Which medications have worked best for chronic neck/shoulder pain?

I've had progressively worsening neck pain which my GP has prescribed a bunch of medications for. I've tried mobic, ultram, prednisone, clonazepam, norco, percocet, ms contin, and now hydromorphone. Of all of of these medications the norco has worked the best but only lasts a few hours at most. It doesn't alleviate the pain completely, just brings it to a level in which I can function. I know that pain management isn't in the scope of his practice but I don't have a definitive diagnosis yet so I'm assuming pain management isn't an option. My GP keeps prescribing short acting opiods as opposed to extended release, which I'd prefer, or non opiods for that matter.

The opiods help my post op pain, etc. but for some reason don't really do anything for this neck pain. I've tried ice packs, heating pads, ultrasound, neck stretches(from my pt), yoga, chiro, etc. I even take fish oil, mag/cal/zinc, amino acid complex, gaba, and a multi. I drink a lot of water, don't drink or do drugs, am 31 and a healthy weight. I have a newer stiffer mattress, use ergonomic memory foam pillows, watch my posture, and exercise my core/neck muscles. I'm willing to try anything. I just don't get why my GP won't try some other class of drugs like muscle relaxers or things like gabapentin. I'm no doctor but logic would suggest that if these habit forming drugs aren't working to try something else. Right?

So I'm asking this forum which medications have worked best for you for neck and shoulder pain? Or other means of pain relief not mentioned? I've heard of trigger point injections, and a variety of other things but who do you see that's qualified to do that kind of thing? I'd rather not stay on addictive drugs but just want to go on with my life until I can get to the root of the problem.

Hi Matt,

Bear in mind that what works for one person may not work for another. We respond differently to different meds, and the underlying cause of your pain could be different than others.

With that said, here are a few more ideas:
lidoderm patch -- It doesn't help me much, with the exception of neck pain, perhaps because the cause is closer to the surface
baclofen -- a benzo-based muscle relaxant -- it is the only one I can tolerate, though short acting, it does help me.
I'll also second trigger point injections. Depending on the pathology, they might help. I've had about 6 sets of them and they are hit-or-miss. A few have helped my back pain significantly, most don't though.

Matt, you do not have to have a dx in order to see pain mgt dr. He can order tests for you the same as your GP if he feels they are necessary. The pain mgt dr can try different procedures to see if any of those will give you some relief. I would ask my GP to make a referral to one.

I hope you can get something done....Susie

I know this is an old thread but I have been looking for options on my neck pain coupled with severe upper and lower trapezius spasms. Large knotted, I called them speed bumps spasms. I am on SSDI for a multitude of reasons after working more than 20 years in an auto factory, hence the injuries and conditions. I have had 3 elbow surgeries between both of them, wrist surgery and hernia surgery. My nightmare is my neck.
I have bone spurs between C4, C5 and C6.
I have been on narcotics for years and years. When I was still working worker's comp paid for whatever I needed. On medicare it is a different story, and fighting worker's comp years out is fruitless, a time eating waste.
Anywhooo I was on a lot more meds while I worked, took 10/650 Percocet 3 times a day, muscle relaxers 3 times a day as well as benzodiazepines intermittently. Since leaving there my meds have been successfully been reduced, but even with facet injections into the nerves and narcotics, the pain is incessant and barely controlled. I am MISERABLE and I am raising 3 teen aged girls alone. I need to minimize this darn near (at times) incapacitating pain.
So I am currently on 5/325 Percocet 3 times daily, 50 mg ultram 3 times daily, and I had been on zanaflex 3 times a day but it just wasn't cutting the spasms at all, so I googled muscle relaxers and basically it popped everything I had tried but also valium and a drug called soma. I asked my doc to switch me to one or the other of those from the zanaflex. He switched me to the soma and it made a big difference, that was 3 months ago. I have been taking it 3 times a day. It's been a nice break because my daughters get annoyed having to grind those spasms out, and that has been a LOT less on the soma. Since I can't afford the $140 copay for PT, the insane copay for Lidoderm patches, and other none med options are priced out of my range I have few choices there, whereas med copays are $5-$20. Go figure! They worry about addiction but don't leave people truly in pain many options but the pill form.
At my last appt a few days ago my PM doc told me he'd been to a seminar in Dec and they had discouraged the prescription of soma. They said it isn't a true muscle relaxer, so he is going with that recommendation, he said it's basically a case where they control his license and they say no so he's am heeding that, at least that is to be the case in Ohio, apparently.
I am at a LOSS hearing this drug that works is going to be cut off. Lyrica copays are way too high, Lidoderm patches copay samething. I am limited basically to the facet injections 2 times a year, occasional trigger points in the spasms and meds simply because of costs.
Has anyone had anything other than the 'usual suspects' that work? By usual suspects I mean flexeril, skelaxine, zanaflex, robaxin and an old school med called parafon forte.
I LONG AGO maxed out on the cortisone injections and way over did them to the point it was beginning to affect bone density. My facet injections are now phenol, nasty stuff put right on nerves during a sedated fluoroscopy procedure. It works for a few months but the last couple are BAD while I tick down the calendar to the next ones.
I am going to ask about the valium because there is really nothing else that comes up on google.
Has ANYONE found ANY that I haven't mentioned that they have had success with. I have a TENS unit Honda WC paid for long ago, but it bothers me more than it helps, so that collects dust. I am DESPERATE. If nothing else I will go back on the zanaflex, maybe a larger dose or more often, but darn I hate that. I just want something to take away the pain. It is CONSTANT they ask if it is burning, I say it is SEARING!
Any suggestions? Any help? I was told this by my PM Dr Friday so I have a limited soma script left, I am going to call him tomorrow (Monday) and ask for an alternative, I just need to figure out what will be my best bet.... What to turn to next, if there is anything different to try. One thankful point is I will be getting my bilateral facet injections within a few weeks so I am hanging on to that for now.

