I'm in a lot of pain- come and diagnose me!

[thatsnotmymonster]

Ok so for the last 4 days I've had severe neck pain.

Only way I can describe it is like if you've got a crick in your neck (through sleeping awkwardly etc) but about a million times more painful.

It hurts when I move my head in any direction but particularly from side to side or at a slight angle. When I cough or sneeze I want to pass out. I was in tears in the car trying to check for traffic- doing the school run. You get the idea.

I have no other symptoms apart from today I felt quite queasy and had a stomach ache.

The only reason I'm talking about symptoms is because DH had the exact same thing but for 2 days immediately prior to me- seems a bit weird to me? So could it be a virus or just a coincidence that we both got an extremely sore neck in the same week as each other.

I am only really coping because I'm taking lots of painkillers. I thought it would've got better by now but I haven't noticed any real improvement. I have 3 under 5 dc's at home which doesn't help matters!!

I just can't bear the thought of it continuing like this for much longer, maybe I am just being a wuss but I just want to lie down and not have to do anything that is going to hurt!

I've had neck pain for about a week now, and I can't think of anything that could have caused it. [weird]

Could you have done something that's torn a muscle or damaged your neck in some way?

Can't diagnose you, sorry!

However, have you tried Syndol? It contains a muscle relaxant as well as paracetamol.

It's possible you've cricked your neck, so your muscles will be over-compensating for it, so Syndol will help.

I would also suggest that you see if you can get to an osteopath. If you have done anything 'structural' then they will be able to help with this, as well as helping to straighten out those muscles.

When you've been feeling queasy are you dizzy too? I only ask because i've been suffering with an ear infection lately and my neck gets sore as well in exactly the same way you describe.

• meant to say inner ear infection.

Not really any dizziness. Would I have any other symptoms of an ear infection?

IMoveTheStars- snap, I can't think of anything that's caused it either? The amount of pain I would expect the cause to have been pretty significant but I can't think of anything!!

It's not really possible to see an osteopath. I just don't have any dc-free time and I can't afford it atm!

Where can you get Syndol?

Could it be a trapped nerve? My (grown up) DD sometimes gets this, often just from having slept in an awkward position, it usually settles after a few days. Is there a walk in centre anywhere near you could go to?

Think you can get syndol at any pharmacist

how about going to the doctors rather than asking a lot of randoms on the internet to diagnose your symptoms

err, ok Mosschops, isn't that what most people use mumsnet for ...to ask a lot of randomw what they think of x, y or z

The reasons for not going to doc-
can never get an appointment for less than a week away so not much use anyway
spoke to my mum and sis (both doctors) who told me what painkillers to take and said all a gp would do would be to prescribe pain relief anyway. This is crtainly true around here cos the gp's are all pretty useless.

have you been sat in draft.

paramol would be the best pain killer as its the strongest withou prescription other than an anti-inflammatory like diclofenac.

that's what my sis said! I had some Tramadol (sp?) though left over from dh's knee op so she advised me to take that and aspirin (as that's all I had in).

Have no money till Tuesday so can't afford to go to shop and buy anything else .

Seems to be ok at the moment (when I say ok, I mean I can move without wanting to faint )

not for genuine medical diagnosis' no!

And yes what great advice from your sister 'take some synthetic morphine that was prescribed to someone else, alongside something that is a poor pain killer' fab

Tell the bitches on the desk at your surgery its an emergency and you need an appintment now or else you'll never get past em

Failing that borrow a couple of quid and buy something decent for your pain that is suited to you as an individual

The op's mum and sister are both doctors.

Tramadol is a very strong painkiller, and aspirin is an anti-inflammatory, so as long as the tramadol is not out of date, if it really is impossible for op to see her own doctor, it sounds reasonable enough.

(Although I know doctors are not supposed to treat relatives, sometimes desperate situations......etc, etc.)

OTOH, tramadol would knock me out, so I would probably take half the dose to start with - but then one glass of wine tends to be enough for me IYSWIM.

Have you been reaching up to get something from a high shelf, or putting up curtains or similar?

Don't mean to sound harsh but if your mum and sister both doctors, why post on MN to ask a medical question?

Might as well just google it then you can self diagnose from any number of illnesses that feature neck pain.

Did your dh see a gp about his similar neck pain?

Hurty-neck-disease.

If your DH has it then it could be viral. The pain in your neck may well be swollen glands that can be very painful.
Does it hurt when you touch your neck?

You would probably have some other symptoms as well such as fatigue.

On the other hand have the two of you been sleeping near a draft?

i wouldnt advise taking anothers meds either..its really bad practice as you are supposed to have your BP done before taking tramadol and codeine type meds as they can affect BP

Could also be a muscle spasm. I have had several instances of this and it is pain beyond most other types of pain we are used to. Really strong painkillers plus diazepam (to relax the muscles) were prescribed for me. But the only way you can treat it effectively is to get a Dr to see you.

Sometimes it's just easier to ask on MN for advice- after all there are a lot of people on here and chances are they may have some ideas! I suspect it's just a sore neck, googling just comes up with meningitis which I know it's not, and I just thought there was a posibility it might be another virus.

Obviously taking others meds is not ideal. There were only 3 tramadol left and I have used 2 of them in 4 days so not really a big deal but I it has enabled me to actually look after the dc's etc, and as littlefrogs has already pointed out apirin is an anti-inflammatory, better than ibuprofen in this case. My mum and sis are both docs, neither are gps though and in any case just because they are docs doesn't mean they are the fountain of all medical knowledge

My dh didn't see gp- his only lasted 2 days and didn't seem as bad. It is not sore to touch my neck.

No drafts that I am aware of!

The gp's wouldn't see this as emergency.

All it can take is a small breeze or unnoticeable draft, particularly overnight whilst asleep and you can end up with a frozen shoulder. The same for your DH.
HAs it got any easier over the last few days?
It can be difficult to tell if you are using pain relief regularly.

I would take paracetamol and anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen, unless you are allergic. You can take them together but don't exceed the dosage on the box. Always take with food.

An ice pack or a warm flannel can also help.
I would then make an appointment with the doctors. Agree with Mosschops. Receptionists are not doctors. Tell them you have a serious pain in your neck and that it has got worse and has therefore become AN EMERGENCY as you cannot sleep, move, drive or look after your children.

Let us know how you get on!

Thanks Thingiebob- will have to wait till Monday now anyway. I will make an emergency app if it is no better by then!

I have not taken any painkillers since this morning. However it doesn't seem much better. I don't have much movement range and it still gives me sharp shooting pain with any sudden movement or movement too far in any direction etc.

Not much fun.

I never realised that a draft could cause so much damage!!!!!

Anyway thanks everyone for all your advice

My Mum had similar pain in her neck, she had slipped a couple of disks. Its not as common to slip disks in your neck but it is possible none the less....could dh and your neck pains just be a coincidence maybe?

I would say get thee to a gp asap for a neck mot a soon a possible!