Trapped nerve hell

[OhBlissOhJoy]

I'm in so much pain!
I have a trapped nerve in my neck that is radiating pain through my shoulder and down my arm. Pain killers aren't touching it. Volterol offers slight relief. Have found some physio exercises which seemed to ease the first time I tried them but now too agonising to try again. Please help before I start taking the dog's tramadol

Total sympathy from me. Had this recently. Worst pain ever. Have you tried ice?

Omg I could have written this! Sorry can't offer any help but will be watching this!

Ice really helped mine

The dog's tramadol is probably human stuff anyway. Frankly, I'd Google the brand and take it. Huge sympathy - been there. Ended up in A&E sobbing and begging for help. Morphine barely touched it.

No more exercises until the injury has settled - may be too much too soon. Ice packs not heat pads, rest, and is you have anyone handy for a basic massage get them to do a soft one across the area affected.

On the phone tomorrow to find an osteopath!!!

It hurts like hell, agree with ice pack, try rub on ibuprofen gel as well as everything else.

Ring 111 and get help. They'll get you into ooh and onto some diazepam

I get this too as one have 2 bulging discs caused by wear and tear on the cervical spine. I have laid on an ice pack for over 30 mins before. Get an appointment tomorrow if no better. Muscle relaxants are good

Thank you so much. Think I've got frozen peas, no ice. Was going to try my hot water bottle so glad I checked for replies first!

Put some water in your hot water bottle (about half full) lay it flat and freeze it... you'll thank me in an hour!!

If you can't move your neck left and right, and your shoulder(s) are hunched then definitely get a drs appt for some diazepam, and some stronger pain killers.
i get this a few times a year due to muscle/nerve issues.
DEFINITELY NO HEAT!!

I had this last week. Was in total agony and, like you, was googling all sorts of exercises and stuff.

It seems for me that what worked it out was sleeping on my front and using a vibrating back massager (ahem ) on it. After doing that, by the next morning I was right as rain again.

If it's a muscle spasm causing the problem roll a tennis ball over the spasm

ahhh yes... either put a tennis ball between your back/shoulder blade and the wall and then lean/wiggle, or get someone to do it for you.
I've been known to use door knobs when desperate!!

I might have some diazepam somewhere.
No tennis balls or back massagers.
Can someone take my dogs out please?

Olivia - my hot water bottle is one of those microwavable ones

Have you got a dog toy you can lean against?

I use a roll-on version of Biofreeze for most nerve pains, if tens machine doesn't fix it - can recommend both (and a neighbour to walk dog).

Volterol sold in chemists is 1/4 of the strength of the ones you get at the doctors. If it's that bad you need to get a prescription.

I'm on my second bag of frozen rice. Soothing until I move.
Will see if I can get a GP appointment for prescription strength Voltarol. Haven't heard of Biofreeze, is that prescription or over the counter?
Thanks for all the advice

Huge sympathy. I too have ended up in A&E with this. I was howling like an animal.
No heat. I made that mistake. Cold packs 15 mins every two hours.
Diazepam prob the only thing that will work.
Best exercise: stand with your back against a wall. Have the back of your head also touching the wall. Now move your head so that it slides up the wall a bit. Your chin will drop and your neck will straighten. It takes a bit of getting used to but gets easier with practice. It will correct your posture and ease the pressure on the nerve.
Further, to strengthen the internal neck muscles, for prolonged posture support, lie on back on floor. Raise head 1 cm only. Hold for5 seconds. Repeat a few times.
All the best

Have had a look and no Diazepam. Have had some in the past but none now. Bugger.
Rice back in the freezer. Voltarol slathered like sun cream. The pain in my neck and shoulder has eased I think thanks to the (r)ice but my arm is still hurting and I'm so stiff.
I'm tired and I want to go to bed but I just can't get comfortable. I want to cry.
Again, thanks for all your messages - I usually have a good pain threshold so it's reassuring to hear others validate this pain.

Hope you got some sleep, OP, and manage GP appt before long.
Not had same pain, but years at Pain Clinics plus bursitis and sciatic nerve pain provided experience, and GP approved Biofreeze as unlikely to react with other meds. It comes in spray, roll-on and cream, all containing "usual" cooling stuff, active ingredient is a S.American holly, and there are at least three other friends now ordering it on a regular basis, according to pharmacist, apart from quite high cost. (Mine's £10ish for 89ml, made in USA) I have no connection with the company otherwise, and have not tried prescription Voltarol.
Hope pain abates soon.

Any cooling lotions or creams will just create a surface effect, they won't actually do anything to the muscle.
The idea being that the change in surface sensation e.g. Tingling from deep heat or freeze or even one of those 4head sticks- it basically tricks you into ignoring the pain.
Ok for a bit of sore muscle but not for trapped nerve.
Did you get a drs appt?

ok - had this for weeks. It hurts, but also totally floored me.
I found a great chiropractor who put me back together.
The relief was immense.

I had to check i hadn't written this in painkiller fuelled mind blur!! Have got same, apparently result of disc injury, disc pushing nerve against bone and sending shooting pain and weakness down right arm. Been 5 weeks now I think, things like diazepam and morphine aren't helping the pain as they are muscle relaxants and its pain caused by nerve issues. I already take a load of stuff for nerve pain for ME and fibro but they're not helping hugely either to be honest. Am currently having chiropractor treat it, had osteopath which made it worse so I'd suggest going to chiropractor in place of osteopath. Can't afford to buy food now, but it's helped reduce the pain and am hoping won't have to move on to mri and some more sort of invasive treatment!

GP appt today. Got Naproxen for the pain and diazepam for the associated muscle spasm. Diazepam has relieved some of the arm and shoulder spasm (and knocked me out for 4 hours!) but the pain is still there mainly in my upper arm now. Bought some cooling patches but they've done nothing, as others said upthread they don't go deep. Will try Biofreeze, saw it in Boots today but chose patches as they were cheaper.
So, in slightly less pain tonight but still can't get comfortable. Follow up GP appt in 10 days to refer me for an MRI which is another hell in itself for someone claustrophobic! Let's hope it's cleared up by then.
Thanks for all your advice.