Painful Shoulder Muscles, Stiff Neck After Drinking

[junkofdavid2]

Sometimes, after drinking, and even if NOT feeling drunk, I experience mildly painful back shoulder muscles and stiff neck... similar to a tension headache but not really because there's not "throbbing".

It very rarely happens to me actually... but it does once in a while.

It doesn't seem to be related to the amount of alcohol. Sometimes, it can happen even after just one bottle of beer. Other times, I can drink a lot, and nothing bad happens at all. Strange.

Any idea what the explanation is?

Cheers,

Mike

Edited June 9, 2007 by junkofdavid2

[Mobi]

If you are doing your drinking sitting at bars, then it could well be 'elbow on bar' syndrome.

If you've been doing this for years, it will create problems in your neck, upper back and arm.

I know - I had it.

[daveb1]

could be to do with your blood pressure or heart get it checked out in case!

Edited June 9, 2007 by daveb1

[junkofdavid2]

what's "elbow on bar" syndrome?

[Bizz]

On feeling the onset of neck pain fold a small towel up wrap it round your neck before retireing. Put a peg in front to hold it in place and try and lie flat on you back.

I kid you not it works.

[Mobi]

what's "elbow on bar" syndrome?

I made it up

Maybe it should be "Bar Propping up" syndrome.

If you spend hours upon hours, years upon years of propping up bars, then you will eventually get the symptoms that the OP has described - and he did say it came on after drinking.

I bet there is something similar in the medical journals.

[nick2k]

it's called "frozen shoulder". do a google search.

I get it now and then. something that comes with old age. one person told me that he gets it when he accidentally leaves the fan blowing on his body at night when he sleeps.

I find that if you do some little exercise like pedaling on the life cycle, it helps.

[Mighty Mouse]

Spinal gout perhaps?

[technocracy]

Does this by any chance occur when you've been sitting in certain types of bar at a low seat while scantily clad girls dance on a stage in the centre of the bar??

[think_too_mut]

If you are doing your drinking sitting at bars, then it could well be 'elbow on bar' syndrome.

If you've been doing this for years, it will create problems in your neck, upper back and arm.

I know - I had it.

When I first felt that I went to see a doctor. My fingers were losing their sense of touch.

Japanese doc sent me first to x-raying of my neck.

Then, in 2 minutes, he showed to me what is happening: long sitting in the office has damaged one part of my spinal cord in my neck (it was visible on the x-ray shot).

He said, a common problem among the office workers, nothing much I could do about it, other than try to sit less and walk around when I can.

No medicines, nothing.

Ah, he also said I should move my mouse to my left hand. That's all the horror I could tell about.