Neck brace
 

My neck is always stiff, I have been to a few chiros with not that much luck. I just bought a neck brace from futuro, thinking about leaving it on for the next couple of months. What do you guys think? Also, what specific symptoms are usually related to the neck injury. I have extreme fatigue, tinnitus, low grade head pressure, derealization, floaters, and I can't be on screens for longer than 30 minutes or my tinnitus starts spiking and I get weird headaches.

This is such a disabling condition, 8 months ago I was rock climbing towers jetting out of the ocean and after a bonk to the head from a door, here I am incapacitated for 9 months with no end in sight. How do you people keep hope up? My hope is leaving me and I think this all might be permanent. Time to learn to live with disability. Feels like I ruined this life for no reason. Sorry for the vent people, it's just hard having your youth and wellness taken from you in a blink of an eye.

Hi qtipsq, I feel your frustration but I encourage you to not give up hope. A year and a half ago I had a successful corporate career, running a department and also taught martial arts - now I can't do basic math in my head. It is really hard to keep going. I have thought the same thing -- all this work in my life for what? I am young as well and feel like a senior now.

Regarding the neck brace, my concern is that your muscles will atrophy. My neck hurts everyday but I still do my stretches, see my chiropractor and now have physio (finally). I am keeping up with treating my neck. For long car trips, I do bring a nice memory foam travel neck pillow/rest and use it for a little while on and off if I feel fatigued (only as a passenger). If I feel sleepy on a car trip I put it on so my head doesn't tip suddenly and wrench my neck.

I hope this has been helpful to you. I want you to know that there are others sharing your pain day to day and that there are great people on this forum who can help support you -- and help you to be hopeful. I wish you all the best.

I wouldn't wear a brace, without supervision by a PT.

If you wear a brace, for any length of time, the muscles in your neck will atrophy. When you take it off, you will not be able to support your neck properly, which could aggravate you symptoms greatly and reduce your range of motion.

Wearing a collar, for short periods, can provide relief for those with unstable necks. However, that needs to be accompanied by a regime of isometric exercises to avoid muscle wastage. In the end, the ideal is to deal with the problem, not just mask the symptoms.

When one first injures the neck, the swelling actually provides stabilization. As it abates, muscle atrophy can allow too much movement and create symptoms, like headache. This phenomenon is why many patients feel that they are regressing and why rehab is important. In most cases, gentle exercise can rebuild the muscle and stabilize the situation.

Have your neck evaluated properly by a competent professional. The best course of treatment could range from surgical stabilization with rods to strengthening exercises.

Hang in there.

I agree with the others regarding the risk of atrophy. The only time a neck brace may be OK is when you sleep but learning good neck posture/discipline when sleeping would be better.

Of all of your symptoms, none really sounds like they could be from the neck. Maybe the low grade head pressure if you have spasming muscles at the top of your neck. Floaters are just a perception issue. You injured brain does not filter out the floaters where a healthy brain would see the same floaters and ignore them. Most floaters are just debris in the tears.

Most chiros are too aggressive and do not contribute to improving flexibility. A good physical therapist may be better.

You may benefit from an exam by a neuro-ophthalmologist.

[QUOTE=Mark in Idaho;1122247]Floaters are just a perception issue. You injured brain does not filter out the floaters where a healthy brain would see the same floaters and ignore them. Most floaters are just debris in the tears.

QUOTE]

That's usually true. However, if the TBI is the product of a trauma, like a bad fall or MVA, it's a good idea to make sure the floaters are not associated with any retinal tearing. If he follows your good advice to visit a neuro-optomologist, they'll check for that.

My ophtho said the tearing would not be floaters, They would be dark and in fixed positions except for some reddish-brown spots that might be slow moving if there are bits of blood in the vitreous. Any flashes of light would warrant a visit to the ER.

My ophtho would disagree with yours. From the "About Floaters" webpage: "The symptoms of retinal detachment include sudden appearance of floaters or sudden increase in number of floaters..."

Things are probably okay, but best to check it out.

Neck brace..thoughts if there is some neck muscle pain /tightness is happening...

I don't think you would get atrophy if you only wear it short periods of time.
But I would double check with your dr about it and time frames of use if they OK it.
Perhaps during car rides if that helps for stabilization & comfort.

It is the constant use that would start loss of muscle tone..

Have you tried therapeutic massage , ultra sound, IF stim, Low level laser?
Some PT places & some chiros have & use these modalities.
And they should check for possible trigger points .. you can't release/relax a muscle until any trigger points are resolved..

I did not think the floaters discussed were a sudden occurrence. Yes, any sudden change in the eye should be checked at the ER.

Ho Jo*Mar, the poster is talking about leaving the collar on for two months.

As for wearing one in the car, if you're the driver, check your auto insurance. In many cases, a collar, which limits your ability to shoulder check, etc..., could nullify your policy, in an mva.

Plus there is a difference between a soft collar vs a rigid brace collar, I guess we don't know exactly what kind they are planning to try..

Soft collar is less ROM limiting for driving..
But as we all said , check with dr first..:)

Good point. There is a huge difference between those soft ones, that can be purchased at the drug store, and a big, stiff Aspen collar.