Cricked neck - what can I do?

[Bumperlicious]

I have a cricked neck on my left side (well, not sure if cricked is the right word, but it really aches from my shoulder to my ear). We went away last week and stayed in a cottage and the pillows were too high. Since then my neck has been quite painful, I've had to take quite a bit of paracetamol as it is giving me headaches and making my nausea worse.

I was at the doctor yesterday and stupidly forgot to mention it in my insomnia induced delirium.

What's the best thing to do? I don't want to have to keep taking paracetamol. DH tried to give me a massage night before last but it hasn't helped.

Is there anything I can do or do I just have to wait for it to wear off?

[Bumperlicious]

Bump

[MadameCheese]

Hi Bump. A few years ago I woke up and cricked my neck by lifting my head from the pillow (I was nursing at the time). It sounds similar. I went to the docs with an obvious head tilt. Wasn't offered much advice apart from taking painkillers and trying to keep my head in midline (easier said than done). Have you a wheatbag, that may help? Otherwise mine resolved after a week. Hope you're better soon

[Elsa123]

I'm with you sister- got one on the right hand side. Seeing the doc in a few minutes. Hoping for a physio referral and a heatpack/deepheat or something. Paracetamol has done cock all. Will let you know. I'm in agony....

[Bumperlicious]

Thanks MC, I was wondering whether a professional massage would help, can't really afford it but am sleeping so badly at the moment I'm willing to throw money at the problem!

[pandora69]

See an osteopath asap. I got a cricked neck at 10 wks last time, and went to see one and they were fab. I got it from sleeping on uncomfy pillows too. Your ligaments start to loosen when you are pregnant and don't hold you together so well. An osteopath will fix it. I was so impressed with mine I see her every 2 weeks now, regardless of whether I need to or not. She treated my daughter for colic when she was tiny too.

[parkj83]

Or a chiropractor. I see mine for my hands (tendonitis), and he treats my back and neck too - I trapped a nerve in my ribcage, couldn't breathe, walk, drive, anything. DH took me to docs, they just prescribed me stupidly strong anti-inflams, which made me sick and sleepy.

Chiro cricked my back, pummelled me a bit, and voila, problem solved.

My friend sees an osteo for his shoulder and back, also recommends them or a chiro.

Def try that route, rather than doctor/painkillers - I always go straight to my chiro now, rather than bother with the doc.

I've got a problem with my hip, has been troubling me since before I was pg. spoke to my doc, and all she said was that it was neurological, and that any treatment she could suggest she couldn't give me cos I was pg, so I'd have to "lump it till you've had the baby" (honest, that's what she said!!)

So I went to my chiro, he asked me to lie so he could lean on my hip, poked till I flinched, then warned me I might want to hit him... he leaned his whole weight on it (he's a big guy!) swung about on it, blah blah, I don't know exactly - all I know is I saw stars! But that evening, I could lie in bed and turn over without gasping with the pain. 2 weeks on, and it's much improved. One more session should do it, and that's in about 2 weeks time.

I usually see him somewhere between 4-6 weeks - it's expensive to begin with (I was seeing him every other day at one point), but I figure it's worth it to keep me mobile. Now works out at about £5-£7.50 a week.

[Bumperlicious]

Right have booked to see my osteopath, well actually it's his wife and she will do a combo of massage and osteopathy.

The chap I saw while pg last time (who also saw DD at a few weeks old) is this massive ex rugby player type. The first time I went I nearly vomited, I can't stand all that bone clicking. He asked me what I expected from an osteopath, I just whimpered 'Massage or something'. He also did launched himself on my hips (fingers crossed they are not so bad this time, but last time I could barely put weight on my left foot because my hip kept dislodging from it's socket due to my ligaments). He used to do the neck thing too, which makes you think he's going to break it

Hopefully this should help, though at £40 for half an hour it's not something I will be doing regularly

[parkj83]

Ooh, that's quite a bit.

I must admit, the whole bone-clicking thing used to freak me out - I was so nervous the first couple of times I went, it took longer cos I was so tense.

But I've seen him regularly now for over a year and half, and I honestly can't say how I'd cope without him now.

But he's not that expensive... £32 per session and that's as long as you need. (£50ish for the initial one though, that's usually about an hour)

Good luck (don't know if that's an appropriate thing to say?!) and hope you feel better soon xx

[Elsa123]

I am seeing the physio tomorrow. In the meantime he suggested getting heat on it. The only way I can do that is have a bath later. I will report back tomorrow!

[Bumperlicious]

Saw the osteo, she was lovely. She's very chatty and the wife of my usual osteo who I saw last time and took DD.

She also specialises in massage so she did a combination. I told her how much I hate the neck clicking and she said 'don't worry - I'm much more gentle than DH!' and she was, she did a lot of massage and some manipulation. It doesn't feel better yet, though it feels looser, she also gave me (for free) a wheat pack which is helping.

[HellBent]

I'm not sure I will be able to describe this very well but here goes -

Put your hands together like praying and put them on one side of your face.hold your hands still but not pushed against you. You push against your hands with your face until it moves a couple of inches. Then swap sides and do it on the other side. Keep doing this for a few minutes and you should feel it ease a lot.

I do this after my mum showed me, she's a sports and remedial massage therapist. I've probably not explained it well!

[2old4thislark]

I had this from putting stuff in the loft when we moved. I saw a chiropractor - about £35 I think - once - sorted!

[HellBent]

This is very gentle and you shouldn't be clicking it or anything it can be dangerous!

[Bumperlicious]

Thanks Hell bent, will try that tomorrow if it isn't any better.

[holytoast]

Me too...and soo in agony, can't turn unless I do it like a thunderbird puppet - going to try the praying thing - Yoga didn't help, or those freeze gels, or a wheat pack..36 weeks and don't finish work until the easter weekend, so no chance of getting an appointment with my osteo until after that! would definitely recommend them though, in fact I go to a school of osteopathy, its great, only £16 a session, as they are a month or two from qualifying.

I hav really noticed the loosening of all the ligaments etc in the last week, now a real struggle moving around...not much fun this gestation lark...

[Bumperlicious]

It's finally got better. Was more agony yesterday after the osteo, but thankfully today it is fine, no paracetamol needed and I had the best night sleep I've had in months (still really knackered though, got a lot to catch up on!)

Hope you feel better holytoast (great name