Is there any reason for this? (musclar neck pain)

jenniewb

I have had the same bed and same pillows for years, about 15 years to be exact. (I've washed the pillows several times and the mattress protector and topper in that time).


I woke up yesterday for the third day with increasing neck pain-in such bad neck pain I can't move my chin down or to the right.
I am assuming it's how I slept but I've no idea why now- nothing has changed. The last and only previous time it happened was 3 months ago- I've never woken up in pain from sleeping badly from my own bed before then.


I'd ideally book massages to help but it's out of my budget so I really need to stop what is happening because it's too debilitating.


Just wondered if anyone has 1. Any idea why and 2. Any idea what I do to help stop the pain getting worse tomorrow?

MovingForwards

Read your first paragraph as you will find your answer.

Anoneemoose

MovingForwards wrote: »

Read your first paragraph as you will find your answer.

I agree. I’m not sure pillows and mattresses are supposed to last anywhere near that long. I appreciate not getting rid of things for no reason, but I suspect they’ve had it.

I have to replace my pillows regularly as my husband is a prolific drooler. No matter which protectors I use or how much I wash them!:eek:

trailingspouse

It might be the mattress/pillows. Or it might not.

Before you rush out and replace everything, you need to go to the doctor. That's free. There may actually be something wrong, so you need to get it sorted. I believe that at some doctor's practices you can self-refer to the NHS physio, which is free.

As to private physio being out of reach financially - £40 to get rid of the pain seems a good deal to me. Cheaper than a new mattress, certainly.

moneyistooshorttomention

When a friend of mine complained to me of the same thing - I started asking her some very specific questions about her computer use.

I know how she hunches over a lot generally and suspected that was the culprit (as the set-up was a bit different to her usual).

It was the culprit in her case.

belfastgirl23

Google 'text neck' and see what you think. I get this a lot!!

jenniewb

MovingForwards wrote: »

Read your first paragraph as you will find your answer.

So why now? Why such a massive pain all of a sudden after 15 years? I could understand a growing pain, but this was wake up one day and I'm unable to move my neck down/sideways. I don't understand the suddenness of this. I know of others who have had the same mattress for years, this didn't happen to them

jenniewb

belfastgirl23 wrote: »

Google 'text neck' and see what you think. I get this a lot!!

I don't text- I use a desktop and old fashioned email. I get too fed up with the predictive text and needing to employ too much energy in not throwing my phone at a wall! I use my phone but I'm not one for using it as much as I should (given how much they cost these days!)

jenniewb

trailingspouse wrote: »

It might be the mattress/pillows. Or it might not.

Before you rush out and replace everything, you need to go to the doctor. That's free. There may actually be something wrong, so you need to get it sorted. I believe that at some doctor's practices you can self-refer to the NHS physio, which is free.

As to private physio being out of reach financially - £40 to get rid of the pain seems a good deal to me. Cheaper than a new mattress, certainly.

I've got a GP appointment, but the earliest I could get was a month away! (And then if I do get taken seriously, a few months wait to see a fizz. I can't self refer, I have to go through my GP.
I can't replace the bed anyway though- it would take me years of saving and that's if I didn't have a debt with interest. Thanks for the suggestion though.

jenniewb

Anoneemoose wrote: »

I agree. I’m not sure pillows and mattresses are supposed to last anywhere near that long. I appreciate not getting rid of things for no reason, but I suspect they’ve had it.

I have to replace my pillows regularly as my husband is a prolific drooler. No matter which protectors I use or how much I wash them!:eek:

I think the pillows are about 5 years old (or the top one is). I did try last night but I wash them anyway. I have a thicker mattress protector as mattresses cannot be washed AFAIK (though I do hoover it with the designated mattress attachment) to do what I can to keep things as clean as I can. I'm aware it's not ideal, but it's just not possible to replace what I have. I suppose I could sleep on the floor? But with chronic lower back muscular skeletal issues already, I'm thinking that floor sleeping wouldn't be a wise choice if my experiences of a steadily deflating air bed are anything to go by!


If I had the money I'd love to get a new mattress but it's just not possible. I try to manage on what I have. I could understand the pain being related to the age of the mattress if I had noticed a more subtle pain, but I had less pain when I fractured my leg! It gets better enough to move my neck during the day, but just comes right back again each morning. If the issue is my mattress I really am stuck because I have no idea how I'd replace this one and know from past experience of staying over at relatives that changes to my mattress don't always work out (and IME I rarely seem to leave a friends/relatives mattress unscathed!)

Red-Squirrel_2

jenniewb wrote: »

I can't replace the bed anyway though- it would take me years of saving and that's if I didn't have a debt with interest. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Can I suggest that you post on the Debt Free Wannabe part of the forum for some advice on this aspect of things. They are very friendly, very knowledgeable and not at all judgemental and will probably be able to help you get rid of your debt quicker.