Neck and Shoulder problems
 

Lately whenever I wake up I can barely move my neck (can't turn my head) and my shoulder and neck muscles are incredibly tense.

Are there any exercises or anything I can do to de-tense myself? This pain's been driving me bonkers.

I used to have the same problem. I would wake up with a stiff neck and shoulder(mostly my right side).
While I'm not sure which helped more, I got a 'memory foam" pillow and started doing yoga during the day and simple stretches before going to bed.

How long ago did this start happening?

Have you had an increase in stress?

Answer: the stretches and yoga probably helped most.

Any unusual activity or stress lately? Change of bed, pillows, medications? Having a lot of dreams?

Either way, OTC ibuprofen or naproxen sodium are helpful if you don't have any conflicting issues with that plus a whole lot of stretching. Gentle stretches, 20sec each x 5 reps. Roll your head one way for one set and then the other for the next set. If you can take it, use your hand (on the same side you're leaning your head) to help pull down a little. No jerking movements or extreme stretches.

Put your arms up in right angles in line with your body. (Straight to the side from the shoulder and forearm bent up.) Press through a doorway, your forearms on each side and you stretching through the opening. 5x20sec.

Do the sun salutation. (better directions found through google.)

Go get yourself a massage. Extremely relaxing, and guaranteed to loosen up tight muscles.

Well, it was me moving to college and having crappy beds. I have a memory foam pillow and just bought a memory foam bed pad in hopes of that helping, but it hasn't.

I'd like to get a massage, but, well, no can do around here.

Do hot or cold pads or anything help with tense muscles like that?

I think it's just the way I've be en sleeping (On my side on a hard bed) but I have trouble falling asleep on my back.

Gatorade, can I suggest spending less time in front of the computer? I'm not really one to talk (do as the doctor says, not as he does!), but I find if I get off the computer a good 2 hours before bed it helps my neck and shoulders out the next day.

I find those memory foam things to be worse, actually. They compress and just stay there... not great for me. I end up with a tension headache because I feel like I slept on a rock all night.

The heat and cold thing is a hard one. Most likely, you'll want heat to loosen the muscles. One of those microwavable flax seed pillows works nicely. But if you've injured yourself, that's generally an inflammation and you want to ice it, not heat it. So a source of trouble is helpful to decide which is better.

Try going back to a cushy pillow. If you sleep on your side, you need one that's pretty thick - think about the mechanics. Are you going to sleep well if your neck is bent too much one way or the other? No. The pillow needs to make up the width of your shoulder.

Find a girl who gives massages. Or start hanging out with theater and dance people, they massage each other constantly.

Yeah - I think I'm going to stack 2-3 pillow tonight and see if that helps. I hope it will.

So how'd it go? Sleep better? Still awfully stiff? Update!

I feel like a new man. I think it was probably just how I was sleeping. I'm going to get a massage the next time I go home, though. I think I deserve it after a week of that pain.

The pillow you use makes a HUGE difference! I got a pillow that has a water filled core, and it makes my sleep 100% better. Having your neck and head properly supported means that the muscles actually have a chance to relax during the night, instead of having to tense up to keep your head in a position where you can breathe.

Glad your pillow stacking worked- look around for a really good fluffy pillow so you don't have to use two or three (and be considered a "girly man" by your hallmates at college :lol: )

Chances are it's your bed. Either it's old or it's not right for you. Happens to me- can't wait to get a new bed.

I end up massaging myself- and also switching heat and ice on it.

this may sound silly...but....several of the nail places I have been in offer neck massages (at the rate of a 1.00 per minute) if you really wanted to try that you might see if any of the nail salons offer this

Gatorade...your student rec sports center offers massages, just so you know.

As for supporting your neck while you sleep, I find the best thing to do is take a towel, roll it up, and put it underneath your neck. Don't stack up too many pillows; you want your head/neck to be in a relatively straight line, with the towel as support.

Sitting at the computer with poor posture leads to what's called forward head. Basically, if your ears do not line up with your shoulders when you sit up, your head is forward, and it puts unnecessary strain on the muscles of your shoulders and neck. There are special exercises you can do as well.

If the pain comes back, go to your student health center and see a doctor about getting some physical therapy. PT can teach you the necessary exercises you will need to know to strengthen muscles in the area, as well as give you tips on alleviating the pain. For instance, my physical therapist recommended a down pillow instead of any kind of foam pillow, because you can plump it up or pack it down appropriately, as well as move the contents of the pillow around in such a way as to support your head and neck better.

If i may suggest, find yourself (buy) a copy of this book:

7 Steps to a Pain-Free Life. How to Rapidly relieve back and Neck pain.

Author- robin mcKenzie.

I got a used copy from Amazon for real cheap.

I've had neck problems for 20 years. i started doing these exercises from the book and i have noticed that my pain has indeed subsided. The exercises are simple in the extreme. But they seem to work much better than any OTC meds.