Arthritis in neck?

[warbonnet]

Hello!  I just posted in the neurology area about my head injury and trying to get some understanding about the MRI, at the same time, they did an xray of my neck due to the constant pain on one side, they come up with that is has turned into arthritis from the accident I had 8/08.

Any ideas on how to deal with this pain, it is horrible, just holding my head up is painful, laying it down is painful, turning it that way is almost to painful to turn, and my doc suggested I start therapy on my neck.

But if it is known to already have arthritis in it, isn't there a mediction that can help with the pain???

Is there anything over the counter anyone can suggest also??

Thank you so much!!!  I need help my quality of life is low due to the results of this accident and I just want to fell as close to normal as I can since I lived thru it!!!!  (they did not think I would, the doctors told my family for the first two weeks to say their goodbyes, its a miracle!!  THEN when I didn't die, they said I would be a vegetable and never walk again.... and I do both!!!!  Praise God!!!!, He is awesome!!!)

[LivingInHope]

I hope someone told you to cut out permanently things like whole nuts, raw carrots, chewing gum, pumpkin seeds, chewy candy & anything that makes your jaw work harder to try to prevent getting even worse!  My first major attack of TMJ I didn't realized changes should be permanent and when I went back to feeling normal, I ate a lot of walnuts and pumpkin seeds & wound up in chronic TMJ pain.  I wear a flat planed splint at night to try to prevent the arthritis from worsening and the maxillofacial specialist  I used to get my splints from felt that hard kind of splint was doing its job.

You might also try vitamin B 50 time release in the AM for your nerves & magnesium at night to help with sleep and mood.

[warbonnet]

Thanks so much for the support!!  I also have TMJ, my jaw makes a load *pop* everytime I open my mouth, it is embarrassing when eating out w people and they hear it, /c it doesn't go away, it happens w every bite!!
I took notes of the things you recommend, and I will try them, something has got to help, I am so irritable b/c of the level of pain I have all the time, I just want to be happy but it is so hard when you hurt.
Thank you and blessing to you and your health also!!!

[LivingInHope]

To God be the glory!  There is medicine that can help with arthritis pain.  I take prescribed ibuprofen myself for my jaw arthritis.  However, anything, like celebrex I've read is even worse, can affect your stomach that is in that NSAID category.  I think I remember maybe it was relafen they said wasn't as bad for the stomach but I think that drug gave me a headache.  

Anyway, I had an internal medicine doctor who suggested limiting three- four days of cyclic ibuprofen, at least 600 mg at a time, to be effective for knocking down acute inflammation (at the time it was costochondritis), along with being sure I was taking my ranitidine to try to protect my stomach.   He felt (and was right) that it is hard on the gut.  The maxillofacial doctor I went to was having me take it cyclically when I could barely open my mouth for a few weeks!  I think you definitely wouldn't want to take ibuprofen for any longer than a month, and that only if your doctor feels it is right for you.  I've heard it can actually increase your risk for heart attack.  

Some natural over the counter things I take for inflammation include naturemade brand of Sam-E (planning to switch to off-brand due to expense though) and flaxseed oil capsules (fishoil enteric coated are supposed to be even better, but even with enteric coated I used to burp up fish flavor).  I don't take a third dose of the flaxseed, 1000 mg capsules in the evening because it seems to give me a lot of dreams.  I do think that it has helped to some extent with my jaw arthritis.  I also eat macadamia nuts (crushed because of soft diet restriction with the jaw arthritis), which are high in omega fatty acids and taste great too!  Other foods that have those inflammation-fighting, mood lifting omega fatty acid suggestions if you like them: walnuts, pumpkin seeds, freshwater fish, like salmon, tuna (and I think sardines), and even flaxseed meal you can add to pancakes and cookies.

Physical therapy is a very good idea...I was in a car accident myself back in 1998 (rear-ended and hit stopped car in front of me).  It took about 10 months of therapy and my neck still has never been the same, but it SO much better than in those first days when the severe sprain was making it SO difficult, even with the soft collar braces they had me wear.  I could barely turn my head at first, and one direction it was like an electric jolt would hit.  If they know what they are doing, a tens unit placed right can really help with muscle tension.  Also, you might consider acupuncture.  At least when it came to knee arthritis, I saw a tv report of a scientifically conducted study where acupuncture helped with knee arthritis.  I've had TMJ acupuncture and may have gotten some benefit (though temporary) from it.