Pain in the neck

debatat

Can anyone help? I keep falling over and swaying. I have lost my balance. I do suffer with numb feet and I have recently had an ear infe4ction which two lots of antibiotics haven't completely cured.

However now one of the joints in my neck has come up very very swollen and is painful. It is restriciting my movement and causing pain as if trapping a nerve. As well as weakness down my arm and a weak hand and painful shoulder. It is the lower joint in your neck between shoulder blades and is making me feel sick with the pain. I am so fed up of being ill and its always something!!!! One joint or another. It has swollen before but not to this extent. Any tips or ideas? Would this cause the falling, swaying and loss of balance? What should I do? Sorry to moian only I am desperate.

Deb

skezier

Hi Deb,

With those symptoms and swelling I really do think you should pop in to A & E. The dizziness could well be from your ears but if you have swelling and its effecting your arm like that I really think you should go have it checked out asap. If not you must go to the doctors tomorrow and its possible the dizziness is a kind of vertigo and I promise you that can be controlled. Please get your self checked out though. Luv Cris x

skezier

Hi Deb,

Just wanted to ask how you are today. Luv Cris x

debatat

Thanks Cris, hope that you are well and not in too much pain. I managed to work out last night that the falling is because the balls of my feet are very swollen so causing loss of balance. However my neck is no better so popped to see gp this morning. She said my ra can affect any joint and my neck is wear and tear degenerative which has become inflamed and sent the surrounding muscles into spasm which is pressing on a nerve. She said I must be used to that kinbd of thing and that I must have been told that would happen. Erm No!!!! My knowledge of arthur comes from this fantastic site with its extremely helpful people. So she then uttered the famous 'learn to live with it' !!!!!!!!!! She has prescribed tramadol and told me it should improve in a few days. My ears are clear of infection so it is the pain radiaiting. Anyone any tips for neck pain? They would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Deb

skezier

Hi Deb,

I am glad you had it looked at. I have a lot of degeneration in the neck and mine also swells up in the soft tissues, I have a few pain killers and then the steroid jabs and it helped a lot so may be when you see your consultant they will be more sympathetic than your doctor, who I think may have been mine! You take it easy, I find heat works well and finding a comfortable place to keep it for a bit and sometimes I hold my head up with my hands for a while. If you stay having the vertigo sound out either your gp or your consultant for stemetil or simular. I hope it soon calms down and you take care. Luv Cris x

debatat

Thanks Cris, I already take tabs for my vertigo, I have had this for a few years now. The tramadol is barely taking the edge off the pain. Is this normal? Does it have to build up to havemore effect?
I have been supporting my neck against achair back with a heat pack around it and this helps. This is fine until I have to move, ouch!!!!

Hope you are having a good day.

Deb

woodbon

Hi Yes I get that sort of pain in the neck and the swelling too - mine feels and looks red hot. The GP says its all to do with the nerve compressed in my neck C5, 5, 7, I think. It makes my shoulder blades hurt and my shoulder tips and runs down my arms. When it gets that bad I have an anti-spasmodic as well as amotrip. as the muscles go into spasm. I find heat helps me too. Hope it soon settles for a while. Love Sue

skezier

Hi Deb,

I have trandol but they don't do anything for me even at 8 a day. I somehow still have the diclo's, even after 20 years!, and the pregabalin is wonderfully good with my pain. The pain clinic doctor told me to persevere with the tramadol as it is aculilatory but then she did the jabs and I haven't been bothering as I take the other 2 as well and figured less was better?

I had some more jabs on thursday and though not as good as when first done they still help so much with the pain. Have you got to wait long before you see your Rumo? Luv Cris x

debatat

Sue, thanks for your reply and I am sorry to hear that you suffer as well.

Cris I have 4 months till I see rheumy. I will give it a couple of days and if it hasn't settled go back to docs as this is awful. You and Sue have my utmost sympathy. I hope the jabs work well for you on Thurs. My consultant did say he would refer me to pain clinic but I haven't heard anything. I might chase this up if things don't improve.

Its horrible I feel like such a nuisance and a hypochondriac there is alwys something wrong!!!!

Deb

skezier

Hi Deb,

Can you see if there is anyway you gp can speed up you appointment as thats quite a long time and also sound out the possibility of a MRI to your neck if you haven't had one already. I have found the pain clinic have really helped me this time but so did the pregabalin, more that anything I have ever had since it all started.

Your not a hypochondriac or a nuisance so don't you go thinking it.

