Neck/shoulder pains...

[Neo_VR]

Heres one for you briskodians..

Recently ive been suffering a bit with pain at the base of my neck and the back of my right-shoulder, usually around my shoulderblade.. it feels like someone is pushing their thumb into my back at random points around the shoulderblade and my neck is usually just sore seemingly centered around my spine it comes and goes, but im fairly sure its something to do with being sat at a desk all the time.. when it does start, it stays for the rest of the day.. ive recently swapped my chair at home with a fit-ball, which did make it feel better for a while, but now it still comes back :(

i think it all started when i did a big stretch a few weeks ago and it felt like something clicked in the top of my back. i usually wake up with very tense and stiff neck and shoulder muscles in the morning too.

any ideas what i can do? its getting rather annoying :(

[robmawer]

Recently ive been suffering a bit with pain at the base of my neck and the back of my right-shoulder, usually around my shoulderblade.. it feels like someone is pushing their thumb into my back at random points around the shoulderblade and my neck is usually just sore seemingly centered around my spine it comes and goes, but im fairly sure its something to do with being sat at a desk all the time..

If you put your finger level with where the neck/shoulder join, move your finger down about an inch and then push firmly, does it really really hurt?

If so, then yes, I get that periodically too and seems to occur as a result of stress/long periods of time using a mouse (unfortunately the two generally coincide).

Only thing I've found that sorts it is time (usually about a week), or 15 minutes of having some Chinese chap whacking seven-shades out of your back at a Dr & Herbs type place (I can recommend the one near Debenhams at the Trafford Centre).

Rob.

[BigW]

Hows your posture, Your head should be in line with your spine, if it is slightly in front you create a type of bending moment on your upper back and neck, the further over you are the worse it will be (Mass x Distance in effect) Have a look at this:Forward head posture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dr. Ken Chiropractic: Forward Head Posture

, and also some chiropractic sessions I found were very helpful.

[Lynny]

i get that sometimes, as a result of an injury i got about 10 years ago.

It sucks big time, try a voltarol ot rhumagalon tablets and a nice relax later on

Hope you get mended soon!!

L

xx

[Neo_VR]

Hows your posture, Your head should be in line with your spine, if it is slightly in front you create a type of bending moment on your upper back and neck, the further over you are the worse it will be (Mass x Distance in effect) Have a look at this:Forward head posture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dr. Ken Chiropractic: Forward Head Posture

, and also some chiropractic sessions I found were very helpful.

Individuals who display this posture are often associated with geek culture due to the awkward appearance that is caused when moving.

great

So it is a chiropractor i should see? different people ive asked say different things... GP/physiotherapist/chiropractor/crazy chinese man with needles

[AlphaPapa]

I have seen a chiropractor quite a few times.. simply amazing!! Having your whole spine cracked and every other bone in your back may sound unpleasent and it is for the few seconds it happens..

but after its bliss!! i would have it done every morning :P

****, shower, shave and a back crack

[Aspman]

I get it too. Occupational hazard of being desk bound.

I get pains in my mouse arm too. I've taken to using a powerball which has helped the pain in my arm.

My back pain I think is due to posture and a lack of exercise. I used to jog and that helped by strengthening the muscles in my back.

I'd check with a chiro or the doc before you did that though. Something like pilates might help too, that's all about core strength in your abdomen and back.

[swedishskoda]

different people ive asked say different things... GP/physiotherapist/chiropractor/crazy chinese man with needles

to which can be added naprapahts, ostheopaths...

From your description my amateurish guess is that your problems are situated in muscles/tendons rather than in the joints/bones - so maybe a chiropractor (who mainly deals with joints) wouldn't be my first choice.

SWMBO occasionally visits an osteopath who make wonders. But I guess it's also about finding the right person. Ask friends/workmates if they can recommend someone... surely there must be someone close at hand who has suffered from similar problems?

[jec]

rub some Deep Heat on it;)

[Shifty]

Physio....and you need to adjust your posture. Thats my guess

[heresmo]

I read somewhere about an assessment about how straight one's spine naturally is when standing up, re uneven loading so that muscles are under extra stress to try to keep spine in kilter. I can't think of anything better than a mouse to unbalance one's weight whilst sitting at a computer, so have tried to learn lots of keyboard shortcuts (which are quicker anyway, actually).

Chiropracters are hurty people IMO, perhaps more used to peeps with healthy bones and elastic muscles. Not for me again LOL, preferring osteopath who can feel what's going on? Mine kept me going for years. That said, I found I had osteoparosis where muscles work overtime to make up for dippy bones. This showed up by black dots on an Xray when I broke my wrist.

Bottom line I reckon is proper supporting chair and posture at desk and a tea-break (LOL)every 20 mins (get up, walk around, stop using mouse favouring keyboard shortcuts), and maybe get an Xray to be sure you don't have black dots (and get current recommended remedial tablet if you do so OK to keep going)?

Regards

Mo

[Auric Goldfinger]

I too get pains as described...........When the wife goes to work they disappear..............Strange..

[BUTCHERHOG]

Hi,i suffered with same problem,tried all.The cure came by using a barbell,building up to 50 lifts a day,build the weight up gradual,hope you find an answer

[heresmo]

Hi Butcherhog and welcome

I too find something similar (for ickle 7.5 stone me), that at the gym, I can use one of those pully-uppy stretchy things - heaven. At home, it's lying flat on the floor with a tin of "value" baked beans in each hand by my sides and raising over my head slowly till they reach the floor behind - that's good too

Best

Mo

[Neo_VR]

well after Robs reccomendation i popped into the place he mentioned in the trafford centre.. had a quick natter and discovered (well i knew it was there, just didnt know it was so big) a large knot at the back of my shoulder, which gets aggravated by it being on my mouse arm lol (im left handed which is why its not caused me more greif)

anyways.. being that i was in pain, i just agreed whatever they said.. so acupuncture and then a damn good massage.. its amazing the difference between getting a "relaxation" massage and a injury related one.... generally in the way i was pummeled and quite a large amount of pain was involved.. strangely tho it was nice pain acupuncture was strange too.. but also enjoyable.

i do feel much better, but the knot hasnt gone yet so ill go back for another sesh next week

if that doesnt work, ill try something else

[kit]

as what shifty said youl need a physio to show you how to sit at a desk properly and what exercises to do to keep it at bay.....but you have to do as he/she says as it might be ok for a week or so, so you stop only to have it come back!!......have had the same problem on off for years but mine was caused by hanging from finger tips while climbing!! then siting at a desk!!:(

kit:)

[Aspman]

SWMBO goes to a sports physio sometimes. She prescribes exercises to realign your bits and pieces rather than pulling and pummeling into place.