tight skin around neck, jaw etc

[allergyphobia]

hi everybody, havent posted for a little while and i know this is to do with anxiety, but i wonder if anybody had any remedies. i think because a lot of my anxiety focuses around eating, and my throat, mouth, etc i tense up my neck and my mouth and jaw. i think this makes the skin around my neck really tight, almost like the skin is tensed up or i dont know how else to describe it... but its very uncomfortable and makes me more tense. i just wondered if anybody had the same, and knew of any way to relieve it? thanks :)

[anthrokid]

Ugh I get this a bit! Probably because we're so similar!
Try having a hot bath, it helps to relax all of your muscles. Or put a heat pack around your shoulders/neck to help relax the muscles :)

[daybyday]

Yes, a heat pack helps me.
I take an old clean sock and fill it with rice and knot the end. Microwave for 30 seconds or so. Makes a great warm pack for anywhere.
And I like to squish it, as it helps me with anxiety as I need to move something.

[allergyphobia]

guys! thank you so much for replying. makes me feel immediately at ease to know somebody else has this. sounds v interesting about the sock as its kinda hard to get the water bottle around your neck! and i never have baths so i need to up those too. thank you for reassuring me you lovies, aimee how r you doing now?? xxx

[PanchoGoz]

Oh baths are wonderful! Have one every day!

[allergyphobia]

i'm a bit scared of baths hehe!

[PanchoGoz]

Ah I was scared of baths for a while after I had a panic attack in one. I had to have really really low bum baths, and then I made sure I filled it up a bit more each time. Nowadays you can basically tell the level of my anxiety from the level of my bath water. But showers are fine too, with some nice herbal shower gell. I have to have baths though because I have no working shower in my house.

[allergyphobia]

yep im a little/quite scared of baths. i think thats a great idea about filling them up only a little bit though, i will definitely try that. mine is more because of worrying about DVT, and i kinda feel like im drowning!

[LiquidSky]

hi allergyphobia, in addition to the sock, after you've heated it up, I would quickly wrap it in a plastic bag and then into another sock, that way it keeps the heat in for longer, I suffer terribly from tight neck muscles and neuralgia, so I know how you feel. Hope you are feeling better soon :hugs:

[allergyphobia]

awesome, thanks so much russ.... i will definitely try that at home... it's work it really gets to me then i wind myself up, as i can't do anything for it and look normal at the same time!!!

[LiquidSky]

yeah that must be tough amber, I wonder if you can make the sock thin enough and microwave it at work and put it under a fashionable light scarf, to keep it in place and out of sight?

[allergyphobia]

that's a REALLY good idea. i tend to wear a scarf at work as it stops me from touching my neck. you rule!!

[LiquidSky]

hehe, hope it works :), you can always thread a lace through the sock to lightly tie it, so that it doesn't fall off as well