What the hell did I do to myself? OUCH!!!

[JakeT.]

Yeah, I realize that asking here is not the best idea but I figured something similar may have happened to someone at some point.

Was doing some sort of weird press thing at the gym yesterday where you lift the weight behind your head. Anyway, something went in my neck.

Hurt like a bitch right away. It's on the back left side. I couldn't really turn my head too much last night after it happened. Figured I'd sleep it off.

I found a perfect spot for my head where I could go to sleep. Problem is I move around so after about 30-45 minutes of sleeping I'm waking up in some pretty terrible pain.

Took me 5 minutes to put my shirt on.

And yeah, I know I should go see a doctor. And I'm probably not going to until a few days because they'll probably just give me some painkiller and send me on my way.

I'm just kind of wondering what I could have done here...

 

[Bennyshoe]

i don't know but is it a stinger like football players get?

I've never had that happen to me but it does sound painful.

 

[dave11486]

Find somebody who does ART (active release techniques) in your area. They can often work out of a chiropractors office.

They may he able to help you heal up, and depending on how experienced they are, they can usually tell you if it's anything you should see a doctor about. This is about the best advice I ever got, because if they are good they may be able to find out what's wrong from the beginning.

 

[dave11486]

A trainer I use has had some trouble with a hamstring and a rotator cuff (like a partial tear in each) over his lifetime, and each time this ART specialist he sees was able to find it and help him heal up naturally. Dudes helped me quite a bit too, so if you happen to find a good one there can be some satisfying results.

 

[carlspackler]

Really besides a major surgical procedure what is a doctor going to do? He's going to charge you $200. and tell you you tore a neck muscle. Maybe he will prescribe a prescription for vicodin which will cost $$$.
Insted you can send me $150. dollars and I will tell you that you pulled a neck muscle. The only cure is to not aggrivate it anymore and let time heal the wound. It's basically the same as tearing a rib muscle. Hurts like hell but there"s really nothing you can do but wait. So take two aspirin as needed and check back in two weeks and we'll see where we are at. Maybe invest in a neckbrace also.
Good Luck.

 

[WorldNumberOne]

pinched nerve

 

[WorldNumberOne]

on another note , my scrotum has been itching like crazy for a while..

gotta be jock itch.

i still wear whitey tighty underwear... that cant be helping...

 

[FearTheRaven]

pinched nerve

this.

And never do any presses or pull downs behind the neck-head, it's really not beneficial.

More likely to damage something like a disc, nerve, rotator cuff or even dislocate your shoulder.

 

[LEYKIS101]

Jake,

I've had the same thing you're having, twice. Both times caused by press behind the neck or front presses. I just left it alone and it goes away in 4-7 days. Those 4-7 days are difficult to do some basic things safely, like drive. I felt like a robot how slow I had to move my head.


Good luck.

 

[JakeT.]

Thanks guys. I'll give it a week or two before I get back at it. I knocked myself out with painkillers and slept for a few hours. Still hurts as bad as ever but sounds like it'll heal up and if it doesn't then I know it's more serious.

 

[DNoonan]

when my neck is bothering me i have started using one of these foam roller deals to massage it and stretch it out and it helps enormously (i get knots after staring at the cpu all day)...not sure if your injury is the type that is would help but they are pretty cheap

 

[DocJS]

Alternate ice and wet heat every two hours for 15-20 minutes at a time. When you're in the shower (wet heat) work on some gentle range of motion with your neck.

OTC NSAIDS (Advil or aleve) with food for the inflammation.

Muscle relaxers like Flexeril or Soma if you have them. They can make you drowsy. Be careful driving if you take them.

Doc

 

[TheKinz]

Alternate ice and wet heat every two hours for 15-20 minutes at a time. When you're in the shower (wet heat) work on some gentle range of motion with your neck.

OTC NSAIDS (Advil or aleve) with food for the inflammation.

Muscle relaxers like Flexeril or Soma if you have them. They can make you drowsy. Be careful driving if you take them.

Doc

Only post you need to read. I have the beginning of tennis elbow sounds gay but very painful. After playing-- 20 mins ice-- off 20 mins-- on 20mins -off 1 hour and then 20 mins of low heat..Works like a champ. Ice is the key for muscle/nerve inflammation..

 

[PokerKingJim]

this.

And never do any presses or pull downs behind the neck-head, it's really not beneficial.

More likely to damage something like a disc, nerve, rotator cuff or even dislocate your shoulder.

+1

 

[ConansHammer]

It goes away in a week or so. The secret trick is to take an adult dose of Tylenol before going to sleep each night for the next 5 days.


This will prevent neck damage during your sleep time and speed the healing process.

 

[hippieki11er]

it's a pinched nerve - you've been lifting improperly as you've now learned, feel better.

 

[JakeT.]

I did some additional reading. It sounds like I either pulled a neck muscle or busted a blood vessel. It can be caused by doing the exercise wrong but it can also be caused by not breathing when lifting. I never have gotten the breathing thing down and was taught this exercise by a personal trainer so I'm leaning toward I didn't breath and shit went haywire. Either way, I'm hearing it goes away in 1-2 weeks so I'll do the hot/cold thing and I have some Tylenol PM stuff for night time now. Thanks again everyone.

It feels minimally better today but only a little. Still have trouble with the shirt thing. Feels like my neck is about to pop off.

 

[Dwight_Schrute]

this.

And never do any presses or pull downs behind the neck-head, it's really not beneficial.

More likely to damage something like a disc, nerve, rotator cuff or even dislocate your shoulder.

Agreed. Don't place any overwhelmed stress on the joints. You aren't training to be a bodybuilder, so take it easy on the joints. Only behind the neck press you should do (if any) is light weight on the smith machine, and i stress light weight.

Take a week off of lifting, pop a few painkillers, and you will be fine...Try to do some neck stretching after 2-3 days

Just read ur last post, not a blood vessel--that would be accompanied by large headaches on the top of ur head when ur lifting....Breathe properly

Any other questions feel free to ask, I'll give you the same answers i give my clients

 

[ConansHammer]

unrelated but, if at anytime during your computer ownership years you used a fixed chair instead of a swivel chair. Your back is probably out of alliagnment.

Push ups fix it in around 3 months

 

[JakeT.]

Agreed. Don't place any overwhelmed stress on the joints. You aren't training to be a bodybuilder, so take it easy on the joints. Only behind the neck press you should do (if any) is light weight on the smith machine, and i stress light weight.

Take a week off of lifting, pop a few painkillers, and you will be fine...Try to do some neck stretching after 2-3 days

Just read ur last post, not a blood vessel--that would be accompanied by large headaches on the top of ur head when ur lifting....Breathe properly

Any other questions feel free to ask, I'll give you the same answers i give my clients

Thanks for the advice. Sounds like I just dinged the muscle then. Good stuff. :toast: