Severe neck/arm pain?

Question

wednesday morning i woke up fine, and suddenly moved my neck in some way that sent shooting pains all down my neck and back. i lied in bed for about an hour without the strength to lift my head and stand up. the doctor said i pulled a muscle, but now it's friday night and the pain is only getting worse. i've iced and heated it, took motrin and a type of muscle relaxant, but the pain is spreading specifically to my triceps and even down to make my pinky and ring fingers on both hands tingly. the pain in my arm is getting especially worse, but my neck is still so stiff that i can barely hold my head up for more than a few minutes.

any ideas?

Answer 1

you prop strained try rotating your head it should feel better

Answer 2

Ouch! sounds extremely painful.

As you probably understand and has been noted by a few of the other contributers you can't really be diagnosed over the internet. However your symptoms sound to me to be those of someone suffering a cervical disc prolapse which is putting pressure on one of the nerve roots exiting the spine, probably C8, as it is this one which supplies the little finger.

My advice would also be to see a Chiropractor, or return to your GP as the problem is worsening not improving. If you have any pain spread to the other arm or to the legs, go to A&E or an NHS walk in centre.

good luck, hope you get diagnosed and treated soon x

Answer 3

No one can diagnose your problem over the internet. However shooting pains are usually are a symptom of a nerve entrapment in the neck. I would suggest strongly that you discontinue using heat for this condition. Nerve entrapments usually also involve inflammation in the area. Heat only makes inflammation worse. Inflammation is one of the sources of pain. You should see an orthopedist, Chiropractor (A Good one), or a Osteopath that practices Osteopathic Manipulative Technique. Good luck!  

Answer 4

THE BEST and FASTEST solution for you is to get your doc to give you a script for physical therapy and go on www.mckenziemdt.org and find a good MDT therapist.  They will help you find the move that will make your disc go back in alignment.  Seriously, you should have relief first session.  This will FIX your problem.  (As long as it is a bulging herniated disc).  Which is what it sounds like.  It will not just get better on it's own usually....you may get relief but it will return if you don't realign those discs.  An MRI can diagnose it too....

Answer 5

Sorry to hear you are in so much pain.

I had a similar problem last week and I asked the question on here too.

I went for physio last week and although I have been diagnosed with an entirely different problem to what I had the physio for, she did sort my neck really quickly as it was a by issue of what was actually wrong with me.

However, if you continue to feel worse, don't hesitate to get some more medical advice if you feel you need to.