I am wondering if Bracing is why I have severe tight side neck muscles. Its almost like they are dead. The lymph nodes 0n the left are always painful and that side can feel swelled. I have also had trouble swallowing and breathing, I think because of this. At night I may have to sit up to feel like I can breath well. It can get really bad and then ease up some. I have done the "tests" and seen the doc's. Your book is on the way(actually 4 of them). When the neuro thought I had m.s. he thought this was dyspagia or ?. Now he does not seem concerned since he decided I did not had ms. I also want to thank you for the time you put into this board. I am really thankful. Many things mentioned by other people help me. Thanks
In Reply to: Tight neck muscles posted by Terri on April 07, 1998 at 00:14:42:
Skilled relaxation, chiropractic and possibly a few rounds with a massage therapist should be the answer for your problem. Your family md and neuro are unaware or are ignoring the treatments that are effective in cases like this. Things that are not effective in getting rid of the problem are muscle relaxors, anti-inflammatories, and pain medication. As with others here, I will help you find a chiropractor in your area that you will be comfortable with. E-mail me at drdave@kih.net if I can be of help.
In Reply to: Tight neck muscles posted by Terri on April 07, 1998 at 00:14:42:
Tight neck muscles & some of the other symptoms you mention
can sometimes be helped by wearing a hard cervical collar,
night & day for a period of time. Sometimes it takes months to do the trick, but in a week or two you should notice some improvement if it is going to work. The collar
gives the injured areas time to heal & protects them from further trauma.
In Reply to: Tight neck muscles posted by Terri on April 07, 1998 at 00:14:42:
Dear Terrie,
I hope you find healing soon.
I have this too. But I also have TMJ and I can only drink Ensure. All the tests so far have come up negative. I am scheduled to have some extensive x-rays to determine if my jaw joints are arthritic and if the joints are displaced. I hope they aren't. I REALLY don't want surgery. I think the mouth splint I am wearing 24 hours a day is part of the problem. I am so scared to take it out until I find out what the x-rays show up. The joints hurt.
I also have pain in the sides of my neck and the glands feel slightly swollen at times.
I am going to try the massage and am doing the relaxation. I hope this works. Hot moist cloths on my neck REALLY help me feel better. I am wearing magnets sometimes too and they help with the pain and tension.
What is interesting is the new TMJ doctor I saw spoke about the long term effects of stress on the muscles which then effect the TMJ. And this adds up to body bracing like Dr. Stoll has said.
Hope the massage works. Going to try that out this week.
Hope you feel better soon, Terrie.
Thanks for the advice, Dave.
with love,
pamela
In Reply to: Re: Tight neck muscles posted by Pamela J on April 07, 1998 at 12:01:08:
PLEASE don't have surgery before you try chiropractic. As with other people I am willing to help you find someone in your area that will suite you. I can't tell you how many TMJ syndrome patients I have helped resolve their problem by not even touching the TMJ. The connections to the cervical spine and how cervical dysfunction can cause TMJ problems and myotonicity in the neck are EXTREME to say the least.
In Reply to: Re: Tight neck muscles posted by David Ferguson, D.C. on April 07, 1998 at 08:21:18:
I have done chiropractic my whole life and when this came on 3 years ago with all the other stuff I really tried alot with my chiropractor and weekly massage. But it did not help. I have done an enormous amount of natural therapies, even ozone hospital south of the boarder and Dr. Hulda Clark and her parasite program. But the only thing that has even begun to help are the b 12 shots. I only found out a few months ago that I can not absorb b 12 from food, only shots. Due to Intrinsic Factor Blocking Antibody. But it hasn't help alot, just a little. It just seems so complicated some times. I can hardly wait for Dr. Stolls book. I have found myself that relaxation helps alot.
In Reply to: Re: Tight neck muscles posted by David Ferguson, D.C. on April 07, 1998 at 13:24:14:
Dear David,
Thanks for responding. I have been trying to schedule an appointment with a massage therapist but many have answering machines and I can't get through to them. I have been trying for several days and talking to some of them to get a feeling for what they know. I agree with Walt's advice about finding someone who is right for you and trying to relax into the massage work and let of the tension. I don't want to have a bad experience or throw my money away.