Hello Angel, yes Soma has been discontinued for a bit now, seems like things that work they feel the need to take away from people with chronic pain.

Forget about asking for Valium as it is very addictive, your chances of getting an rx of that is pretty slim. Valium works wonderful for many but there again rarely ever rx'd.

I am currently on Baclofen 10mg, works very well for me and like you I have done them all. Whether it will work for you remains to be seen. It may be something to consider since you did not name it as being one you have tried.

Good luck.......Susie

i have been on every pain med out there. i have a bad neck and back as well as arm pain. the only med that actually worked was Fentanyl

In addition to what others have said, I have found that OTC creams/salves such as Tiger Balm help if placed on the traps muscle & along the shoulder blade. It doesn't completely get rid of the pain, but does take the edge off. TENS units also help.

The most helpful non-Rx item that has helped me is a proper fitting cervical pillow. It supports your neck so that you don't sleep in a bad position & end up with a horrible stiff and painful neck. Something as simple as a hand towel rolled into a cylindrical shape (taped on either end) can support your neck. In addition, I have found that sleeping on your back with the neck support helps.

I know how debilitating neck pain can be as I have had it for over 15 years. I hope you find a combination of things that can make life bearable. Wishing the best to you.

Hi Angelzmama and Welcome to the forum, My suggestion is like Straydog's I have used just about all the antispasmodics and I have gotten the best relief from Baclofen, it is often used on MS patients and patients with spinal cord damage. Often a person has to be weaned up to the therapeutic dose, usually your started off on 5mg and then slowly increased to the dosage that works.

Also I see that you are on Percocet, but yet refuse to take Oxycontin, did you know that they are both the same pain medication, (oxycodone) Percocet has oxycodone with Tylenol and Oxycontin is the extended version of Oxycodone. A number of years back it was reformulated so that chewing it was no longer effective for those that wanted to abuse it. However with that reformulation allot of people found that Oxycontin was no longer effective for a full 12 hours, and allot of PM's now prescribe it to be taken every eight hours. Personally I found that of all the different pain meds I had taken, Oxycontin, was one of the very few that truly relieved my pain without any undesirable side affects, like feeling loopy, spacey, high, drugged, sleepy, or anything else. I just hate those type of feelings, and not being in control, or out of it, and allot of pain meds and antispasmodics do that to me. But Baclofen and Oxycontin, don't. But that is just how they affect me, and everyone is so different, and allot of people react differently to these medications.

I do hope that with the help of your Doctor that you can find something that is effective and works well for you.

Again Welcome to Healing Well Chronic Pain Forum and Good Luck to YOU!

White Beard