Servere Pain In The Neck

[dogtanian]

Hi just thought id run this by see if anyone has anything similar...

For about 4 years now iv had severe pain in the neck it might just be that at 33 and 6ft 3 its years of lookin down therfore bad posture but iv basically had this pain and throughall my efforts nothing has changed...iv been to a chiropracter,had x-rays, blood tests for arthiritis,injection scan and a MRI..all have come up with nothing but the pain is still there...since being in thailand with the hot weather it doenst flare up as much apart from when im a lilttle stressed about things or iv been on the beer for a couple of days especially the beer...wanna try and figure what and how to solve it as iv gotta go back to england soon and the weather is gonna make it hel_l to live with......has anybody experienced anything similar and or tried acupunture????Any thoughts on this would be well and truely appreciated

Thanks in advance

[John K]

One of the things I can suggest is that you read this thread first.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=109310

After you read that thread it may help with some ideas in where your pain is coming from. If you think poor posture contributed to your problem then talk to a doctor about the possibility of traction therapy. That will involve a home traction device and instructions on how to use it. My mother had a similar problem from always looking down. Her therapy was 45 minutes per day for 6 weeks, along with a neck brace. After that her problem never returned. This is not to say that this is correct or incorrect for you, all I am doing is describing a similar problem and how it was resolved. In her case she had a pinched nerve and by the use of traction the nerve found its way back to where it belonged.

This was many years ago long before the modern scanners of today, but I do not know what resolution today’s scanners have or if they can see a nerve.

[Gary A]

Most of us get used to sleeping in the same position. It's easy to tell someone to change that position but changing was VERY difficult for me. Getting to sleep was a problem but I finally am able to do it. I was amazed at how quickly the pain went away after having had it for so long. It cost nothing and it worked for me.

[leisurely]

I think the sleeping postition one was probably the one to start with. I have sponylosis and find that if I've been a bit to generous with the Chang, I wake in excruciating agony. Also, if I lift my daughters too frequently the same happens. I've never tried accupuncture, I stick to volatrol or brufen.

Good luck trying to get a diagnosis, have you considered BNH? It has a dedicated spinal centre with a good reputation.

[think_too_mut]

I had that and went to see a doctor in Tokyo. X-rays and in 1 minute he said - a common thing among office workers (sitting all day) and typing on keyboards. He said - after pointing at the X-ray spot where the problem is - I can't do much about it.

In Pattaya Bangkok Hospital, the doctor there agreed with his Japanese colleague and all he could do was to send me for "neck stretching" therapy 5 times (30 mins each, 1120B, insurance covers).

Surely, the pain went away while on holidays but returned back shortly after.

Oh, they both said no massage or chiropractor can do much. Since then, I have moved the computer mouse to the left. I hate this office job but 20+ more years to go.

[qwertz]

I think the sleeping postition one was probably the one to start with. I have sponylosis and find that if I've been a bit to generous with the Chang, I wake in excruciating agony. Also, if I lift my daughters too frequently the same happens. I've never tried accupuncture, I stick to volatrol or brufen.

Good luck trying to get a diagnosis, have you considered BNH? It has a dedicated spinal centre with a good reputation.

You have my problem. I've had it long enough to have pinned down some of the things which will aggravate the condition.

Driving, sitting for hours at a computer, excess alcohol, sleeping posture. Acupuncture helps, I use tylenol as a painkiller too. There's also a little electronic gadget which shoots low voltage into the pain centre, that helps too. I had one but some scrote stole it from my car.

[Sheryl]

Since you've already had a work-up to exclude serious causes:

- get a neck pillow (special pillow for people with neck problems) if you don't already have one

- install a lumbar support pillow in your office chair, car and any other places you habitually sit (like in front of computer). Keeping the lumbar spine well supported and straight helps the neck as well.

- as John K suggested, get a home neck traction device, you can buy them online (the hospitals in BKK are just going to try to get you to attend daily physical therapy at significant cost) and use it at least once a day

- if you do anything that keeps your head in one position for a long period (like reading), use a timer and stop once an hour to do 5 - 10 minutes of neck exercises, can find them on the web. There is also a book called "Heal your Neck" which contains many.

- when the pain does occur, take a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug(NSAID) (ibuprofen or similiar) but only if you don't have any stomach problems or history of ulcer, and always take with food.

- an alternative (or supplement) to taking NSAIDs systemically that works for many people is to apply heat to the neck and upper back until it's good and red then rub in an NSAID ointment such as Voltaren. The heat first causes vasodilation as otherwise local absorption is minimal.

You could also try an Alexander practioner to change your posture, that will be easier in the UK than in LOS where there are few.

Lastly, if all else fails and the pain is bad enough, you could consider nerve ablation or a nerve block...for this go to a pain management clinic. In essence what they do uis run some tests to isolate the nerve responsible for the pain, then -- assuming it's a nerve you can safely do without -- deadening it either temporarily (block) or permanently (ablation). Usually a temproary block is tried first to see the effect and if the patient is happy with the results, ablation can then be done afterwards.

Good luck.

[Andiamo]

Hello,

I sympathise as I also get neck pain/ache. I go to Huay Cheow (Sp?) Hospital close to Hualampong Railway Station. I go to the Chinese section and they are great. A Thai friend recommended this place and for me it's worked wonders.

PROCEDURE & WHAT TO DO!

After arrrival, on the ground floor, you register and get a card. Go to the nurse on the left hand side of where you give in the card to the guys behind the Registration Desk and have your Blood pressure and weight taken.

Then go upstairs to see the Doctor and give in the pink slip from the Nurse. You can show/gesticulate what your problem is to the Chinese Doctor (the guy I see has a niece who also treats patients - she speaks Thai so if you can speak Thai, you will be well away) Although to be honest once he gets working on you, no language is necessary as by body language, grimaces, showing him with your hand etc, he can know exactly where you have pain and target those areas!

First you go into separated off individual cubicles and get undressed down to your underwear. (Keep your knickers/undies on but ladies can take off their bras!). Cover yourself with the green sheet and enjoy a Herbal Body Steam.

The bed has a hole in it so you can shufty right down and make sure your neck gets some of the herbal steam! After 20/30 mins of this, you dress, go through to the Massage area and wait your turn for the Chinese Doctor.

He will massage you, the nurse will then come and perform cupping (Heated glass bulbous jars) on you on the affected area. You can stop then or choose to have her apply a Thai Herbal compress type thingie on the area, which you leave for up to 4 hours. Can be a bit unsightly with big wadge of white cotton taped to your neck upper shoulder area but believe me it works! (The stuff will harden after about 3 hours so then you will need to shower).

Be aware that the cupping leaves marks on your body, a little like bruises. They do go, although depending on your skin type and how strong they are and how good your blood circulation is etc, they can take a while to fade and go! (You can google 'cupping, chinese medicine etc' to find out more).

After you've finished, you pay downstairs at the Cashier and leave! Hopefully, feeling aeons better! I have been going since last May and for me it is great. If I stop going for a while, I tend to get the neck pain back. People have told me that Chinese medecine is often used by Chinese people also as a preventative measure. I will be back there at the weekend.

BTW, they are closed on Tuesdays. Open Wed - Mon 8.30am-2.30pm. Only downside is there is no appointment time so if it is busy you may find you will need to wait. It can take 2-2.5hours from start to finish if busy or you hit the lunch period (12-1pm) Nb. Sat mornings ARE busy! Or you can be all done in 1.5 hours, it just depends.

I have also tried accupuncture there with the same doctor which I found a funny experience I like to try new things, but not sure that it helped my neck particularly.

Hope this is helpful and trust your neck improves!

Kind regards