THE TERRIBLE NECK PAIN

[Guest guest]

Can anyone offer me tips on what to do about the terrible neck pain?

I hurt so bad I am having trouble working! I have taken advil,

excedrin and an ativan! Then I start to have trouble swallowing and

then I panic.

How do you get through this? I keep hoping I will wake up in the

morning and it will be a better day, but.......it has been really

rough lateley! Does it ever get better?

Does anyone ever get used to living with the symptoms?

[Guest guest]

A quick thought:

have you tried buying a soft cervical collar? You can pick one up

without prescription at a medical supply store. They do not cost much.

If you do this, be sure to get someone to help fit you. The wrong fit

will be worse than no brace. It should be fitted to keep your chin

perfectly level, not allowing your chin to drop much down below level,

and not (definitely NOT) pushing your chin up, thereby hyper extending

your neck.

If necessary, you can buy one a little too tall, take it home,

carefully cut open the " sock " covering and trim (a little at a time)

some of the foam rubber until you get the right fit just for you.

then sew back up the covering.

You can dress them up a bit by sewing covers for them from old silk

scarves, etc. These can be taken off and washed when necessary.

You might be surprised how much a collar can help with symptoms! It

not only helps in a small way to stabilize your neck, but it reminds

you to not do certain things, like too much looking down or up.

Be careful how much you lift. Lifting and straining will cause some

bad symptoms. Avoid " valsalva " manuevers (straining).

If you don't have a collar, give this a try.

hope this helps others, too

Virginia

4 plc fracture of the C1, Tethered Cord, " acquired chiari (not acm),

5.7 mm, " atlanto occipital dislocation and cranial settling all due

to equestrian accident,

2004. TC surgery, Nov. 2007 at TCI. CC Fusion upcoming.

>

> Can anyone offer me tips on what to do about the terrible neck

pain?

> I hurt so bad I am having trouble working! I have taken advil,

> excedrin and an ativan! Then I start to have trouble swallowing and

> then I panic.

>

> How do you get through this? I keep hoping I will wake up in the

> morning and it will be a better day, but.......it has been really

> rough lateley! Does it ever get better?

>

> Does anyone ever get used to living with the symptoms?

>