I do think I need chiropractic work. If you know of someone in the Portland, Oregon area I would appreciate it.
I was in an auto accident a few years ago and the only injury that I seemed to have had was a pulled muscle and/or tendon in my chest. It was right near the heart. I would hold my chest rigid so that I would not pull it out again. It was sore for a few years. If I lifted anything heavy I would pull it out again. It seems to have healed up pretty well now. I guess I did alot of 'Chest bracing'. ;) My TMJ was never very bad, just occassionally. Now I can only drink Ensure. I hope I can eat again. I have not been able to chew or swallow very well since before Thanksgiving. It is so weird not eating.
I found a Natural doctor who specializes in fasts and nutrition. I hope she can help me find a more healthy alternative that I can drink. There are many things I cannot swallow very well. If the taste is bitter, sour, salty or strong or very sweet my muscles in my throat tense up and I have trouble swallowing and feel like I am going to suffocate or choke to death. It is scary.
I have had injuries to my jaw and neck over the years too. I wonder if this has all added up. Plus a life of alot of stress.
I was told that my bite is really bad and that surgery might be the only alternative. They want to cut the jaw bone and then do extensive work on my bite. The doctor I found now said he has seen people with a bite like mine improve without surgery. He said he cannot explain it but their bite improves on its own so he is willing to try the non-surgery alternative but he told me I must learn to relax, not move my tongue all over (a nervous habit) and to not have my teeth touch all the time. (Walt mentioned the teeth touching and clenching before)
So...off to get the massage treatment, do meditation and hopefull find a chiropractor. I thought of seeing an osteopath too for the cranial work. I have the address of the Cranial Academy to get a referral.
Thanks again!
Sincerely,
pamela jayawardena
In Reply to: Re: Tight neck muscles posted by David Ferguson, D.C. on April 08, 1998 at 13:12:48:
Dear Terri,
Reflexology has not been mentioned. It has done wonders for me.
Think of the base of your big toe or thumb as the base of your
neck. If you message it deeply you will find that there is
pain there. Dig in deeply for a minute or two and then rub it
briskly on the surface and then go back to the deep message.
Try to rub the pain out. You will be surprised to find such a
painful area in your thumb and big toe as you probably didn't
realized you even hurt in that area until you start to message
it. There are many sciences out there that can be beneficial
to us if we just give them a try and have an open mind. I
remember my skeptical husband saying to me once, I suppose
if I rub my big toe my headache will go away." I laughed and
said actually that was true. Now that he has tried Reflexology
he goes every week and wouldn't miss an appointment. He has
stopped making fun of my strange researches and has looked into
a few himself.
Good Health
Geri
In Reply to: Re: Tight neck muscles - Please tell me about a Chiropractor posted by pamela j on April 07, 1998 at 21:17:15:
Hi, Pam.
If you can't get a good masseur, call a Rolfer. Rolfing would give you similar immediate benefits & would last longer. It is also more expensive if you do the entire series of 10 (recommended). I tend to recommend the massage because 6 are enough to show you very significant benefits and so would be less expensive as a teaching tool.
For all the Terri's: In the end, skilled relaxation will do you the most good. Chiropractic, Massage, Rolfing and other therapies are valuable to get you feeling better while you get at the causes by doing the skilled relaxation.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Tight neck muscles posted by Virginija Bird on April 07, 1998 at 10:58:27:
Dear Virginija,
I will be very interested in hearing what Doc Dave has to say about this.
My immediate inclination is to agree with you that this SOMETIMES helps. However, in MY experience, in the majority of the cases it would make the problem worse in the long run. It is sort of like getting a set of crutches for a minor injury of one leg & using them long after the leg would do better going without a "crutch".
I think one has to be very sure of the diagnosis before doing this kind of support.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Tight neck muscles - Please tell me about a Chiropractor posted by Walt Stoll on April 08, 1998 at 17:02:30:
Dear Walt,
Thanks for the encouragement. I finally found a massage therapist that I feel comfortable with on the phone. She cannot work into her schedule the 3 visits per week for 2 weeks like you recommended but I will be able to see her next week and then 2 visits the following week and then more after that.
