To go to a&e. Can't keep my head up.

[Fern95]

I can't keep my head lifted up for very long. I'm in a lot of pain and have been taking paracetamol and ibuprofen but nothing is working. The left side of my neck and my left shoulder blade are extremely painful. My neck feels so strained. I've been using towels to make a makeshift brace to lift my head up. The only relief is when I lie flat but then it's agony in my shoulder trying to get up out of bed. I have two children and I cannot lift the toddler up and lower her into the cot. I had to ask the older child to make a pillow bed on the floor for the toddlers afternoon nap. I can't get pram down the stairs and out of the flat. This has been going on for 48 hours. Any ideas of whether they would be able to treat this in a&e? I don't even know if I can get there to be honest, let alone sit in a chair for hours. I'd have to lie on the floor but I can't get up by myself.

If you want to go to a chiropractor and are on a budget consider going to a school (in London there is one in Waterloo)
My son had neck issue (his head was huge) as a baby and the GP told me to go see a chiropractor and recommended to go to a university or school as fee incredibly reduced. It is very good and you do see a chiropractor but you will have 1 or 2 students looking or touching the area that might pain you.

Sounds like a trapped nerve in your neck and shoulders, may even be the opposite side to the lean. Codeine of you can take it, hot water bottle near not on painful area. When I have had similar, it tends to get better as quickly as it starts, like an eye cyst for instance.

Can you order a neck brace on Amazon or something? Can your DH take some leave to help out for a couple of days while it settles? I'd also try to see a private physio, as having seen the plenty of chiros and osteopaths over the years, it's been a proper physio that's sorted me out. It's been worth every penny - I honestly thought I'd never walk more than 50 meters without pain ever again! I'd put up with it for years.

If you’ve had it before did it resolve itself? If so I would be on to 111 or my gp in the meantime for some very strong pain relief.

It's probably a spasm in your neck muscle. I had it a few years ago and it's absolute agony, I sympathise!

As far as A&E goes, no I don't think so. As painful as it is it's not an emergency. However, that's where you'll get the good drugs if you really don't think you can wait til the GP in the morning.

I went to an out of hours walk in and they gave me diazepam and naproxen (both a higher dose than the doctor I'd seen the day before had) and it did start to help after the second dose - which is I imagine all they'll do in A&E for you and it'll be a long wait. But I was pretty out of it so if you take the medication you'll have to have someone there to care for your children.

Try a deep heat roll on, and squirt some voltarol cream onto the top of it and roll it onto the painful area, really helps (from someone with chronic neck and upper back pain). Both you can get from a supermarket or pharmacy - voltarol is not cheap but a small amount goes a long way.

Honestly nobody on MN can diagnose you although many with absolutely no medical training will try. If you feel it bad enough to go then take yourself off. If you feel it can wait and it is not getting significantly worse then wait. Please don't let yourself be diagnosed by a bunch of strangers over the internet, I see people ask this question all the time on here and people give advice which is not warranted.

Ring 999 I’d say if you’re in that much pain! Have you got any support with the children? If not paramedics can arrange something. This must be a new service being organised by the ambulance because in my 30 years of working in the NHS I have never heard of this.

Honestly I’d stay away from a chiropractor. I had a “trapped nerve” last year that had to be fixed surgically. The consultant said that a chiropractor should have refused to treat me but if they’d tried thei could have paralysed me. GP or 111 sounds more sensible in you shoes, hope you get quick relief.

Don't go near a chiropractor, they're not medically trained at all and so many people end up with serious injuries from so-called chiropractic 'treatments'. Call round your local physiotherapists instead, or failing that an osteopath.
But steer clear of chiropractors.

Urgent care centre might be a reasonable option but probably not till tomorrow.

1. GP emergency appointment for drugs and neck brace, and to confirm cause
2. Osteopath for some immediate relief
3. Get your husband, friends, family to take the strain over the next few days. Don’t minimise the pain, it is excruciating.

Definitely do not go to a chiropractor! As others have said they are untrained and can do more harm than good.
An osteopath on the other hand is medically trained and would be a good person to see.

I understand for acute problems ice is better than heat (according to my osteopath). Hopefully it’ll start to improve soon.

Paramedics cannot organise childcare. Neither can social services, within any type of realm that would be appropriate here, or that you’d want to voluntarily create.

It sound like an urgent GP appointment or out of hours NOT a&e

Are you hypermobile by any chance? It's sounds similar to something I sometimes get. The pain is almost under my shoulder blade when it happens and it is all referred pain from a trapped nerve on one side of my neck/ upper traps area.

I would stay far away from chiropractors for you neck and stick to actual medicine- see a physio.

It sounds like possibly torticollis, which hurts like fuck. Out of hours doctor (via 111 potentially) might be able to prescribe but you would still need someone to go collect a script from a chemist. If you can get through the night with painkillers and cold packs then urgent GP appointment is likely a good shout.

Was just going to say the same. I remember having it years ago and not being able to lift my head out of bed. Really painful and scary. Usually goes off in a day or two.

Does the GP's surgery offer an online appointment booking option, OP?

You may be able to book an appointment for tomorrow.

Agree with this, DS has it about 3 times. It was like a really really bad cricked neck but we honestly thought it was something really serious. They only really offered painkillers and heat pads and gentle exercise. It was pretty bad though.
I’d still call your GP first thing though or 111 if you get desperate in the meantime.

Torticollis?

Chiropractors are dangerous quacks. Avoid at all costs, unless you’re happy accepting the risk of a stroke or permanent paralysis.

I would do 111. Try and get the pain relief sorted and then you’ll feel less panicky. I wouldn’t try and manipulate anything right now, & let it settle down. It might do more harm than good.

Have you had an epidural recently? This sounds similar to my post-dural headache.

I had this once, couldn’t support the weight of my head when stood without holding the back of my head with my hands. Spent five days laid down in bed apart from toilet visits.