A ((( ))) and I hope it settles down for you very quickly. It may, if it's like mine, be as simple as you have slept in a position it didn't like and it has taken full advantage and flared up. you take care and let us know how it goes. Luv Cris x

woodbon

Hi Tramadol work for me, but 30/500 co-codamol didn't. Its trial and error with painkillers, I think some people need one kind others something else. Its not always the strongest drug that works best either'!! I suppose we'er complex. :shock: Love Sue

colinone

Hi An ear infection can cause this sort of problem MTX can cause problems with ballance
take care
colin

debatat

Thanks all. My infection is clear the doc said. I have discovered the falling is because the balls of my feet are swollen throwing me off balance!!! My neck is very stiff and painful but I did manage to get some sleep last night. If it is still this bad tomorrow will phone the secretary. I still can't get over how much trouble arthur causes. My poor hubby must be so sick of my moaning. Hope you are all having a good day.

Take care

Deb

skezier

Hi Deb,

Glad you got some sleep and I am sure your hubby isn't sick of you, he's probably worried. I think you should see if you can get the appointment brought forward and not wait till tomorrow cus he may be able to help your neck and out all the pain I have ever had my neck is the one that gets to me the worst. They may be able to get you some real help to settle it down and help stop it from happening again. Luv Cris x

steve136

debatat wrote:

Can anyone help? I keep falling over and swaying. I have lost my balance. I do suffer with numb feet and I have recently had an ear infe4ction which two lots of antibiotics haven't completely cured.

However now one of the joints in my neck has come up very very swollen and is painful. It is restriciting my movement and causing pain as if trapping a nerve. As well as weakness down my arm and a weak hand and painful shoulder. It is the lower joint in your neck between shoulder blades and is making me feel sick with the pain. I am so fed up of being ill and its always something!!!! One joint or another. It has swollen before but not to this extent. Any tips or ideas? Would this cause the falling, swaying and loss of balance? What should I do? Sorry to moian only I am desperate.

Deb

Hi I have just jonined today not really sure if this will get to you

Sounds like you may have cervical spondulosis like myself have had this condition for 3 years its arthritis in the neck i also have athritusin both thumbs at the base just had operation to remove trapeziem bone on left hand now its totaly knackered and hurts more than before.

The simptoms you describe sound similar to my own constant stiff neck feels like its going to snap deadening shooting pains down my left arm and ending in fingers pins and needles sometime if i move my head a certain way it feels like my hand has been shut in a door have had two mri scanns to comfirm this they said surgical intervention would not help and going by my hand op i wouldnt let them any way

Still trying to cope with it all myself which is why i enrolled here today I sorry thats not very constructive but atleast you know your not alone

take care all the best

debatat

Cris, I have spoken to consultants secretary today and she said I should have been referred to the pain clinic, but I haven't. So its off to the gp this afternoon to see about this and to try to sort out some decent pain relief. The pain isn't letting up and the numbness/pins needles even radiates down my spine now. I feel so miserable, neck pain is the worst you are right!!!! I hope you are okay. Thanks for replying to me, you do help to keep my spirits up.

Steve, nice to 'meet' you, sorry for the circumstances though. You have my sympathies you are suffering, I hope that joining this forum helps you. The people are lovely and friendly. What do you take for your pain? What have they done to help make your neck more comfortabel? Hope you dont mind me asking.

Deb

debatat

Just come back from the gp. The pain in my joints in my spine and the sensations I am having directly relates to the inflammation in my spine pressing on the spinal cord. She isnt sure whether it is the lupus, ra or oa causing it. She also thinks I have the beginnings of osteoporisis and a dowagers hump :shock: I am 37!!!!!! :shock: :shock: :shock:

She has upped my steroids, the tramadol has been doubled and she has added in baclofen? I think and upped my amitriptyline. I have got a soft collar for my neck and am preparing to be knocked out for a couple of days. If it doesn't settle I have to go straight back.

The chemist said there is a shortage of tramadol tho??????

Am going to have to hunt this down.

Deb

skezier

Hi Deb,

Has she arranged any tests at all cus if you do have cord pressure it would be better they did a MRI or something quite soon. I had cord pressure and it was given a full decompression but the messing about before left a fair bit of permanent damage.

I can lend you a net to go Tramadol hunting and some boots if it helps? Its amazing what they tell us eh?

You go careful, oh and the humps well they aren't too quick sometimes so don't go worrying till you know exactly what is going on in there. Luv Cris ((( ))) x

justinbarrow

I had balance and dizziness problems when i was taking methotrexate i know what you are going through its awful but i would like others have said go and get checked out.

Hope u feel better soon

debatat

Thanks Cris, the net and boots did the trick. I have got my tramadol!! Have to say though I am still in pain :shock: I think if it doesn't clear in a couple of days they will arrange tests. I have to confess I am starting to panic slightly about what is causing the problem and if I will be stuck like this. Hope you are well.

Thanks for other replies everyone.

Deb