Trapped nerve in neck

GraceB

Well, just to add a bit of "extra colour" to the party my joints are having at the moment, my GP confirmed yesterday that I have a trapped nerve at the base of my neck together with a muscle in a massive spasm. Deep, deep joy! :roll:

I was in a rear-ended RTA when I was 18 and had a confirmed whiplash which, with physio at the time, resolved. Ever since then the muscle where my right shoulder joins the base of my neck would spasm about once or twice a year. Usually I'd resolve with muscle rub (massaged in by my late partner), apply heat and generally keep the area moving. After a few days it would clear.

This time it's just not moved and it's now been 3 weeks. I can't massage this by myself and I suspect my recent bereavement hasn't helped. I became worried about this when my right hand started going numb and I had weird and wonderful pains shooting down my right arm. Trying to sleep on my left side is impossible as I then get extremely odd sensations going down my right arm.

So, as well as my usual pain meds, (Tramadol, paracetamol and anti-inflammatory gel) I now have a muscle relaxants - Methocarbamol (750mg tabs) 2 to be taken 4 times daily. Yep folks, the rattling noise here in Kent is me! :!: Plus neck exercises to do. If this hasn't resolved in 2 weeks my GP will progress this further and I suspect the next step could be official physio and/or an MRI scan.

There was a warning on the bottle that my new meds may make me sleepy. As I'm still not sleeping well following the death of my partner I thought "at last I may get some sleep with the muscle relaxant warning and the Tramadol" - sadly not a jot of difference last night. So, yet again, I was tossing and turning due to the party my joints were having, the trapped nerve and my hot flushes. I passed some of the time trying to do my neck exercises but am struggling with tipping my head back to look at the ceiling as the pain shoots across my shoulder and straight down my arm. I'm doing the rest and hoping to progress to looking at the ceiling. No harm in hoping!

If anyone's had muscle relaxants in the past, is there a key time when they start to work please? Thanks.

GraceB

barbara12

Oh Grace you are going through so much, like you say that in itself makes things worse..I always remember my back just going on me when I lost my Mum..and you losing your partner will certainly not help things..I do hope you can get some quality sleep very soon ...just a point the more things I take for sleeping the less I had..so just down the the amitryptaline now..sending some gentle hugs (()) xx

GraceB

Thanks Barbara.

My neck and shoulder were so bad last Monday I nearly couldn't get home from work. Driving is now making this worse so, out of sheer desperation, I saw a physio privately last Thursday. He's found that the nerve in my neck is trapped in a couple of places, I've got early signs of OA attacking my neck and he said my trapezius muscle is absolutely rigid.

I couldn't do the exercises my GP gave me as they caused too much pain; the physio was pleased I'd made that decision as he said most of the exercises were wrong for me to do in any event! I have one exercise to do and very firm instructions to stop these if the numbness goes further down my arm.

I have another session booked in 10 days time which again I'll need to pay for. If I then need more, my GP has said the physio must write and the GP will refer me for NHS sessions (the physio is the same practice my surgery outsource their patient's NHS physio requirements to).

GP couldn't do the physio NHS referral for my neck when I saw him Saturday as he's had to refer me for NHS physio concerning my left knee (which is now giving me grief), as they only usually do one NHS physio referral at a time.

All in all I feel even more of a crock than usual. I'm desperately trying to keep my joints moving but my recent bereavement hasn't helped my health. I'm still not sleeping that well either and that doesn't help either myself or my joints.

In the meantime, I'll do what we on the Forum do. Plod on, and just keep going.

GraceB

stickywicket

I don't think I can say anything that will help, Grace, but I do send lots of good wishes and hopes and, as skezier would say, copes. ((( )))