Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group pain in the neck!

Hi,

what you doing about it?

David

thanks guys,

the pain is mostly conc. on the left side but at night it spreads all over. I tried just sleeping with one really thin pillow so that I was almost flat - that seemed to help so I'm going to try that again. It's probably not helped by tension either - I'm just on the last leg of my degree with my finals coming up. I must relax!

louisa

Darla,
I had 24/7 pain in the neck....it all started in the Si Joints....fused up to the bottom of my neck.
The neck is not fused because I started on Enbrel 2 years ago. Enbrel has slowed the fusing of the neck, but I still have pain, but not like 24/7. It comes and goes and I still get real stiff at time especially when rain is coming from the West. I used to take pain pills and used cold packs to numb the pain. I know you can not walk around with the cold packs on your neck. I used to use them when I was home and not working. But like I said the Enbrel shots have helped me. I know what you are going through. I hurt just knowing you are in pain, because us AS's feel eachother's pain. I used to take codine for pain, then Tyxol. Those two really helped me with the pain. Ok Darla, I really hope you can get some relief.
Good Luck
Dan

hiya,

I missed your response last week,

Tiger Balm can really help the discomfort it warms nicely and seems to help the muscles and takes the edge of everything....I use a different but similar product to stop the nerve storms it cools really quickly and then heats...I really do not know how it works but applied across the whole neck back and shoulders it can stop a force 10 nerve storm.

Some exercises can be positiely wrong esp the strengthening ones where you lie down on your back and push the head neck into the bed, or raise the head off the surface. when you are out of flare they should be attempted as manitaining neck strength is important, but straining is the very thing you need to avoid in flare.

Some of the better ones for me and also my son says they help:

Push the point of the chin out chin out, you need to be standing or sitting position ie upright....this keeps the top neck joints working. Just start of with a few every hour of 2, you can regain alot of lost ground within a few weeks. I had no upper neck movement a few years back and this exercise saved me from fusing up top and really brought the pain down.

Strain is the big enemy of AS esp in flare as it injuries the insertions points which is the very area AS hits.

Lateral neck stretches, gently not hard and often. Avoid doing the neck circles had more trouble doing those than any other!!!!

Chin to chest....careful can stir up a hornets nest of back rib pain.....but inportant!

Stretches which accentuate the natural curves esp the thoracic and lumbar spine. and laterals for the spine twisting etc. Stand up stretch backwards and upwards as much as you can I put my arms out and back this really helps my thoracics.

The collar bones and AC joints in the shoulders often get affected and these can refer pain into the neck so it's important to work these areas, again quality and reps are better than speed and strain,

David

Well, lets see, I use lots of heat, some Ben-gay, I sleep with no pillow unless I'm on my side (I've got one of those foam neck pillows).
I put expensive shocks/struts on my car and made a foam pad for my seat (driving is THE worst for my neck pain).
All that plus a lot of Tramadol (also Sulfsalazine, Etodolac (Lodine), doxycyclene,and Trazadone for good sleep).
Darla

Yes, those neck stretches are good too. I stretch each side ear towards shoulder, holding for 30 seconds, then stretch chin to chest (or as faras I can get), and then looking up. These stretches can relieve some tension and pain for a few minutes on occasion.