Neck, shoulder and collarbone

by Steve D.
(Farmington, NM)

In November of '18 I woke up with my neck (left side) in such pain I had to use both hands to support my head, my girlfriend had to pull me up by my elbow in order for me to sit up on the side of the bed. The slightest touch would literally send me through the roof as she was not able to even touch it let alone massage it.


I went to the chiropractor that day and he would not attempt to adjust me, he gave me a script for muscle relaxers and told me to take them for a few days and come back. I did just that and in a few days was able to move my head a little to the left and right. Went back and he was ever so slightly able to adjust me.

I have continued the chiropractor visits now once a week for 7 months and have had minimal relief. In mid-May it worsened again to the point I went to an urgent care where the Dr. gave me shots of lidocaine in my neck and shoulder. It has improved considerably since these shots but the pain persists and has moved into my shoulder and collarbone with my neck still feeling locked at my occipital and lower around the C-5 area with the muscles feeling tight and stressed and pulling on my upper pectoral next to my collarbone and lower throat area.

I have been doing the stretches that were prescribed but the relief is only temporary (a few hours) the urgent care Dr gave me a step up from flexerill to Tizanidine 4mg which tends to help, again temporarily until time for more pills.

In the last 2.5 weeks I have taken 180 aleve along with the Tizanidine to get through the day. Although it seems to be improving, I'm not sure if I am just masking the pain or if I'm truly getting better I was hoping for an outside opinion on my next step. I can't live on muscle relaxers and aleve.
Thank you for your advice in advance.
Steve D.
NM,USA

Hello Steve,
Firstly a few questions.
1. Has an x-ray been taken and what did it show. Could you type out the report please. If not, definitely time, including an APOM and obliques.

2. Any old significant trauma?

3. Are you a tum sleeper?

4. Is there any pain down your arm? Headache?

5. Where the collarbone meets the sternum, is there tenderness or a little lump? That pec pain is unusual.

You've had what is called a torticollis, a very stiff and painful neck, really a very vague term, the concern that it still hasn't resolved after so long and so much treatment.

General heath good?

Give me some answers, and we'll continue this.

Take a look at the 'tingling in arms and hands' page at Chiropractic Help, scroll down to T1. Does it seem to fit?

Dr B.

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