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Soreness in the neck and back of head?

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Posted 3/9/2007 5:23 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone,

   I woke up this morning with a bad headache and as the day progress the headache got better, but I have this soreness in my neck and back of the head. It feels like a stiff neck when I move my head from side to side and my chin down torwards my chest.

  I haven't been sleeping much lately due to Restless Leg Syndrome and an annoying itchy foot during the night. This could just be stress from lack of sleep, but thought I'd get your input and see if any of you have experienced this.

  I have an appt tomorrow with my Internal med/GI doc, who is a great doctor. I will see what he says. I see my rheumy in April for a follow up on lupus, Ra and sjogren's.

  Any insight into this will be greatly appreciated. Tks and I hope you all have a restful sleep tonight and a good day tomorrow. Take care and you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

                                             Lot of love and hugs, Babs

Posted 3/9/2007 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
Sometimes for no reasons, I have the stiff neck. It will go away after few days, but it's just killing. You can rub some muscle rub creams, and it will help u feel better. I am using "kroger" brand because it's cheap, the effect it's alright. Not extra brillant help, but u get the cool feeling that help u feel better. You may want to ask yr doc about "Volteran" It's a rubbing cream, not the pill. I think it's prescirbed. Ask and see your doc's opinion. I heard it's good, but I never try it.
Posted 3/9/2007 11:13 PM (GMT 0)
Babs, I wish I had some insight for you. Sometimes I get terrible headaches that I attribute to lupus headaches, but son't usually get the stiff neck. I was wondering what you found out from your doctor today. Let us know when you get a chance and I hope you get some relief from the pain and from the RLS. Not sleeping is the pits!!! Take care
Posted 3/9/2007 11:33 PM (GMT 0)

Hi,

I get stiff neck here & there along with pain pain & tenderness on some of my cervical spine. I also get on & off pain that goes into my left shoulder. I also get spasms all around the area now & then. So far it hasnt gone to my right, though. I also have alot of spine problems in my lumbar spine but I am not sure if my neck issues are due to that or if I have a seperate problem in my neck area. Or another seperate problem with my shoulder. I was told, though, that is probably not lupus related. I have other body parts that are more troublesome right now so I've never had me neck area checked out. I thought it was due to my posture before surgery, but I've been getting some problems again after surgery and after my posture's correct.

What I found to help the best were moist heating pads (I bought one specifially designed for the neck and shoulder area and it has strings to tie it in place. Warm it up in the microwave and put it on...it helps to soothe the area alot as long as it's on and still warm. I've also stuck a bunch of the stick on heat pads all over my neck and shoulder for times when the regular heating pad wasn't feasible. I tried ice, but in my case, it made it more painful and spasmodic.

Oh, one other thing I found that helped while sleeping. I use a small buckwheat filled cervical pillow. That made a big difference in teh stiffness, anyway. I can't even sleep without it anymore. Even after my surgery, in my hospital bed..it started hurting me so I rolled up some towels and formed them into a horseshoe shape to lay on. But when the nurse saw me, she was so nice, so went & got me some nice hot towels and made a better one for me.

Perhaps you might want to try some of everyone's suggestions & see if any help at all.

Posted 3/9/2007 11:35 PM (GMT 0)
((((( Babs )))))) I had migraines last week and I remember a few days I had a stiff neck too, I don't know if it's connected or not. I hope your doc appt goes well and he/she can figure it out for you. I pray you sleep better tonight. You are in my prayers. hugs and love
Posted 3/10/2007 3:06 AM (GMT 0)
((((Babs, gentle hugs and prayers)))) I get the same thing. Sometimes its related to my c6 c7 fusion with radiating pain, sometimes its when I sleep the wrong way. There are also lots of tiny lymph nodes that go along your spine, up your neck and the bottom portion of your skull. Whenever I'm sick, or in a flare, all of my lymphs act up...they all get swollen. The ones in my neck and on my skull can really hurt. Hot moist heat packs work the best. I have a tens unit for my back that sends electric currents where I have pain, sounds medieval but I really have severe pain and this helps alot... if you can, try sleeping on your back, with a rolled towel under your head/neck and place a pillow under your knees so you don't put pressure on your lower back. If you're a side sleeper, still use the rolled towel under your head/neck, keep your back in alignment, bend your knees and put a pillow in between your knees. This will take pressure away from your hips and lower back. Don't forget about the hot moist heat packs too. I hope that you'll be feeling better soon. Blessings, Cecelia
Posted 3/10/2007 3:42 AM (GMT 0)

Oh Tks Everyone,.

