Struggle with neck issues.

[Jimble]

its so re assuring to come on here and look at the questions that other people pose - to realise that "you are not on your own!" i had my NASAH last Sept and made good progress went back to work in November as a teacher - by January i was back off on the sick - couldn't handle the stress! - ha anyways i'm back full time again - and at a particularly stressful time of year where i'm moderating GCSE work

I struggle to move my neck around - it feels stiff yet i have good movement - looking over my shoulder hurts my head and when i look forward i feel a little dizzy disorientated - it also feels like i'm over doing it or if iw ere to make a sudden head movement i would break or pop something

just wandered if anybody else suffered like this - looking over my shoulder has always been an issue presumed it would get better but if anything has gotten worse recently

[MaryB]

Yes, yes and yes! My neck also warns me I have over done it or am getting sick. It has always been this way for about 20 years? Worse now since NASAH I cannot look up or around as well. My neck is my worse body part as far as pain. Pain in my ncek! LOL No really it is usually stiff and sore daily.

MaryB

[Winb143]

I had SAH and my neck seems to grind some days, like I need oiling in my joints.

It happens to quite a few of us and I wonder if it is the norm?

It's a question I will ask when I next go to hospital/Docs.

Good luck Jimble

WinB143 xx

[kpaggett]

I had severe neck stiffness at first and then it comes and goes now. I get cracking all the time in various joints as the tiny muscles around them are still not being activated like they used to be. I was completely paralyzed with ataxia so I guess I can live with strange sounds and feelings in my joints now. At fist I thought I was going to break and all the doctors didn't have a clue and thought I pulled a muscle, but I never did and I still don't (usually), but I still get weird pains from the neurons connecting to the muscles around any joint or neck or back. Fun times!

~Kris

[Teechur]

Another teacher! Yay! I know just how you feel about coming here and finding out "Oh good. It isn't just me!" That was how I felt. I thought I'd had a little thing, nothing important, and that I'd go right back to work on Tuesday after a long weekend. I got out of the hospital on Monday. Went back two weeks later and never made it an entire full week all year last school year. Had to go back on medical leave in late March (SAH was Jan 28). So our experiences parallel to some extent.

Neck--yes, moreso earlier on about the time you are in recovery. I still get times where my head feels extra heavy, or like it might just topple off my neck and roll under a chair (which might be an improvement). It gets better.

As for teaching with this, I don't know about you but I really felt like I've been letting my kids down. I teach high school college level IT class. It's a half day program for students who want to work in Information Technology (nerds, I am the nerd herder). Last year I returned before my brain did, LOL, and I'd literally be talking to one and lose my train of thought. I would just stand there and stare. I joked about it, told them my brain was rebooting, but it was disconcerting!

This year I'm out of sick leave so trying to work every day if possible. Today was a hard day but I felt like I did a great job for one kid and that makes me feel good. Blessedly I have a supportive administration. I worry, though that at some point they will say "Okay, we really need you to be here every day." I feel like they don't know the real me because both of my administrators were new last year and hardly got to know me as the high energy, awesome, hard working teacher that I am.

[Daffodil]

I have the biggest collection of scarves now. Seriously unless it's very warm I wear one to keep the wind off my neck. The days I don't wear a scarf and it's windy or slight chill then I get bad neck pain. I also wear a hat a lot.

[Louise]

If your having neck pain like that get it checked out at the Gp's no point in struggling...

[Jimble]

Thanks for all your replies - it sounds like its pretty common - To the teacher - i teach high school as well design technology - I've really struggled through this moderation period. Its been quite intense and seeing as i have had 11 weeks off in what is only 25 week year for my y11's and only a 2 week extension - it has been a real rough ride and lots of extra hours to help get them finished and like you say i do feel responsible even though its all beyond my control.

i did go to the doctor about it and as i though it was a waste of time - they just told me its stress - because i have headaches i'm clenching my neck up causing muscular tension - i did explain that i f ithought it was that i wouldn't have wasted either of our time - but hey ho

thank fully it has eased i'm still getting some discomfort in the neck area and sometimes struggle to turn my head fully - but.....this is to be expected recovering from whats happened - i'm not a whinger/whiner and this felt different to muscular pain - but .....life has to go on

thanks to you all for your support and best of luck to you all

[paul99]

hi girls

it is a common problem try a wheat bag if you can heat up in microwave for a couple of mins I know it would be difficult at work but most schools have a microwave even for five mins may give relief good luck

[MaryB]

I have a thing called NECK EASE. It takes the pressure off the neck while laying down. It also for me does not hurt my head when the back of my head gets sore and too tender to lay down. It seems to just align the neck & take pressure off. It was welll worth the investment. Almost a perfect way for my neck and head to be take tension away.

I have always as I have said stiff- sore neck, shoulder etc ..........moves to head issues and this is the one thing that works the best.

Maryb

[marycharisa]

I have been having a terrible time with neck problems since my SAH last May of 2012. Sometimes I can not even stand to lie on a pillow, the base of my skull, upper neck is ridiculously painful. I also get numbness in my right scalp, ear, and behind my eye. My neuro says it is occipital neuralgia. The pain in my neck was getting to the point where even bumps in the road would hurt while driving. So I had an MRI of the neck, and they found some stuff, lots of osteoarthritis, a syrinx, and bone spurs pressing on the spinal cord. He wants me to follow up with a neurosurgeon, but I am so done with seeing MD's for now. I just want to go to work and live my life. It is weird, I never had these issues before my SAH. Don't quite know what happened to me. I was a very active nurse, and lived a very healthy lifestyle (runner, hiker). I am forcing myself to be up and moving, but it is so hard. I am lucky to be alive, have a job, and a great family. I just wish my health was better.

[Gaynor1071]

Hi everyone

I use my neck as a barometer for when I need to ease off a bit. Today was a prime example - stiff neck, tight shoulders and pain in the base of my skull. All in all I needed a lie down for half an hour and it was better. I also find that my neck will give an almighty 'click' then everything is ok.

What worries me is that some of these mimic the symptoms I had when my SAH was happening so it can be difficult not to freak out.

Due to see consultant in August (fingers crossed) so will mention it to him.

Take care of yourselves.

Gaynor