Excruciating neck pain

[CarterBeatsTheDevil]

Came on yesterday. Went to the surgery today after 24 hours of paracetamol/ibuprofen doing very little. The nurse prescribed me a muscle relaxant which also appears to be doing very little. I can't lie down on the bed for very long in any position; sitting up in a chair is slightly better but I can already feel that it won't last long. I have naproxen from a previous iniury but can't take that until 8 or 10 hours after the last ibuprofen dose and have no idea whether that will actually work. Plus naproxen gave me mouth ulcers last time I had it.

I have an early meeting (online) for work and I honestly cannot see myself getting any sleep tonight. I feel extremely sorry for myself. That is all.

Sounds dreadful. Did you get any advice on what might be causing it? And how to manage the pain apart from medication? Things that have helped me with chronic pain in past are: hot.compresses and breathing/meditation exercises (basically distraction from the pain. It doesn't lessen the pain but it helps to manage the stress of the pain if you see what I mean?

You might have a trapped nerve. I had it once and it was terrible. I had to go to hospital in the end and wear a foam collar for a while. Just what you want at the age of 19. Or ever!

Hope it eases off for you OP.

No idea what brought it on. It's just terrible, it really is. I'm sure there are other things that hurt more but I literally cannot sit in a chair or lie down for more than a few minutes before it becomes unbearable. It just doesn't let up. I thought the pain probably wouldn't go completely but that they'd give me something that would let me sleep through it but no, this stuff honestly isn't touching the sides. I think you just have to get through it until it subsides but that feels very depressing!

This might be useless, but you could try lying on your back with just one pillow under your head and a rolled-up towel under your neck. That worked for me until I bought a special neck-supporting pillow.

Thank you - I will give that a go. I think part of the problem is that the muscle itself is so sore that any pressure on it from anything, even a pillow, is unbearable after a short time. But I will try it and report back. (I did get a bit of sleep last night but very broken.)

Go to a physio that does acupuncture.
I had fhis last year and it sorted it when nothing else did

You could try Biofreeze gel and get some over the counter Ibuprofen and codeine. An ice block wrapped in a thin cloth also may help reduce swelling.

co-codamol from the pharmacist is a bit stronger and you can have this over the counter for 3 days use. I had a trapped nerve and went to a chiropractor. It helped to know what was causing it and how to stretch to give a bit of relief. A physio, chiropractor or osteopath could probably give more specific advice than your GP. Also the memory foam shaped pillow.

Op you have my sympathy, I jumped up and twisted a muscle in my neck last weekend had to lay down and felt very shaky and sick, the pain was awful. I hope you can get something to take that edge off and I’d 2nd the advice on a very good physio, just not a chiropractor.

Voltarol is naproxen in a gel form which you could apply. I think if the pain relief you've been given isn't helping then call back and request a go appointment who can prescribe something stronger.

Make an appointment with a physiotherapist. In the meantime, try Dr Jo:

I had awful neck and back pain.... seeing an osteopath definitely helped me. I now have a spiky Shakti mat with a spiky neck pillow bought cheaply off Amazon and it works brilliantly. I lie on it a couple of times a week and I've had no major issues since. I felt my neck twinge a bit last week so went back to lying on the shakti mat with the pillow under my neck and it sorted me out very quickly.

https://amzn.eu/d/0nkT6w1

Better to use ibuprofen and codeine tablets to reduce swelling and combat pain. They are not as well known as Cocodomol.

I have one of these! Is it worth trying it now?

Very much appreciate all of the input - thanks so much. The doctor has said he'll send through a prescription for something a bit stronger. I wasn't sure about seeing a physio because the nurse thought I should let the pain settle a bit first and it still all feels terribly spiky?

EDT: I spoke to the physio and they've suggested letting the pain settle over the weekend first, so I'll call them on Monday. I am now eyeing my shakti mat though. I've never quite got the hang of it but there is a little pillow that goes with it.

It's worth a try @CarterBeatsTheDevil . I have used mine before when I've been in pain and it's definitely provided relief after the initial discomfort of getting on it!

I now use it with bare skin and laid on the floor but maybe try it on your bed so it's easier to roll off if you can't bear it.

Well, the doctor sent through some cocodamol and that has made it a bit more bearable. Thanks everyone for distracting me through a fairly horrible night!