I came home from work last night shattered after a day of working my way through neck pain on the back of a very disturbed sleep. Last night was a better night sleep-wise – only woke up three times with the pain and was so exhausted I was able to get straight back to sleep. But this morning…
man alive!!! it hurts!!
I am a tough cookie, but this is the kind of pain that is making me tearful. I just don’t know if I can endure work and pain without losing my marbles.
Caramel 
Poor you. When that’s happened to me acupuncture provided pretty instant relief for the muscles in spasm if you can find a practitioner and are up for it. Long term I resolved a recurring problem by freeing tension in my neck and shoulder muscles with massage of that area. No idea if any of that might help but I really do feel your pain
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I actually have a friend training to practice acupuncture and I know she is eager to find human guinea-pigs. Although I am not sure I would trust her to stick pins in my neck yet. The pain has eased a little during the daytime, although I have been taking painkillers. Each morning the soreness is still there, so it is definitely something I am doing in my sleep.
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It does sounds like your muscles have spasmed to protect your neck so every little movement can retrigger the protection; the acupuncture disrupts that. I’;m no Prince Charles and have only ever hugged a tree when (a) drunk and (b) not concentrating but I’d sweat by those little pins. The worst your friend might do… hmm, well, yes I see your point… any way get well soon!
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Oh, I feel for you. It can be difficult to function at all when in such pain. I am not a trained medical professional but as a friend I’ll share some things I would try to help relieve the pain.
Apply lavender essential oil (mixed with carrier oil like coconut oil) to relax muscle.
Adding coconut oil to diet – when I had a pinched nerve I put one Tablespoon of cold processed coconut oil in my coffee. This relieved the pain but only for about four hours. Then I would have to repeat.
Reflexology I’ve found to be very effective at times – I’m including a video link (hope you don’t mind.) There are two videos – one for reflexology on foot and one on the hand. The foot might be more effective but it is easier to do hand reflexology on myself. https://reflexology-map.com/reflexology-for-neck-pain/
Take care of yourself and I hope you find relief soon.
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Thank you so much for those tips Ruth. They are all the kind of things I would like to try. I have been cooking with coconut oil, but I like the idea of adding it to a hot drink. I love lavender.
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Do you use wheat bags? They do help me.
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I used to have one, and it has vanished. I think I need to get something like that to wrap around my neck.
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I’ve been using it again recently.
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Sounds awful! I really hope you can get relief somehow. Do you have a good chiropractor you can go to?
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I have had to take painkillers and carry on. It has eased off during the day time, although I am still experiencing moments of pain and stiffness during the day. But it is definitely something happening during my sleep, because each morning when I wake up my neck is very sore.
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I’m not saying it is this. But I had a spell of really bad neck pain. Couldn’t shift it. But then bizarrely I mentioned it during a dental examination and the dentist thought it could be jaw alignment and stress. She gave me some exercises. A thing like a rugby gum shield to use during weightlifting and it seemed to clear it up.
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I had to read your comment three times G….I don’t do weightlifting 🙂 I think it could be partly stress…or more conscience related. Somebody I have not seen for three years is coming to England. That has been on my mind a lot. A lot a lot a lot!!! After reading your comment, I went to check my jaw alignment in the mirror. I wonder.
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