Icing your neck
 

wondering if it is a good idea to ice my neck. I get so much pain in my face/jaw/teeth/temples/ears from even a gentle massage on my neck/shoulders. However, I was told not to ice (or use a heat pack) on my neck by my chiropractor, as this might do some damage to my brain. Wondering if anyone knows more info.

I suggest you find a different chiropractor. Icing will not hurt your brain. I promote icing quite often. In fact, I was taught the importance of icing by 3 different chiropractors.

I wonder why you stay with that chiro if your neck is such a problem. Does he do "twist the head and pop the neck' adjustments ? They are often far too aggressive for the subtle neck injuries we suffer from.

There is a saying.

Only a (insert demeaning description of your choice) does the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome.

Sometimes, we need a prompt to stop and think about changing our direction. Just because a professional has M.D., Ph.D., D.O., or D.C. after their name does not mean they are the only solution to our problems.

Thank you Mark! The only healthcare provider I am satisfied with so far is my acupuncturist...

Mark, I just iced my neck and it did WONDERS!! How have I not done this until now!!!! I am so grateful for your sharing your knowledge/experience with us.

I have a very personal relationship with several bags of frozen peas in my freezer. Should anyone remove or eat them there would be words.

Ice on my neck keeps me from serious drugs. I have avoided trips to the ER by using ice. Your chiro sounds like a wack a doodle.

Use ice Will. You will become an addict like the rest of us. It's a good addiction.

Jenna

Ice damage the brain? Is that a joke?

My PT is a huge advocate of ice on the back of the neck. She even got me some really nice, professional grade ice packs. I LOVE ice.

I'm thinking of filling the hole bathtub with ice and just living in it lol

Hmm...what a strange comment from your chiro.

My vestibular therapist from my very established health care company told me that icing my neck regularly was very beneficial. It helped slow down the signals from the amygdala after brain injuries like nausea and dizziness and panic attacks.

I agree with other posters here that I am not sure where I would have been that first year after my injury without my ice packs-I still use mine very fondly. :)

The icing also reduces swelling and inflammation and is generally and accepted practice for Olympic athletes as well RICE (Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation).

So-I'm not sure quite where or what the science behind your Chiro's opinion is, but I might get another one.

My massage therapist also told me absolutely no ice on the neck! something to do with muscles not liking it.

Hmmm...I have actually never tried it and am sitting here in pain.

Am going in a minute to get a bag of veggies out of the freezer.

Sitke

Come to the dark side...use ice...u will like it! 😊

Heat will help release a muscle spasm. Cold can make a muscle spasm worse. For many, cold is needed to reduce inflammation in a joint.

Heat on an inflamed joint is worse than cold on a sore or spasming muscle. The common issue is a spasming muscle due to inflammation in the cervical vertebra. It the inflammation is not reduced, the spasm will continue. Often, the spasming muscle is not where the inflamed joint is. So, ice the joint.

One of my optometrists told me to fill a tube sock with rice. This works very well both for heating and icing. I keep two in the freezer and a third in my room. If I need to apply heat, I microwave the one that I don't keep in the freezer (it's perfectly safe, and since the rice is dehydrated, you can microwave it again and again).

I find the cold tube socks to work much better than ice, for two reasons. First, they easily take any shape I need, so I can cover a lot of surface area evenly. Second, they aren't as cold as ice, so they don't make my skin overly cold--but they are cold enough to help ease inflammation and headaches. Also, whether hot or cold, rice-filled tube socks hold their temperature pretty well (though for the same reason, it takes awhile to get them cold in the freezer).

Thank you everyone! Should I alternate between ice/heat? or just ice? for how long?

will, read my post from two posts above. Ice on joints (neck), heat on spasming muscles.

ice, 15 on, 30 off, repeat as practical. The Vitamins sticky has a recipe for making crushable/moldable ice packs.

I have been doing neck massage with an ayurvedic oil(rhuma oil by an Indian Ayurveda company baidyanath). I noticed instant relief from my tinnitus. It has been 24 hours and its almost quiet. Never before have I noticed such relief .I did some icing on my neck now and it helped too.

I found that icing my neck and below my ears immediately brought noticable difference to my tinnitus. I have 2 questions

1. Can it be my neck that is injured ? When I hit my head, I instantly felt numbness in my limbs so is that a nerve damage or neck damage ? Any thoughts ?

2. I did 5 minutes light jogging and my symptoms returned. Is it possible that the jerks and jolts somehow irritated my neck and caused the symptoms ?

Yes and Yes.

It does not need to be nerve damage. It can just be nerve irritation and/or inflammation.

If you are going to jog, do it on your tiptoes. It will reduce the impact forces transmitted to your head.

I appreciate your input Mark. I went to the gym yesterday after about a year . Before my accident i used to do lots of cardio. I did 20 minutes of brisk walking on trendmill with a few seconds of slow jogging in between, did some light weight training and then the final 10 minute brisk walking on trendmill again. When i was back home, i felt foggy brain, loss of concentration and out of it feeling. I wonder if its just because i am a beginner now and have low stamina or its the concussion symptoms? otherwise i have recovered well to brisk walk for a fairly good amount of time without any symptoms . Its just the light jogging i feel somehow irritates my neck or some nerve or the head impacts.

If you did weights with your arms, this causes the neck muscles to tense up. Many find this to be problematic and a source of a return of symptoms.

You need to build your tolerance slowly or you can expect this roller coaster experience. A stationary bike would be much better than a treadmill. Maybe a rowing machine if you can keep your neck relaxed.

Did you check your pulse rate ? I bet you pushed it too much.

I have the same feeling. Feels like my brain is bouncing around. Then I get the same symptoms that you got.