I am at my wit's end!
My neck muscles feel weak and taut. In the front and back. Scalene, pecs and trapezius especially. Only laying down is comfortable. What should I do?
I know we're not doctors here but let's take a poll:
a) lay down for the rest of today & hope it passes
b) take Lyrica (or Neurontin) and lay down for the rest of today
c) " and try and resume normalcy today
d) go to chiropractor
e) go to masseuse
f) go to acupuncturist
g) other

sounds like spasms to me
I would try -
therapeutic massage/ or a chiro if they do muscle therapies too

also at home -
heat
rest
very gentle range of motion to influence blood flow to the areas
calcium/magnesium blend - mag is very helpful for muscle tightness
lots of fluids to flush out the toxins being created by the spasms
{reduced blood flow because of the constant tight muscles}

lay on floor or bed w/arms at a comfy position - as relaxed as you can be and do diaphragm /belly breathing

these are what I do when I get that tight feeling.

Jo thank you so much!!!! You are as always a godsend
I will report back tomorrow with an update.

I rested and had had half a Neurontin I feel like I'm on the moon but I'm not super bothered by the tension

Does anyone get this kind of weakness too? Its like its too much to keep my head up.

I did a lot of Sharon Butler exercises yesterday and I think it was these* that may have done me in (although I did about 6 different ones..):
*click attachments to see the bigger picture - then right click them - choose View Image - then you can zoom in to see them better! (or you can just download them)

Attached Thumbnails

   

I think it is very easy to over do.. we feel OK enough to do "something" exercise wise and we don't notice the twinges at the time but then later it starts to kick in.

I just had that happen to me...
I went to a curves to see how the machines worked for me...
I'm not sure the hydraulic machines are gonna work for me, plus they don't have a easy or beginner setting LOL

the hydraulics are pretty tough and-many of the upper body machines need you to have arms out at level or higher

neck weakness-
oh yes, when I had my really bad spasms I could barely hold my head up, riding in a car was really bad - had to take a pillow to lean against.
I even bought one of those foam neck collars ... it wasn't too long after that that I came across my chiro.

depending on how soon you realize that you have spasms and then take steps to treat them - I think that's a key in resolving them sooner , but they don't go away real fast.

Mine happened because we were doing a cement shop floor - just dh & me - and we wanted to get it finished that week.
halfway into the project I felt things starting to hurt but kept on ignoring and the last 2 days I could barely do anything..

But i didn't know what a spasms felt like so I had no clue and I wasn't realy supposed to be doing that sort of stuff due to my wc claim. I was on hold case wise and off work at the time.
I couldn't really go to my dr and tell them what I had been doing...so just by fate or karma ran across my chiro that helped me "off the record" and I paid cash to keep it off the books.
It took about 2 visits a week for a couple weeks and then tapered down to monthly, but the worst was resolved after a few visits.
later on i did find out that some lingering problems were because my top ribs had gotten pulled up and they got stuck - a adv PT guy figured that out and dropped them back down. Now chiro checks for that too.


my claim closed in 05.

Yesterday was good. I slept in and woke up a new person.
Today was back to tension.
waaaah!

I vote ALL OF THE ABOVE

It helps me to keep my neck and upper body fleece warm. The LED and infrared lights is a treatment rather than comfort, although it provides comfort. I warm my muscles up in the morning, 5 to 10 minutes an area. Takes a little while while I watch Today or news and have a cup of coffee, eat a cut of Activia yogurt. I realize I need that time for this treatment to get my muscles warm, especially scalenes. I'm in much less pain throughout the day because I take this time. I do a round of lights at night too.

We have to keep trying, but warm is good. gentle shoulder shrugs are good too. "palms up" helps and Miracle Balls under armpits at times and twisting wrists back and around. Yoga, relaxation and breathing. muscle relaxers or an occasional cooler or beer at night might take the edge off a little. Laterly Tylenol PMs were giving me an extra hour before being aroused with arm, back, neck, leg, head issues. I'm not taking them now and I'm getting somewhat better sleep. May need to take them, but hate taking anything.

Yes, my head was too heavy for my own neck. That was severe whiplash. I was in therapy, traction, Estim and other modalities. It just eventually got stronger. Can't say anything in particular did it though, but it was rather weakening and tiring to deal with. I can still get a hint of that that if I overdo it, usually walking on concrete is involved-headache city...
Keep trying things. Hopefully it will come.

I can sell those pads I just haven't been diligent about getting that business going. Maybe this year. I have three. Right now I'm in light heaven. I used to demo them and still coldn't make a sale. They're a little pricy. I never pushed it. They're worth it, though. I swear by them. Not a quick fix either. But it's MY problem, I've come to learn. I deal with it the best I can. I do go on with things the best I can.

I also use hot wax from time to time on my hands. That helps just can't get to it when I want to.

I have a hunch that my kneeling chair (http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread94612.html) may help relieve some of this tension and weakness!!

From January 2nd until just today I switched out my kneeling chair for my regular office chair (which isn't super ergonomic). As soon as I sat in front of my computer on the kneeling chair the tension eased. Especially in my pectorals and scalenes.
Whoulda thunk???

We'll see if this hunch is true....

Bouncing gently on a gym ball has really, really helped me with my neck/shoulder tension - if i can feel any tightness coming on - i get out the gym ball and bounce for about 10-15 mins, or as long as i need to!

Generally I find the gym ball a very comfortable seat anyway

But gymball has been temporarily deflater as it gave me a terrible fright a couple of weeks ago.....was fast asleep at 4am when gymball falls off the top of my wardrobe (it is wedged between the top of my wardrobe and the ceiling) and hits by bed.....FREAKED ME OUT!....so much so that i have deflated it and couldnt sleep for 2 nights as was convinced my house is haunted!!!!!

Just what you really want when you find sleeping hard anyway!

Heavens Tracey! That is a fright!! You didn't happen to watch that horror film "Paranormal Activity" did you? I've heard that film can convince anyone to get freaked out at the drop if a hat -- er, ball :P

I have tried the ball but unfortunately my spine feels all compacted lately too. In fact I feel like I want to tell people to "Shake me up!" like in this scene of Bleak House: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNySOLFLjGA

I keep my exercise ball in a corner of the living room - feels so good to lay over it both ways and just let it stretch & relax me. Of course the dogs just have to come over and get in my face begging for attention when I'm hanging over it at their level.

I sit on it too while watching TV and /tilt/roll/sway side to side & front/back to work core a little bit. Sometimes I bounce on it too.