Rheumatoid in my neck.

Russell8

I have rheumatoid arthritis. I have had it for ten years. I’ve had a double hip replacement, and four toes straightened. My arthritis as a whole is managed well. I have weekly tocycillumab injections. About a year ago it progressed to my neck. It causes so much pain and headaches. I have seen my rheumatologist but there seems to be very little they can do to help. Does anyone else suffer the same problem. I have a heated neck wrap I use daily and pain killers but it still is so sore. Any tips would be very welcome. Thanks

frogmorton

Oh gosh Russell necks have to be the worst of any joint pain our heads weigh such a lot. You have my sympathy totally.

Mine has 'gone' completely a good few times in the past and I have made changes which I believe has made life a good bit easier.

The first was to ditch my two fluffy pillows😕initially for a rolled up hand-towel in the neck in bed, but for many years now have used a memory foam shaped (contoured?) pillow a lot like this one. I must be on my 6th 7th or 8th as eventually they do squash.

Pillows are a matter of trial and error I find so this might not suit you, but you can probably see how it works?

I also 'head off' (Excuse the pun) flares of my neck by stopping anything which aggravates it at the first sign of 'real trouble'. That means no leaning forwards over my phone or even this laptop or my jigsaws.

Then I do the obvious like you take my pain meds as prescribed (along with a glass of prune juice a day usually!) and love my warm wheatie. I lie down more often until the flare retreats a bit as i have said before heads are very heavy!

Sending ((()))