Neck/throat weirdness - weights?

[poppyseedy]

It’s hard to describe but my neck has felt odd for a couple of months - no lumps but sometimes feels swollen and the odd pain (nothing severe) that goes away quickly. I’ve been to the GP about it and they didn’t think there was anything to worry about. It’s only just dawned on me that it’s coincided with me regularly doing weight training - do you think it could be linked? I can feel the muscles in my neck often tensing when lifting weights - maybe it’s linked?
Anyone experience similar?

I get this when I do a lot of DIY involving power tools and heavy lifting, especially vibrating power tools like the drill or angle grinder. I tense my neck muscles constantly when using them, which causes inflammation, and I then get shooting pains and other random aches.

The pain goes away for me eventually, when I stop using the tools. I find that a bit of yoga every day really helps to stretch muscles and tendons that I don't normally think about.

If you've just started a new workout regime you will get inflammation in muscles that haven't been used much before, but it should subside.

It's possible you're clenching jaw/neck etc but I can deadlift 140kg and don't get this. I do get a lot of other short lived aches though, particularly when I go heavy and forget to force knees out hard.

Thank you - I do think it might be linked and it’s a relief if so. I have stopped yoga to do more strength training and clearly need to include more stretching and flexibility into my programme. I’m really enjoying weights so don’t want to stop that.

It does sound like you are tensing your neck and jaw when lifting. Are you gritting your teeth and crunching up your shoulders?

I suppose the only thing is to consciously try to relax during a lift. Open your moth slightly and concentrate on feeling your weight in your feet against the floor and put the tension into your core. I always think of deadlifts and squats as a push with my feet against the floor rather than a pull with the upper body.

I spoke to a PT friend when I had similar and she said it was my trips (I think they're called trips, was a while ago now) and she said don't worry, its not a concern, its just an area we don't work very much so they can be quite painful at first.

Open your MOUTH…
I’m sure your moths are happy doing their own thing! 😁

A slightly more left- field suggestion- if you are bending up and down a lot for the weight lifting could it be acid reflux? That can cause burning and inflammation in the throat.

I carry a lot of tension in my jaw, neck and shoulders so it all makes sense. Off to look up what my trips are!

No, not burning or refluxy - definitely more the muscles, outer flesh rather than in my throat.

I can relate to this OP, and I lift weights too. I'm often aware of grinding my teeth and clenching my jaw, and have to consciously remind myself to stop doing that! I find that it helps to check that shoulders are down, lats engaged, core braced before every lift. And yes, yoga and stretching in between lift days

Just in case I've misremember the word which is a possibility, it's basically the muscle on each side of the neck

'Just in case I've misremember the word which is a possibility, it's basically the muscle on each side of the neck'

Traps 😊 trapezius muscles. Yes they can get tight as hell

I was close I suppose 😂😂 to be fair she told me right after football one night so I was very tired.
Thank you for this!

I think it’s the trapezius - the more I read about it the more it seems like that’s my issue. Thank you so much everyone!