on my 3T MRIs?  

Please tell me that you don't get spasticity in your neck and this is going to get better shortly.  I ended up taking 12.5 mg. of valium last night, and it lessened the pain enough for me to get some good sleep.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Kathy

[Fluffysmom]

Having a friend like my roommate is something else; she has three timeshares that she bought while married, then bought a week every third year in Vegas, then upgraded that to a week every year, also upgrading the one in Mexico; she has so many timeshare points that she should sell some.  She gave me that week in Palm Springs in early April of "08 after all this fatigue and other neurological stuff started, to see if getting away and resting would help.

She also works really hard and gets kind of cranky, but she's a great friend and tries to understand and help as much as she can.

My MRIs of my cervical spine haven't shown anything to cause significant nerve impingement. I suppose I could have twisted wrong in my sleep and strained something, or even strained something hefting Fluffy up on the bed; he's a big boy and can't hop up by himself anymore.

It does seem to be a little better today, though I turned my head this morning after looking at my calendar and the pain was so bad it about dropped me to my knees. I can't tolerate antiinflammatories, but my Pain-A-Trate cream at least distracts things a bit.  

Thanks for your replies; well wishes, and prayers.  

Hugs,

Kathy

[wadeheather]

I have been suffering from a similar pain for many months.  In the fall they did an MRI to look for a pinched nerve (but nothing else) and found nothing. It locked up so bad one time that it felt like I had a baseball moving around under my skin. It was horrid! I've tried cortizone shots and physical therapy with no avail.  It's always the same spot and is one of my worst "tingling" spots.  I used to think that the tingling there meant the headache was going to get worse, but that has proven not to be the case. I've been told possible "form" of fibro (didn't know there was more than one), tendonitis and posture (blah, blah, blah). The fibro theory seems to be kind of bogus since I don't have the rest of the tender spots generally associated. The pain radiates down my arm and cramps up my hand sometimes. As with everything else it is all on my right side.

I feel your pain, chica. Icy hot used to help a lot - stretches at least give me the momentary feeling like I'm at least trying to do something about it. When it gets really bad I simply take aleve and ice it. Sometimes it helps, sometimes not.

I hope you feel better.
Get some rest.
Heather

[shermay]

Hi Kathy,

Wow you are one very busy lady :)  try and ease off a bit - sounds like that might fall on deaf ears thought ;)))

You've done so much buzzing around over the last few weeks, it could be that you've moved your head, sat, slept in the wrong postition??  If the Valium helped that would suggest to me that it could be some sort of strain?  the Valium relaxing the muscles and easing the pain gave me that inspirational thought;)

Take care,

Debs

[LLWB]

Gee, can I come to Vegas too? I swear I'll fetch frozen yoghurt for you..........that is if you can get me out of the jacuzzi and casino, LOL. Hope your neck feels better soon. Sitting at a computer isn't good for your neck either. Is yours the proper height and distance from you? It makes a big difference. Take care.....Or...I just had a thought......can I borrow your roommate? Just kidding, no one would want to put up with me.

I'll say a healing prayer for you at Church tomorrow.

Maggie

[Lulu54]

:-)

L

[Fluffysmom]

Thank you for your concern; I have been overdoing things, but my body has been hollering at me when I get carried away, and forces me to slow down.

Now that the complaint letter is sent off and my next appointment isn't until mid-September, my main battle has been to get my self up and get some walking in, trying to fix a few good meals, etc.

The flights across country were a bit much, and the heat in Sacramento was overwhelming.  I have the one more Sacramento trip in August, just 3 days, and we'll stay at the Hyatt across from the Capital, and literally just stay in; decided going to the State Fair would be insane.  I'll take an ice pack or two to the WNBA games.  The flight is short and easy, thank heavens.

My neck pain almost kept me from the concert last night, but the VIP seating cost so much that I couldn't NOT go.  Besides, I took cushions, a folding stadium seat to give me some back support, and had a towel to put around my neck when the cool evening breezes tightened my neck muscles even more.  And ahhhhhh, music is such good medicine!

We have quite a heat wave coming up, so I'm planning on staying nice and cool, fixing a yummy chicken basil tomato pasta salad, eating the Hermiston watermelon I bought yesterday - I might need to make a run to the store for some frozen yogurt tonight after it's cooled off some, lol!

I'll take it easy, just filling out my paperwork for my new MS neuro, repairing a badge lanyard I made for a friend (who keeps breaking it), and simple stuff like that.  I do need to buy another Rx of Provigil, as my days without it give me no option to do much of anything.  I don't want to slow down that much.  

I do actually rest quite a bit; my big thing today was making whole grain blueberry pancakes from scratch this morning.  Other than that, I've read, watched some TV, and, um, well, I did take a shower.  :o)

I'll try to relax more, but can you send someone to check my pulse?  Just kidding.

After the short trip to Sac, my next trip isn't until after I see my new MS neuro, then I'll spend a week in Las Vegas at a cool time-share well south of the Strip.  There's an enormous casino right across the street, with bowling, a multiplex theater, equestian center, several restaurants, and so on.  I think they've even completed the pedestrian walkway (air-conditioned) from one of the time-share buildings to the casino.

The suite has a huge jacuzzi tub that I'll fill with luke-warm water and relax completely in.  It has a complete kitchen, which I'll stock with healthy salad and sandwich fixings, yogurt, etc.  My roommate has a convention to attend, so I'll have time to just relax and be.  No Fluffy to feed and medicate (Judy will take good care of him), no laundry to do (unless I want; there is a small washer and drier in the unit), just take it easy, and digest what my new neuro has to say.

By the way, I really dislike having to take extra medication; even after three hours in the dentist chair, a root canal and prep for the other crown, I didn't take extra pain medication; didn't take extra when the abscess was really bad.  Last night at the concert, after saying "ouch!" after turning my head for the umpteenth time, I took a half a valium 5, then when I got home I tood my regular bedtime valium 5, then an hour later took another, since the pain was so intense.

Oh oh, I'd better go to an "on and on anon meeting", quick!

Thanks for listening...

Kathy

[Lulu54]

Hi Kathy,
Just my guess here, but I would think that your body is telling you "enough... slowdown." If you look at how hard you have pushed yourself, and the extent of your symptoms and the stress of battling with all those doctors, it is amazing that you are still upright.  Then throw in the crazy weather in  Florida, Sacramento and even Portland with all that heat exposure and your body may be rebelling.  Or sitting on a blanket on the ground through last night's concert?  

You have been one busy lady the past few months. Is it possible to slow and rest for a while to see if my theory holds water? I hate that you keep feeling bad -  I hope you feel better soon.

be well,
Lulu

[Fluffysmom]

I forgot to mention that it hurts all the time, but when I move certain ways its like getting stabbed with pain.

It's also in some deeper muscles than the one I mentioned before; they're really tight as steel and hurt.  Waahhhh!  

Sorry for the whining. :o0

Kathy