I have been living with a stiff neck for the past week. Absolutely painful, uncomfortable and annoying. Painful to the extent that it has spread to my shoulders. They feel like they’ve been bruised, the pain bone-deep. Uncomfortable because I cannot turn my head or sleep properly no matter how I adjust my pillow(s). And annoying because it has lasted so bloody long.
The metholated Japanese plasters and Yoko-yoko heated rubs has helped somewhat to relieve the pain temporarily, but what do you know, the discomfort is still there.
I feel like a walking, talking Batman. Without the suit. My whole body needs to turn together with my head when I cross the road. Wierd. Mom, where’s my neck? Maybe I’m the sequel to “I, Robot”, except that I’m a primitive version (alpha v.00.02) with lousy hydraulics and limited motor-movement.
Finally paid a visit to a physiotherapist this morning, one recommended by my aunt. Dr. Chong, I believe his name was. (Speak like Yoda, I suddenly do). He’s sort of a traditional yet modern doctor, and has quite a reputation. Using pressure points, he relieved clogged nerves and tension in my neck and shoulders. Even giving me a nice ‘crack’ at the end. The pain was quite unbearable, tears almost falling as I grimaced.
He told me that it was due to lack of sleep, and/or bad sitting posture. Makes sense. I’ve been consistently going home at 4am from the office for the whole of last week. Insufficient sleep has caused the nerve between the 4th and 5th vertebrae to constrict and narrow, causing stress around the back, neck and shoulders.
Feel slightly better now, somewhat ‘looser’. However, was asked to pay him a visit again if the tightness does not improve by Friday.
Fellas, whatever you do, make sure you get plenty of rest, deadlines or otherwise!
Due to experience, I would advice you to see an orthopedic.
In the A&P industry, ‘rest’ means a prolonged sabbatical or a semi-retirement in some orang asli village where you, uhm, enjoy the delights of nature. Like, err, mushrooms. And, ahem, wacky tobacky.
Not one of my best, V. I need a two week vacation from the office just so I can get work done at my own pace. Kinda defeats the concept of a vacation, innit?
Spent Merdeka eve snoring on the couch as my girlfriend was fuming in front of my laptop. I swore all I wanted to do was close my eyes and relax a bit before we headed out to town.
I hope I still have a girlfriend this morning. Yeesh…
You’ll be very glad to read my comment. Whatever you do DO NOT HAVE YOUR NECK MANIPULATED BY A CHIROPRACTOR. I had the same condition a year ago, a stiff neck that just won’t go away. Three months later, I saw a chiropractor who manipulated me which caused the ligaments holding c1 and c2 of my cervical veterbrate to become stretched. If you continue to have your neck manipulated, you’ll REGRET IT!!! Do something else, like correcting your posture or using heat pads. I eventually had to go through a cervical fusion surgery, where the doctor had to fused together the top two veterbrates in my neck. Now I have no left or right motion FOREVER. If you stretch the transverse ligament in your neck it will not heal or grow back. Just search for atlantoaxial instability and transverse ligament and you’ll know what I am talking about.
It’s better to hope that you’ll recover rather than knowing that you’ll be stuck like this forever. All it took was a crack for my ligaments to become stretched. You’ll probably eventually return to normal if you do not have your head manipulated, even if it take a year or so.
My family is of chinese descent, who believed in this kind of chiropractic treatment. Now I regret it every single day of my life.