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Pain in neck/upper spine when tilting head backwards
I've had this problem for quite a while now. I'm a 26 year old male. I have a desk job but never suffer from any pain while at the desk or afterwards. The cause may be from weight training that I started 8 months ago, although I never felt any pain in any of the gym sessions or had a sore neck or upper back afterwards.
I only noticed the problem when I was flossing my teeth before bed one night and tilted my head back to get a better angle. When it was almost all the way back (as far as it would go normally) I noticed a pain/hard ache in the back of my neck/upper spine. Around where the crease develops between the head and upper back when tilting the head back. If I had to pinpoint it I'd say it's near the top of the spine but not quite in the neck. About where the last couple of vertebrae are that you can feel if you massage your upper spine.
I kind of forgot about it as the pain was only present in that certain position and as it's an uncommon position it doesn't affect my lifestyle. However I'd say it's been present for at least a few months.
Anyway, the reason for this post is that I went to a physio as I had a little bit of ulnar nerve twinges in my left elbow/tricep after working out. He then worked on my neck 'to relieve pressure'. His techniques were kind of pulling on my head from behind (when I was lying down) and poking in the neck area.
Unfortunately in the week after this I had pain in both arms and some tingling in my right little finger. He'd obviously caused a lot of irritation to the ulnar nerve where it originates in the neck.
I've just had 4 weeks off all exercise and am feeling better, although the pain in my neck is still there and is a bit worse than before thanks to the physio (but again only when tilting my head back).
I went to another physio and he just said that my nervous system was extremely irritable (thanks to what the other guy had done) and it should calm down after a couple of weeks. It's a week later and I'm feeling much better from a nerve point of view, but the pain in my upper spine/neck is concerning.
Does anyone know what this could be? How to get rid of it? Who would be the best person to see for treatment?
My experience is that physical therapists are pretty much useless unless used for rehab/sports injuries etc, it's just trial and error for anything else. Doctors are clueless and just send you for scans, and I don't think a scan would reveal anything as I'm fine doing everything else apart from tilting my head back. I'm also a bit dubious of chiropractors as they are the same as physios and from my recent experiences I don't want to risk having manual therapy to make things worse again. I realise this doesn't leave many options left but any first hand experience or advise would be appreciated.
I only noticed the problem when I was flossing my teeth before bed one night and tilted my head back to get a better angle. When it was almost all the way back (as far as it would go normally) I noticed a pain/hard ache in the back of my neck/upper spine. Around where the crease develops between the head and upper back when tilting the head back. If I had to pinpoint it I'd say it's near the top of the spine but not quite in the neck. About where the last couple of vertebrae are that you can feel if you massage your upper spine.
I kind of forgot about it as the pain was only present in that certain position and as it's an uncommon position it doesn't affect my lifestyle. However I'd say it's been present for at least a few months.
Anyway, the reason for this post is that I went to a physio as I had a little bit of ulnar nerve twinges in my left elbow/tricep after working out. He then worked on my neck 'to relieve pressure'. His techniques were kind of pulling on my head from behind (when I was lying down) and poking in the neck area.
Unfortunately in the week after this I had pain in both arms and some tingling in my right little finger. He'd obviously caused a lot of irritation to the ulnar nerve where it originates in the neck.
I've just had 4 weeks off all exercise and am feeling better, although the pain in my neck is still there and is a bit worse than before thanks to the physio (but again only when tilting my head back).
I went to another physio and he just said that my nervous system was extremely irritable (thanks to what the other guy had done) and it should calm down after a couple of weeks. It's a week later and I'm feeling much better from a nerve point of view, but the pain in my upper spine/neck is concerning.
Does anyone know what this could be? How to get rid of it? Who would be the best person to see for treatment?
My experience is that physical therapists are pretty much useless unless used for rehab/sports injuries etc, it's just trial and error for anything else. Doctors are clueless and just send you for scans, and I don't think a scan would reveal anything as I'm fine doing everything else apart from tilting my head back. I'm also a bit dubious of chiropractors as they are the same as physios and from my recent experiences I don't want to risk having manual therapy to make things worse again. I realise this doesn't leave many options left but any first hand experience or advise would be appreciated.
Hey Ryan,
I have the EXACT same problem. My doc seems to think it's a ligament problem and my C6 and C7 (the two lower vertebrae of your neck/upper back) are stiff as a result which is why it's causing the pain. I'm not convinced. I've also had this for a few months now and I've seen specialists and doctors and physio's and osteo's and nothing has worked. I'd at a loss. I'd love to keep in touch to see whether either of us find some kind of result from this. It's sad that doctor's just don't seem to know that much about it at ALL. My pain level fluctuates but is always constant and only when I tilt my head back. Thoughts are with you, I know how much it *****.