   I saw the doctor today about my restless legs and the itchy foot. I forgot to mention my neck and head. I work in his office and I was working up until he started to walk in the room I was suppose to be in..lol. It was so crazy today...I was trying to hurry the appt up to get back to work. He had too many patients today..I got home at 9:00pm, last night at 9:30.

   Anyway, I was taking 2mgs of klonipin and senimet for RLS. He took me off the senimet and put me on mirapex, its the latest RLS med, but is also used to treat parkinson's disease. I will find out tonight if it works. He gave me a 10 day starter pack. He said I have some kind of polyneuropathy. I forgot the first word. He said that could be causing alot of my leg problems and is causing the itchy foot at night, but wants to try this med first to figure out what exactly is going on. I hope it knocks me out!!

  Thanks for all the suggestions on the neck and head soreness. It is actually feeling better tonight, but if it gets worse I will try some of the great ideas you gave me.

  I hope you all have a peaceful sleep tonight and great weekend. Tks again and take care all. Your all in my thoughts and prayers.

                                                                  Babs

Posted 3/10/2007 4:59 PM (GMT 0)
Babs, I am so glad that you're feeling better, take care and blessings, Cecelia
Posted 3/10/2007 5:55 PM (GMT 0)

Tks Cecelia,

   Boy did I sleep last night! I took my meds late last night, almost 11pm. I didn't get up till just a few minutes ago about 12:30 here. I will make sure I take them on time tonight so I won't sleep all day tomorrow. I don't know if I slept so good because I was so exhausted or if the new med knocked me out. I guess I will find out tonight. It was nice to get some good sleep for a change though, but I feel hung over a bit. Take care and I hope you are resting and nesting. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

                                                                 Babs

Posted 3/11/2007 1:34 AM (GMT 0)
Babs, I hope that you get another good night's rest. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I hope the new med works for you. Wow, you work long hours! Lots of sleep would be good for you. My hubbie RLS. It seems to run in his family...his father...grandmother. He's refusing to take meds for it. I wish he would reconsider, he has to keep moving all of the time. I hope that you don't. What a terrible paradox for you...you have to keep moving because of RLS and rest for lupus. take care, gentle hugs and prayers, Cecelia (things are quiet here, at least for now. Michael's new meds are beginning to work and I pray that we finally have him on the right dosage. My mother in law won't be starting chemo for another 1 1/2....I wonder why they wait so long. Spring concerts seem to be easier on my hubbie this year....I'm still exhausted, in a flare, PT isn't working for me and I'm going 1 x wk, I battleing with back pain. But I'm doing well. really well spiritually and mentally. I feel at peace, I seem to have found a sea of calm within turmoil.)
Posted 3/11/2007 1:55 AM (GMT 0)
Babs, I'm glad you finally got some good sleep last night, I know you needed it! I hope the new med works well for you! You have been working late hours, I bet it was weird to work right up until the doctor came in the room. You are in my prayers! Love ya
Posted 3/12/2007 9:59 PM (GMT 0)

Cecelia,

  It's good to hear that Michael's new meds are working for him. I will also be praying they have him on the correct dose to help him get better.

  I'm sorry your MIL has to wait so long for the chemo. It is odd that she will have to wait that long. She will be in my prayers too.

  I'm sorry your still in a flare and the PT isn't working. I hope your doctor can figure something out soon to give you some relief. You are in my thoughts and prayers as well.

  The Mirapex seems to be helping my RLS, but I'm still not sleeping that good. I think I just need something to knock me out at night. I guess I was just so exhausted the other night and thats why I slept so well. It would be nice to sleep like that every night but, as long as my RLS is better, I can deal with the sleep deprivation better. I'm sorry your husband has to deal with RLS too. He really needs to try something for it.

  Thanks and take care. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.

                                                                Babs

Posted 3/13/2007 12:54 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Enigma,

  Tks for that info. It is interesting. With the stiffness/soreness associated with Lymes, how long does this last? I know you said it will occur every 3 to 4 weeks, but how many days does the stiffness/soreness last each time? Also, are headaches associated with this? This is the first time this has occured with me in awhile. My soreness only lasted a couple of days, but I'm still getting some headaches off and on in the lower back part of my head. 

  Sorry for the questions, just curious about this. Tks again.

                                                                     Babs

Posted 3/14/2007 7:48 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Enigma,

  I understand what you mean. These diseases are so much alike in symptoms that doctors should check for everything when trying to get a dx to rule out or in.

  Your headaches sound rough! My headaches are usually one sided or in the lower back part of the head. I'm glad the antibiotics are helping with your stiffness. I hope it will also help with your headaches soon.

  Hang in there and keep us updated. You will be in my prayers.

                                                                 Babs

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