Mestinon / Neck Muscle Problem Connection?

[heathmcev]

For the last 5 days my neck & shoulder muscles have been all seized up & really painful... limited range of motion, awful pain just lying still, etc. Like so many people on here I get this every so often - in addition to the usual coat hanger pain, usually 3 or 4 times a year my neck will totally seize up, and I go to my osteopath for manipulation & craniosacral therapy, which open things up, and I start to feel much better. This time it hasn't worked. Every morning this week I've woken up at 5:30 with horrible pain and have to start the heat / stretch routine again until I can get back to the doctor. He actually saw me for 3 treatments this week for this and we have a follow up Tuesday! It's the first time my neck hasn't responded to therapy.

The only thing that's changed recently is that I've started up'ing my Mestinon dose. I'm taking very little as it is, but my body's so sensitive to meds that for me it may be a lot. Anyway, my osteopath was telling me that since Mestinon's really meant for myasthenia gravis, which is all about weak muscles, the med makes your muscles fire more. So if mine were already freaking out from stress and a migraine, then more Mestinon may be aggravating the situation.

I'm thinking of not taking any Mestinon at all this weekend to see if the pain subsides. There must be something else I can take to safely raise my bp. Have any of you had this happen? I'm just so over the pain and don't know how much longer I can take it. At this point I think I'd rather be dizzy from low bp then in constant neck pain. Grrrr...

[Noreen]

Your D.O. makes a good point. I would be sorely tempted to do the same thing (stopping med). I have no knowledge of the drug, however, so I'll leave that to someone who actually knows.

I do, however, have intimate knowledge about neck pain since I have cervical dystonia. Neck pain is horrible - probably why the term pain in the neck has become part of our venacular. Do you have any muscle relaxants to help you out for the weekend?

I know you said you do heat. I'm sure you know about the 'tube sock filled with rice in the microwave' trick. Have you tried ice? One thing I haven't done in a while is make a gel freeze out of witch hazel - very cold when massaged on but witch hazel has anti-inflammatory properties that can help with the spasms. Could be a crap shoot whether it would work and I'd probably try regular ice packs first to make sure I wasn't super sensitive to cold.

Best of luck. You have my sympathy.

noreen

[heathmcev]

Thanks Noreen!! please tell me more about the witch hazel gel thing! how do i do it? I have no muscle relaxers and am all about trying anything anti-inflamatory at the moment!! I have a rice neck thing I have been heating and reheating about a thousand times a day. Really appreciate the helpful ideas & commiseration

Heather

[Noreen]

You just freeze witch hazel in a plastic bag. Because the standard drugstore witch hazel has alcohol in it it ends up being gel/slushy like. It feels super cold going on but if massaged right can help the muscles.

I am a strong Arnica fan so if you can pick up any Arnica gel/ointment (Boerke and Taefel is one brand) or Arnica oil at the health food store, it might help and definitely won't hurt.

If there are knots occuring also, another cheap trick is to buy a carriage bolt at the hardware store (large screw like thing with rounded top). You can use it as pressure point therapy and it helps.

wishing you the best-

noreen

[dianne.fraser]

Dizzy

Sorry to hear that your neck is giving you grief. I see both a cranial osteopath and a neurological physiotherapist - I find that the physio treatment is more effective at relieving my neck soreness and the soreness I get at the back of my head, but I think my osteopath adds something as well. They come at it from different angles - my physio works only with the muscles; my osteo only does gentle manipulation. For me, I need them both to get a complete therapy. I find that, untreated, my neck soreness seems to correlate with worsening dysautonomia symptoms.

Re your medication - my general approach when my dysautonomia is worsening, and I'm not sure why, is to stop anything new that I might be doing or taking. It might be worth talking to your doctor about whether to take a break from your new medication to see whether your neck symptoms improve.

Let us know how you go.

Dianne

[heathmcev]

@ Noreen - thanks for getting back to me on that. I will try the gel out - sounds like it would feel good. I am also a big fan of tigger point massage - sometimes it's the only things that can break up those knots. I don't know how you do it with the dystonia. You must have to have a lot of patience.

@ Dianne - I have soreness at the back of my head all the time - right in the occipitals. It's kind of nagging, isn't it. No fun. I've never heard of neurological physiotherapy. I wonder where i could find one? Are they typically found in PT clinics? I'm going to ask around to see if anyone knows of one here in Delaware. Cranio sacral is fabulous. I call it my "system reboot" and this is the first time it's not relieved the pain. But you are right that having more angles at the problem is only going to help.

I really appreciate both of your great ideas. Now back to the microwave for more neck heat

[issie]

Here's a wonderful thing, if you take take getting hot all over. If you take the regular spice - Ginger. Like you'd use in the kitchen. Run a tub of water - as warm as you can stand it. Pour the ginger spice under the spiket while the tub is filling. Put enough in to make the water turn yellow. Which is quite a bit. Make sure it dissolves completely - or it will burn your skin. Fill the tub to the top and lie in it. Get big towels and cover your body and wrap one around you neck. It will totally make your whole body relax and pull the knots out. You will sleep sooo good. Just remember that it will be a warm feeling. Don't do it if you can't take the warmth. A massage therapist taught me this trick. It works so good, and you can buy bulk powdered ginger at the health store.

[Ashelton80]

I have always been told to use ice when the muscle and nerve pain is severely acute. It's only when it calms down a bit that moist heat is ok.

[dianne.fraser]

Dizzy

I'm sorry I missed your question yesterday about where to find a neurological physiotherapist! Call your national or state-based physiotherapy association - they'll be able to tell you of any physios in your area with specialist training in this area.

With best wishes

Dianne