I have the EXACT same problem. My doc seems to think it's a ligament problem and my C6 and C7 (the two lower vertebrae of your neck/upper back) are stiff as a result which is why it's causing the pain. I'm not convinced. I've also had this for a few months now and I've seen specialists and doctors and physio's and osteo's and nothing has worked. I'd at a loss. I'd love to keep in touch to see whether either of us find some kind of result from this. It's sad that doctor's just don't seem to know that much about it at ALL. My pain level fluctuates but is always constant and only when I tilt my head back. Thoughts are with you, I know how much it *****.
Update on this problem - it's still there!
Still have pain when tilting my head back. A couple of weeks ago I 'slept funny' and woke up and couldn't turn my head to the left at all and was in extreme pain. I know this happens sometimes and don't think it's related to the original problem. Anyway after a week it was gone and I could move my neck again but it brought back some twinges along the ulnar nerve in my arms for the duration of the week.
All the nerve pain is gone now 2 weeks later and I have just been back to the doctor who said he doesn't know why I am still getting pain when tilting my head back or why the nerve is irritated so easily. He sent me for an MRI on the cervical spine which came back with everything being healthy and normal.
I am now at a loss as to what to do. The MRI shows the most detail of any scan and that was totally clear so what can be the problem?
I have read that it could be a strain of the trapezius and read that other people have the same symptoms (tilting head back causes pain). If this is the case why is it not healed after 4 months?
I try to have good posture at work (with a desk job in front of a computer).
The only thing that seems to relieve the pain is swimming. It seems that my heart rate going up and pumping blood around my body reduces any inflammation in my neck and all the pain goes away, but a few hours later I'm back to pain when tilting my head back.
The worst thing for it seems to be sleeping. I'm used to sleeping on my front with my head facing to one side and I seem to wake up now with the trapezius area muscles in the top of my back/lower neck being stiff. When I get up it eases. I'm currently trying to sleep on my back/side to remedy it but I seem to turn in my sleep.
Any suggestions as to what is wrong or what to do to get better would be appreciated.
Still have pain when tilting my head back. A couple of weeks ago I 'slept funny' and woke up and couldn't turn my head to the left at all and was in extreme pain. I know this happens sometimes and don't think it's related to the original problem. Anyway after a week it was gone and I could move my neck again but it brought back some twinges along the ulnar nerve in my arms for the duration of the week.
All the nerve pain is gone now 2 weeks later and I have just been back to the doctor who said he doesn't know why I am still getting pain when tilting my head back or why the nerve is irritated so easily. He sent me for an MRI on the cervical spine which came back with everything being healthy and normal.
I am now at a loss as to what to do. The MRI shows the most detail of any scan and that was totally clear so what can be the problem?
I have read that it could be a strain of the trapezius and read that other people have the same symptoms (tilting head back causes pain). If this is the case why is it not healed after 4 months?
I try to have good posture at work (with a desk job in front of a computer).
The only thing that seems to relieve the pain is swimming. It seems that my heart rate going up and pumping blood around my body reduces any inflammation in my neck and all the pain goes away, but a few hours later I'm back to pain when tilting my head back.
The worst thing for it seems to be sleeping. I'm used to sleeping on my front with my head facing to one side and I seem to wake up now with the trapezius area muscles in the top of my back/lower neck being stiff. When I get up it eases. I'm currently trying to sleep on my back/side to remedy it but I seem to turn in my sleep.
Any suggestions as to what is wrong or what to do to get better would be appreciated.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi there!
Well, without a detailed clinical evaluation it would be difficult to determine the cause of your symptoms. Possibilities that may need to be considered include postural issues, joint inflammation/ degeneration, neuro-muscular causes such as muscle sprain, nerve impingement, injuries to muscles/ ligaments, inflammations, spinal causes such as degeneration, micronutrient deficiencies, referred pain from other regions etc. I would suggest getting this evaluated by a primary care physician initially and depending on the cause diagnosed/ suspected, it can be managed accordingly or specialist care may be sought. Meanwhile you could try using some warm compresses or taking some tylenol/ OTC NSAIDS and see of these seem to help.
Hope this is helpful.
Take care!
Well, without a detailed clinical evaluation it would be difficult to determine the cause of your symptoms. Possibilities that may need to be considered include postural issues, joint inflammation/ degeneration, neuro-muscular causes such as muscle sprain, nerve impingement, injuries to muscles/ ligaments, inflammations, spinal causes such as degeneration, micronutrient deficiencies, referred pain from other regions etc. I would suggest getting this evaluated by a primary care physician initially and depending on the cause diagnosed/ suspected, it can be managed accordingly or specialist care may be sought. Meanwhile you could try using some warm compresses or taking some tylenol/ OTC NSAIDS and see of these seem to help.
Hope this is helpful.
Take care!
1 Comments
Very good advice
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