cracked my neck, stroke?

[itsmaliasheart]

Well... it’s me. Again.

Let me just get straight into it because I’m extremely worried. So, I was sitting in class, listening to a lecture and I cracked my neck (with the help of my hand because I’m stupid, apparently) but the thing is, the crack was very loud, much louder than usual, but not at all painful. The loudness of the crack worried me so much that I googled if I could actually hurt myself this way and what do you know, yes you can. Apparently you can injure a vain, blot clot forms and bam! Stroke. I haven’t had any symptoms after the crack. No pain, no swelling, no numbness, no change in vision, nothing. Am I still crying because I’m scared a stroke is inevitable? Yes, very hard.

The thing is, I’m completely alone in my uni city and me being alone means I’m driving myself absolutely nuts over this. I know no one can diagnose me but I’m in such dire need of reassurance that I haven’t injured my vain and will not be having a stroke :(
It doesn’t help that in some of the articles that I’ve read, the stroke can come up days or weeks later.

I’ve been cracking my neck for years (YEARS!) and didn’t even flinch but now that I know that the possibility of me self-inflicting a stroke exists... never again. Never! Again!

[spectrum123]

If you've been cracking your neck for years and never had an issue, you aren't going to have one now. It's extremely rare and you need to have a genetic anomaly in you blood vessels to have a minor chance of doing it. 1000's of people every day have their necks 'cracked' at chiropractors if was an issue they wouldn't be doing it.
As you're at Uni go out and get pissed, it's the student's cure-all!

[NoraB]

Am I still crying because I’m scared a stroke is inevitable? Yes, very hard.

You're crying because you've scared the crap out yourself Googling!

My ex husband has been cracking 'n' snapping his neck for as long as I've known him - which is 35 years. The only strokes he's had were when he played cricket. (see what I did there?)

I know no one can diagnose me but I’m in such dire need of reassurance that I haven’t injured my vain and will not be having a stroke :(

You haven't injured a vein. You would know if you had.

[itsmaliasheart]

If you've been cracking your neck for years and never had an issue, you aren't going to have one now. It's extremely rare and you need to have a genetic anomaly in you blood vessels to have a minor chance of doing it. 1000's of people every day have their necks 'cracked' at chiropractors if was an issue they wouldn't be doing it.
As you're at Uni go out and get pissed, it's the student's cure-all!

Hi! Thank you so much for taking the time to reply, I always get so emotional when people actually respond to me on here.

Yeah, I have been doing it for years and I know people who have also been doing it for years and are just fine. I’ve done a lot of reading on this (mostly personal stories on reddit) and there’s stories where “serial neck crackers” just cracked it too hard one day and got a stroke. I guess I’m just worrying because my crack was so loud (louder than usual). I’ve been extra careful with my neck since then (won’t even turn if I feel like it’ll be too far). I haven’t really had any symptoms though, I’ve had my brain zaps come back because I’m so scared and anxious and I’ve had a mild headache (presumably from all the crying and staring at my phone for literally hours, or my contacts).

I guess it’s true, people do get their necks cracked all the time. I’m just scared I went to far and used too much force and am now a ticking time bomb.

[itsmaliasheart]

You're crying because you've scared the crap out yourself Googling!

My ex husband has been cracking 'n' snapping his neck for as long as I've known him - which is 35 years. The only strokes he's had were when he played cricket. (see what I did there?)



You haven't injured a vein. You would know if you had.

Yes!! Google is a scary place and I know I shouldn’t be googling things relating to my health. It just scares me so much because there’s people who cracked their own neck and had a stroke. It really scares me.

I did laugh at that cricket pun, thank you for that!! I hope my crack was just a bit louder, nothing more to it. I hope I haven’t injured my vain. You said I would know about it, how so? Does it hurt? Would I see a bruise? Apparently a stroke can come up weeks later, if I have no symptoms, do I have to still worry about it or just let it go? :(

[BlueIris]

As Elsa once said, Let it go

[NoraB]

It just scares me so much because there’s people who cracked their own neck and had a stroke. It really scares me.

If cracking your neck was a sure-fire way to a stroke - my ex would have been worm food decades ago because he used to crack his several times a day.

I hope I haven’t injured my vain. You said I would know about it, how so? Does it hurt? Would I see a bruise? Apparently a stroke can come up weeks later, if I have no symptoms, do I have to still worry about it or just let it go? :(

From what I can gather, you can't generate enough force, on your own, to tear a blood vessel. Remember that poor cricketer, Phil Hughes, who got whacked in an artery by a ball? THAT was trauma!

You have zero symptoms, so you should absolutely let this one go. Stop cracking your neck and that little worry will be dealt with for good.

[itsmaliasheart]

so, an update

I was feeling fine/normal yesterday, no headaches, no neck pain (small jabs here and there but nothing notable), some back pain (but my posture is literally the worst so nothing new there), a painful node in the side of the neck I cracked (that one worries me a little but... letting it go). I still had to go to the doctors today for a separate issue and I asked her if I have to worry and she was not even a little bit concerned. Like, not even a small bit. Not even a “any serious symptoms?” just a straight up “honey, if that were me, I wouldn’t even think about it being anything life threatening,”

She also told me to call her next time if anything like that happens, so she can reassure me straight away

That’s it, I guess. I’m still a bit worried because my left cheek feels warm (but the painful node is on that side and a painful canker sore on the inside of my lower lip, so... i’m trying to chill and not think “STROKE!”). Thanks for the reassurance, guys. Love to you all, x