So 10 visits might be better. I will look into this too. She is very gentle from what she said. I liked the sound of her voice on the found and her very light and uplifting attitude. I think one of the positive and reassuring qualities about her was her willingness to let me tell her how I wanted to be treated and to be careful in the TMJ area. I think that massage all around the rest of the body and especially the shoulders may help me dramatically. The muscles are very tight and sore in my jaw and too much touching tends to make them feel worse. All this worry has been rough on me.
I am not very worried about cost. I have already spent $4,000 on TMJ treatment that has NOT worked and will be spending another $2,000 more and it won't end there. If the massage works, it is money well spent. I want to live and be free of pain, suffering, worry and be able to eat again.
I just wish I had done this sooner! I think I will look into Rolfing after seeing her for awhile. Perhaps regular massage will be a good thing for me.
Hope all this works out next Tuesday.
Thanks Walt.
peace and love,
pamela
In Reply to: Re: Tight neck muscles posted by Geri on April 08, 1998 at 16:23:54:
Dear Geri, Thanks for the advice, but I am a certified reflexologist and have been for 5 years. I use it every day and have survived many difficult nights with it. I am so thankful that I studied it before I became really ill. It is amazing how it works.
In Reply to: Re: Tight neck muscles posted by Terri on April 09, 1998 at 13:35:37:
Dear Geri and Terri,
Geri, I just found that sore spot at the base of one thumb. Arrgh, but thanks :) Terri, so far the ONLY thing that's helped my own sore neck has been the 10 sessions of Rolfing. Deep tissue massage just wasn't deep enough. Now that we're actually getting a tax refund (moment of stunned silence), I've got an appointment with a good chiro, 'cause I think my atlas might be out. My jumpy 6 1/2 yr old complained of neck pain, and after 2 atlas adjustments (x-rays showed that it was WAY out of alignment) he's both noticeably calmer and his neck doesn't hurt at all.
Kyra
In Reply to: Re: Tight neck muscles posted by Geri on April 08, 1998 at 16:23:54:
Dear Geri,
Thanks for the reminder. In MY professional experience, Reflexology is among the MOST effective ways for a person to get their bodymind balanced. AND, since the individual can learn to do it for him/herself, it soon is not expensive and can be applied every day.
I do have an interssting story about how I learned some thing else about reflexology:
A patient came to me with multiple symptoms involving many different organ systems. She shared with me that more than 10 years before she had had similar symptoms & had been "cured" by a reflexologist who then taught her how to do it for herself. After a few years, she was feeling so good that she thought the might do even better by doing reflexology on herself more often throughout the day. After a year or so, she started feeling her old symptoms coming back so she increased the time she did reflexology every day. By the time I saw her, she was doing reflexology several hours a day & gradually getting worse.
All we had to do to get her better was explain to her that more was not necessarily better and that she was causing her symptoms to come back by doing reflexology too much.
She went back to doing reflexology like she had been instructed in the first place & within a month she was back to being normal again.
Reflexology is a POWERFUL technique!!!
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Tight neck muscles posted by Pamela J on April 07, 1998 at 12:01:08:
Pamela,
I have had problems with my TMJ. Such severe pain
I thought I would die. I spent $8000 trying to get better.
Mouth plates, braces, physical therapy. One thing I found
that worked for me was magnesium with malic acid. I also
take calcium. I take this three times a day. It has helped
greatly to relax jaw and neck muscles. Good luck. I hope
you feel better.
In Reply to: Re: Tight neck muscles posted by linda on April 20, 1998 at 09:05:41:
Dear Linda,
Congratulations on your progress!
NOW, while you are still feeling better, learn to practice an effective skilled relaxation technique and do it at least 20 minutes twice a day (not counting any you do within 2 hours of retiring) before your problem comes back. If you do not know what this is, go to the homepage of this 'site & read about it (link on this page).
The ONLY permanent solution to this problem is discharging the total body bracing that you tend to concentrate in your masseters.
Walt
Dr Stoll,
Would Acupuncture be of any use in treating TMJ(A minor form)? Also any suggestions on latest treatments or books to be read on TMJ? Thank you sir! VMD