progress but..
 

Hi all, Im about 5 months PCS symptoms.

They have been getting alot better lately. But my neck and back musles are always so tight! I am wonderign if this could be attributed to a neck problem. But I have had an MRI recently and they found nothing wrong. I just need ideas/ thoiughts on why my neck msucles are always so tight and what I can do to reduce this??

Hope everyone is well.

Thanks!

Peter1,

A negative MRI does not mean you do not have neck or upper back issues to treat. A physical therapist or chiro who uses gentle neck techniques may be able to help.

Have you been icing your neck and upper back ? It should help.

Hi mark,
Yes I have been icing my neck every day. The neck pain from the whiplash is gone for the most part, but I have been getting my headaches back. This is troublesome as I nearly went 3 weeks without a headache and now I am getting them back! I know PCS is a roller coaster ride of ups and downs and relapses but is the fact they went away a good sign?? This is definitely causing my anxiety to crop up again, I feel like if I can get that under control the headaches will slowly subside again. Also other symptoms such as numb and tingling fingers and muscle spasms have been occurring but ZI am attributing this to anxiety.
Thoughts?

I have the same issue, I went to see a massage therapist for a month, twice weekly. Honestly, it made me feel great except that my headaches got a lot worse. It did however sufficiently take away the headaches for a few minutes that I could feel, for the first time in 4 years, how the headache moved from the right side of my head, across my face then across the top of my head and finally the whole of my head was consumed. It was a cool feeling to feel it moving. One thing that I think really causes the constant aching in my head is the tight muscles. I think that the pain causes tightening in the muscles and then the tight muscles causes more pain etc... I have been thinking about starting Yoga because it is supposed to loosen you up while simultaneously relaxing you. Also it is low-impact which is highly important to me as even walking quickly can be too much jostling for my head.
Good luck with it all!
Live Long and Prosper!
In Christ,
Margarite

I am coming up to 4 months PCS and my symptoms are coming and going/reducing. I have noticed neck pain also, but this is relatively new. I also think it coukd be down to muscle tension. I get pressure on the left and then the right side of my head and I am told this is muscular, I think its aggravated by too much mental or physical activity. I also get waves through my body and I am told this is tension.

People with PCS have raised tension and arousal levels, the tenson combined with insomnia is going to have a physical effect somewhere, and I think its coming out in my neck. The pain isn't constant, it comes and goes, so I think its a consequence of PCS symptoms.

Good luck with it, and I hope you recover.

Peter 11,

The fact that your symptoms are coming and going is a good sign. Frustrating though it is that the headaches are back, you are recovering in some way. I used to have the most dreadful light and noise sensitivity, wave sensations and crushing headaches which were only relieved by Imigran. I uderstand the Post Concussion Headaches should be treated as migraines.


Now I have these symptoms coming and going, I am on my feet all day without having to lie down and the headaces have been replaced by left or right sided muscular head tension. I would say if I over did things I would need the migraine meds again, but by quiet rest between gentle activity I feel I am slowly recovering. I am told that even when you feel 100% symptoms will still come back, its all part of the PCS journey.

Good luck with your recovery!

Peter you may want to ask for Myofascial release therapy. The muscles in your neck and back can get spasms so tight they can be extremely painful. Physical therapy is very important with the release therapy. The spine must be in alignment or the release therapy will not be effective. The spasm are not what most think of. Instead of a clinch and release the muscles are in a almost constant state of clinch. The release is so slight as to not be noticeable.

Hi Margarite. I also benefitted greatly from massage therapy. I had tightness, knots and spasms in my upper back, and I would have the therapist do deep tissue in these problem areas. These upper back and neck problems have nearly completely resolved. I didn’t have any of the headache problem that you experienced.

I have recently begun a yoga practice, I do a “beginner level” class and I have found the physical and emotional (stress relief) benefits to be very helpful.

As with all therapies, it would be important to check with your doctor and/or physical therapist to unsure there are no lingering structural issues that would be exacerbated by either treatment.