Physical or Psychological pain? PAIN IN THE NECK!!!

[cnote]

This seems to be ongoing.

I'm 32 male. Not a stranger here, but luckily not on here as much as I used to in the past years.

About a month ago, I was having issues with neck and head tension. My head felt like it was in a vise 24/7.
Thankfully that left!!

I've been pain free from that for about 2 weeks maybe?

Now the past week my neck has been hurting AGAIN. But this time JUST my neck and shoulders area.

My neck muscles feel as if they are took weak to hold up my head. That's what it feels like, and also I feel that the muscles on the base of my skull/neck are TIGHT.

When I turn my head left and right slowly, I can hear a sound that I can only describe like "grains of sand" or "muscle fiber noises".

Is this just tension?? It's causing daily headaches too.

Aleve, ibuprofen etc. does not touch it. :(

I'm starting to get anxiety over this, but I KNOW DEEP DOWN IT'S NOTHING SERIOUS.

I just don't feel anxious though, that's the thing.

With my history though of Generalized Anxiety, can it really be anxiety without feeling anxious??

Will this eventually go away on its own?? I believe it will. I just need to take it easy I guess.

It's just starting to depress me, b/c I feel like I've been dealing with this for TOO LONG.

My brother is a massage therapist and worked on me a few days ago, and it felt wonderful, but didnt cure it. I know it can take a few sessions. Also, I have started working out again the past 2 days hoping it will help build muscles back up and help anxiety or depression if THAT's what this is.

Thanks.

(32 male, no medication for 4 years)

[cnote]

Thanks for writing anxiety860.

I think I have FINALLY accepted this as ANXIETY. FINALLY. It has taken me a while.

My Dr. scared me when he said it could be "arthritis". That made anxiety worse. I dwelled on the word arthritis and started using Dr. Google. etc. That is ANXIETY.

My chiropractor is awesome, and told me that I do NOT have arthritis b/c the way my muscle pain moves around. He said arthritis pain is pretty localized and I would know it.

However, my chiropractor said to me "all you have is myofascial pain". As in "nothing serious at all". He found some knots and stuff and worked on me.

I then got back to my office, and used Dr. Google once again (I know, dumb idea) and I googled Myofascial Pain, and when I hit Enter, every search result came up as "Mayofascial Pain SYNDROME".

I read up on it, and freaked out ONCE AGAIN. I immediately called my chiropractor and asked if that's what he meant that he thought I had.

He responded "OF COURSE NOT. Myofacial pain is just a term, nothing else. It means muscle pain. Also just b/c something is a syndrome doesnt mean it's forever."

At this point, my anxiety was so bad, I broke down CRYING. I was ruminating SO MUCH over these muscle aches and pains.

That's when I KNEW "this has all got to be anxiety... all of it."

We CAN indeed have physical symptoms of anxiety without necessarily feeling anxious!!!

[anxiety860]

Hey there. My anxiety has caused muscle pain/spasms/knots/ for years now I almost forget they are there until I finally relax and can feel the pain/how tense I am. Muscle pain is so common for me it actually causes me no anxiety. Which is very weird for me being how I have health anxiety. I have a feeling you truly know this is anxiety related, but he even when we KNOW it's anxiety a lot of time we can't help but think the worst of the worst.

[cnote]

So, and update.

I think this is ALL anxiety. Ugh...

I'm having periods of feeling fine, with just some upper back and neck pain, but also now I'm having random feelings of feeling "not right" visually. Can't explain it in writing, but it's obviously anxiety!

Feels like a ghost coming over me, everything looks and feels odd, but then it leaves.

I also have not been sleeping well the past couple of weeks, always having weird dreams, tossing and turning, CONSTANTLY thinking about my back and neck.

I'm CONSTANTLY ruminating about my muscle aches and pains...

THAT RIGHT THERE PROVES to me that this is all anxiety.

Especially that the muscle spasms seem to move around. But they are still pretty constant. =/

[cnote]

You are so right! My chiro said that "grainy sand" type sound I was having was from tight muscles and crepitus, which is a common wear and tear sound.

He doesnt think it's arthritis either, but like YOU said, normal wear and tear, and I'm sure that anxiety over the years has not helped, from being tensed up and stressed.

I think he'll help me out. I slept better last night. Taking ibuprofen every 6 hours, and REALLY working on my posture.

Once I'm feeling better, it's time to hit the gym again, but I will be careful on how much weight I'm lifting.

My chiro is very sensitive with me and my anxiety, he really helps give me a peace of mind about it "not being a forever pain", and he can help it for the time being.

I know that having anxiety can make symptoms worse than what they are.

Have a blessed day buddy! I know good days are ahead!! I should count my blessings, as I am able to still LIVE, WORK, etc. :)

[Paxiled]

I didn't say it was arthritis, C.  But I know that sound you say your neck makes.  I ignored it for years.  Not everything is anxiety, but anxiety does cause muscle tightness and sometimes makes sleep not very sound, and it sure messed me up good.  Hope it all goes away, but I stick by my opinion that this is just normal wear and tear and it's a good time to learn how to prevent it from getting worse.  Wish I had.  Peace, C.

[cnote]

Well, I went to my buddy who's a chiropractor today. He helped my lower back pain pretty much disappear a few months ago. Amen! He thinks my pain is from tension and posture. He said he can treat me ans feeling good in a few visits. :)