I wish I could lay down. I get so drained from being in so much pain all day long and I struggle just to lay down and take a nap bc putting my head on a pillow hurts so much. For a while it wasn’t as bad bc the ice numbed it. There is a new pain that is hard to put an ice pack directly on so it makes it harder now. I would love for that to be the case. I would lay flat all day long till I was all better. Lol. I am going to go for another MRI this time of my neck and go get a second opinion this week. Hopefully someone will have some answers.

Kristin,

Trying to get an image that shows an injury is usually a wasted effort. Instead, you goal should be finding a physical therapist who knows gentle techniques of traction and mobilization and can help you find good postures that help you not stress your neck.

No range of motion exercises. Maybe some static strengthening exercises.

It took me 2 years of disciplined efforts to get better. It is a long slow process.

LettingMyLightShine,

Many thanks for your reply. CSF leaks are one of the things I've been investigating. I don't always feel better after lying down for a short time, but I do feel better in the morning and worst at night.

Again, I will keep everyone updated.

Mark,

I agree trying to image a possible injury that can't be fixed anyway is a waste of time.

If Kristin's case is anything like mine, however, then I wouldn't assume that whatever is wrong can't be fixed. I believe that there's no easy fix for the low-grade neck discomfort I've had on and off for years, but this new pain (new for me, that is) is quite different subjectively. For one thing, it is excruciating.

There are plenty of neck issues that can cause pain such as Kristin describes, and that show up on imaging and be fixed. For instance, blood vessels compressing cranial nerves can potentially be decompressed. (That's just an example; I'm not suggesting that compressed nerves are at work in anyone's particular case or that decompression is an easy fix.)

It seems to me that imaging is worth it in this case.

Yes, some neck injuries will show in imaging. But, many with what I and others have termed Subtle Neck Injuries, similar to Subtle Brain Injuries, manifest symptoms with no imageable cause. The instabilities at C-1 to Occiput are very difficult to image. There is a full motion imaging system that can show some instability.

Most orthopedists and radiologists do not recognize the minor misalignments as indicative of an injury. A chiro will look and see a problem but MDs will say, No problems observed.

NUCCA and Atlas Orthogonal chiropractic and other upper cervical therapies helps some.

The concept is to try to treat the symptoms rather than treat an injury.

For me, a year of upper back to upper neck therapy slowly saw improvements. It took time for the ligaments to strengthen.