Thread: Any Chiropractors or Physical Therapists out there?

I slipped on a patch of ice during a walk on Tuesday. I didn't fall, but in catching myself, I felt the back right side of my neck almost jolt with electricity "ZING!". It hurt after that, but not too bad. I had to plow our driveway that evening and turning my head to the right side hurt quite a bit, but I needed to turn my head so I rather forced it that way when necessary to complete the task.

Yesterday morning: Wow. I've sprained by back in the past so I'm familiar with that kind of thing, but it was amazing the amount of pain in my neck. I was more or less bedridden yesterday. In addition to the overall dull pain from the muscle strain, the worst part by far and something I've never experienced in my neck were the spasms. For periods up to a minute, the spasm pain was near excruciating.

I think it's getting better today since I've only had a few spasms and they are milder than yesterday.

I took 600mg of Ibuprofen yesterday and it did nothing. I have not taken any pain meds today. I generally have a pretty high pain tolerance and avoid any pain meds if I can possibly help it.

My head yesterday and today is tilted to the left as if I'm cocking my head and my right shoulder dips down. I can very very slowly tilt my head back to straight today; yesterday trying that would send my neck into an instant spasm.

So....I'm assuming each day will get better but will my head still want to tilt that way for a long time?

I think it's purely muscular and possibly aggravated nerves rather than some sort of "slipped disc" since I have no pain when I slowly move my head up and down or side to side, no vertebral pain is what I mean.

Any advice?

Thanks.

First of all I would continue to take the ibuprofen. It is not a pain reliever, it is an anti inflammatory, and what is causing your discomfort is inflammation. From injuries sustained doing ironwork I've got one herniated, and two bulging discs in my lower lumbar region. I've been to chiropractors many times in my long life, but not in the past 30 years. If you're stove up they can relieve your pain fairly quickly in most cases, but IME, and I have a lot of it, they are a band aid, not a cure. Chances are you've got swelling in the area of the discs, and maybe muscles.

What I learned from experience is that rest and anti inflammatory medications, moist heat will fix you up, but you have to be patient. One thing a massage therapist taught me was to fill a knee sock, the kind school girls wear, with lentils 3/4 of the way full. Tie a knot in the end. Throw it in the microwave for 45 seconds, lay it on your neck. Feels great. One thing, time depends on your microwave. Maybe longer or shorter. Don't burn yourself.

Thanks, Jimmy. I have taken your advice with the lentils and the sock. So far so good.

Take some anti inflammatory too Chris, and keep taking them as recommended for a week after you feel better. Icing might also be a good thing. Really does lessen inflammation IME.

I been down that road just listen to your body rest and keep taking the meds, I consider myself a very fit active 57 year old, then about three years ago I prolapsed two discs in my spine L4 & L5 I have never experienced pain like it I couldn't wash or dress myself for 6 weeks, spinal injuries are very serious look after yourself.

As someone with serious neck problems I'll tell you from experience if you suffer any neck injury get it checked out pronto. Neck stuff has a habit of seemingly getting better by itself and 10 years later you find out your neck is totally screwed up and unlike back problems where it's pain you deal with with the neck it's headaches and dizziness and worse.

The symptoms you describe mean something was damaged and the disks in the neck are small and injure easily.

i'm not a doctor but my personal experience from a rear end collision says not to wait to go to a doctor and or chiropractor. i went to a regular medical doctor after the accident and after checking it out he said it would be okay. what i didn't find out till years later was that your body will adapt itself to being "out of place". after years of head aches and other problems i went to a chiropractor and finally found relief. the longer you wait the harder it is to put your spine/neck back to where it's supposed to be.JMHO

If you are going to use on ice on your neck, a big bag of frozen peas works great. The peas will last forever even with constant thawing and refreezing.

Originally Posted by rolodave

If you are going to use on ice on your neck, a big bag of frozen peas works great. The peas will last forever even with constant thawing and refreezing.

+1, hadn't thought of that, but I've done that very thing !

Originally Posted by tintin

i'm not a doctor but my personal experience from a rear end collision says not to wait to go to a doctor and or chiropractor. i went to a regular medical doctor after the accident and after checking it out he said it would be okay. what i didn't find out till years later was that your body will adapt itself to being "out of place". after years of head aches and other problems i went to a chiropractor and finally found relief. the longer you wait the harder it is to put your spine/neck back to where it's supposed to be.JMHO

Had a similar situation. Then the bone spurs on my neck started growing. No fun indeed. The constant adjustments helped to feel better but now arthritis has started.