For more than two weeks, I've had neck pain/numbness/tingling - feel awful :(

[helpmepleas99]

Sorry if this is too long, please advise me

I have had tingling on and off for 6 months since some pretty stressful situations (minor op, work related and private stuff too). For my op I was bed-bound for a week or two (so could have pinched a nerve?).

During op recovery, I had pins and needles over my body (not the tingling sensation which occurred a month or so later).

I lost my job and went through a couple os stressful situations and I started feeling numbness in my neck and pain in my shoulders. Tingling happened soon after - fingers, arms, legs, feet, face. Horrible sensation.

Symptoms died down for a few months (especially after reading a book by Claire Weeks - coincidence? I don't know).

Symptoms started to re-occur two weeks ago. Pain in neck, which travelled all round shoulders to other side of neck. I thought 'nevermind, probably due to poor form when excercising - at least I don't have the bloody tingling'. Two days after the neck pain started, the tingling arrived

My pain in my neck has nearly gone, but it has been replaced by a numbness in the left-side of my neck. I'm scared there is something wrong with my spine/nerves. I am not stressed out at all (especially the last month or so). I've shelled out for a holiday and am set to leave soon - what if there is something wrong with me? I will lose all my money for my holiday.

How long would I have to wait for a scan? I don't want a scan if it's stress/anxiety, but what if there is something wrong with me? What if I let it fester and it becomes worse?

I hate this. Sorry for rambling. I feel pathetic and weak. I want to interact with friends and family, but I feel so lethargic and upset because of this

[Daisy4me]

Hi there I get this neck pain pretty constantly..and the numbness too.....
Also have had the tingling some years ago now. I also have read Claire Weeks....I had both of her volumes... I still read them now many times I have had these books for years. To be honest they have been my saviour on many occasions.
Have you been to a Chiropractor? he might be able to help you they also X ray.
Try this first....
Taking pain killers will help.....Ibuprofen is good if you don't have tummy problems. I think this is all stress though I am reading it this way but hope you soon feel better.

[helpmepleas99]

Hi Daisy,

Thanks so much for your response. My neck is painful at the moment and I have the numbness around my lips and side of face (moved from neck). It's not excruciating pain right now, but it's so frustrating and debilitating

I want to see a chiropractor/sepcialist/neurologist, but my GP would never refer me (NHS and all that). It's been 4-5 months since I last saw him and he told me to keep a log of symptoms and see him again in 3 months. I didn't because I thought he was fobbing me off.

[helpmepleas99]

An update if anyone cares, lol.

I went on holiday for 4 weeks and had ZERO symptoms. No pain in my neck, no tingling at all etc. I was overjoyed whilst on holiday and thought to myself, 'wow, I have left all the anxiety related pains behind'... I have been back for a week or two now...

Well, after sifting through bank statements, bills, tax letters, reminding myself I lost my job, not having another half, the tingling returned today (head, feet, hands etc). I have also had a few areas on my face feeling numb (chin, cheek etc).

What this has told me is that I need to keep myself active. When I am active, the symptoms don't occur. When I sit and fester, they come back.

It seems to be all down to anxiety about money, my work and relationships :(