Tightness in upper back and neck

[red100]

Hi Everyone,

I had chronic back and neck pain for months, and was taking pain killers everyday, had time off work because of it etc. The Doctors advice was to rest - but that made no difference at all, tried heat packs, cold packs etc etc. Eventually i got fed up and went to a gym and started weight training (god was i scared of doing some permanent damage!!) anyway it definitely seemed to help (the heavier the weight the better) I did all the exercises that move the back and shoulders. At the gym they were running pilates classes so i started that as well. Pilates develops your internal muscles and basically is about correcting your posture. It took a couple of months before i could even feel the exercise muscles i was supposed to be using - there was a back exercise where i was the star of the show! because i was so useless!this is normal for office workers apparently - we were supposed to draw out backs up straight - mine moved about a centimetre (arrgh) anyway with perseverance i managed it and the pain in my neck and shoulders went entirely. I havn't done anything for about 9 months due to depression, and all the pain is back in my shoulders and neck, but i can still pull myself into the right position now and when i do that the pain begins to subside immediately - so i guess its back to pilates and the weights for me.

Just one point if you are going to try pilates find a good teacher and avoid the DVD's - its very easy for your body to pull you out of line whilst your trying to do the exericises and you wont be aware of it, the teachers job is to notice it and help you correct it. Even experts at pilates need this constantly.(makes you feel a bit stupid though - especially at first!)

and for the size conscious (like me) all that building up your internal muscles and posture stuff, means that you can lose inches with out losing any wieght

hope this helps
Jackie

[Southern_Belle]

Jackie,

Thanks loads I'm running to a pilates class.

Laura

[tt]

I have the same for the last 5 years and never have had relief. But i have never been over the health anxiety. I worry terribly because it also effects my chest and that pains that travel from the back to the front.
I don't do any activity because i get terrible headaches from the pain in my neck and shoulders travel to my head.
My massage person says they can barely get the muscle to release. I can with stand so much pressure from them because it is like a rock.
I wish it could just leave>>>>>>>>>>>...

[Wenjoy]

Me too - I am so fed up with tension and pain in my neck, shoulders and upper back. I am ill a lot of the time with bad headaches and take pain killers most days and feel so tight. my husband massages my shoulders and cant belive that I wake up tight and knotted - its like pebbles under my skin!!!
I am not so panicky today but feel really off colour!! Wenjoy x

[crystalshimmer]

Hi I have been suffering from Health anxiety for almost 2 years now.I seem to get over one lot of symptoms when another lot appears I have been for various tests at the hospital,heart,breathing and a few weeks ago an examination at the breast clinic. Nothing serious has been found but i am not convinced. I have pins and needles and numbness especially down the outside of my right leg. Also I can't get comfortable either driving or as a passenger in the car. I get sore breasts and chest pain and have to keep adjusting my position as the seat belt irritates me,and my leg gets sorer and sorer .I am Ok when I am up and walking about but as soon as I sit down the pain starts again. I have made an appointment to see an Osteopath on Tuesday,as I am hoping it is posture. I am very round shouldered.I was on a couple of different medications for HBP but have cut it down to one now . At first I blamed them for the pins and needles and chest pain,as they were listed as some of the side effects,but as I say ,I am down to one now and still suffering. I have googled sciatica,fibromyalgia,arthritis to name but a few ,but the pain in my leg is not as bad as some of the symptoms of these and it goes away when I walk about.The thing is as well,I hate flying,and we have booked a holiday to Italy,going by coach,which is a lengthy journey and now I am getting more and more anxious as I can't even sit in the car for an hour,never mind a coach for hours on end.My husband is saying it doesn't matter if we have to cancel.but I hope the osteopath can do something for me before September when we are due to go.

[looking4answers]

i hope this isnt anything..this is the way i feel right now but i have been under a lot of stress lately and well had an anxious day and well generally i lay on my side and type at odd angles so maybe its just that ..position and also tension and well.. just anxiety.Hope you feel better and myself as well..Been feeling this a lot lately especially the last few days..Take care..Michael

[eve22]

Im having trouble with this now, how did you finally get relief from it??

[Ladyspikes5]

I Get That Alot Mine Is Stress Could Yours Be Also....we Carry So Much Stress And Are Upper Body Tightens Up............linda

---------- Post added at 18:10 ---------- Previous post was at 18:09 ----------

Yes yes I hyperventilate sometimes of the tightness of my muscles and tension