My neck started cracking. Arthritis? Any ideas?

Posted by wgatap21 @wgatap21, Jan 12, 2020

Not sure if this common but am hearing it is. Turned 70, still in pretty good shape. Out of the blue, my neck started cracking(not loud) but very often. Amazing annoying especially in a quiet room. Long story short. I went to the appropriate doctor, and she was not surprised. Took x-ray and then MRI.
Not surprising arthritis mainly. Honestly, no pain thank God. Explained the results(Good/Bad news). Not much can be done without a surgical procedure
and could try therapy. My therapist said "please don't waste your money" and showed me a few exercises for the neck, but honestly can be done at home, to try and strengthen the muscles around the area, and appropriate posture. Wondering if anyone's neck cracks this much out there? I mean many times all day. Solution?(Not that the Dr. was wrong! Thanks and have a good day?

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@wgatap21 how often does your neck crack? Daily? Is it when you move a certain way? My neck cracks, rather loudly, once in a while (maybe once a month). It's quite loud and disconcerting, but I haven't pin-pointed what leads to this happening.

Are you planning to go to physical therapy to get exercises to build your neck muscles? If surgery can be avoided that would be my preference.

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Cracks all day! not loud but annoying...I mentioned I went to therapy...very little I can do! No pain.

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@colleenyoung

@wgatap21 how often does your neck crack? Daily? Is it when you move a certain way? My neck cracks, rather loudly, once in a while (maybe once a month). It's quite loud and disconcerting, but I haven't pin-pointed what leads to this happening.

Are you planning to go to physical therapy to get exercises to build your neck muscles? If surgery can be avoided that would be my preference.

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@colleenyoung I have neck,knee,finger cracking my Dr said it is the cartilage releasing the gas that is caught in between the arthritis that I have .

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@lioness

@colleenyoung I have neck,knee,finger cracking my Dr said it is the cartilage releasing the gas that is caught in between the arthritis that I have .

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Yes he is absolutely correct. And that’s what all the medical books say... I guess in regular language, we have a run out of the lubrication between the bones! And the question is how to re-lubricate?

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@colleenyoung

@wgatap21 how often does your neck crack? Daily? Is it when you move a certain way? My neck cracks, rather loudly, once in a while (maybe once a month). It's quite loud and disconcerting, but I haven't pin-pointed what leads to this happening.

Are you planning to go to physical therapy to get exercises to build your neck muscles? If surgery can be avoided that would be my preference.

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@wgatap21, @colleenyoung, This is a post-surgery image of my titanium inserts. Evidently, sometimes the cracking is because one of the fusions did not fuse well enough. My surgeon warned me to wear the full brace for 3 months in order to ensure that the fusion was complete. I only threw the darn thing across the room once....when its annoyance overcame my caution.

Another thought is that the ligaments in the neck can pop or snap across the metal when the head is turned. To prevent that, I had my yoga guru design neck stretches for me. As long as I make them part of my daily practice, I don't hear the popping so much. And when I do hear it and feel it....not pain, just weird movement and sounds, I take a few moments to stretch the muscles and get things aligned again.

Do you make sure that your body is in alignment every day? What do you use to make sure?

May you be content and at ease. Chris

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@artscaping

@wgatap21, @colleenyoung, This is a post-surgery image of my titanium inserts. Evidently, sometimes the cracking is because one of the fusions did not fuse well enough. My surgeon warned me to wear the full brace for 3 months in order to ensure that the fusion was complete. I only threw the darn thing across the room once....when its annoyance overcame my caution.

Another thought is that the ligaments in the neck can pop or snap across the metal when the head is turned. To prevent that, I had my yoga guru design neck stretches for me. As long as I make them part of my daily practice, I don't hear the popping so much. And when I do hear it and feel it....not pain, just weird movement and sounds, I take a few moments to stretch the muscles and get things aligned again.

Do you make sure that your body is in alignment every day? What do you use to make sure?

May you be content and at ease. Chris

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may I ask how old you are Chris? thx

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@wgatap21

may I ask how old you are Chris? thx

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@wgatap21 Good morning. Of course you may ask. I am 77. Surgery was in 2013. Do you have other additional explanations about the cracks and pops? Be at ease today. Chris

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@lioness

@colleenyoung I have neck,knee,finger cracking my Dr said it is the cartilage releasing the gas that is caught in between the arthritis that I have .

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INTERESTING ANSWER AND IT MAKES SENCE MY NECK ON THE RIGHT SIDE CRACKS MOST DAYS. I HAVE THE BONES AND DISCS BREAKING DOWN DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR. I HAVE HAD 2 ABLATIONS WHICH DIDNT HELP MUCH. LIVE WITH IT.

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@quiteachiver75

INTERESTING ANSWER AND IT MAKES SENCE MY NECK ON THE RIGHT SIDE CRACKS MOST DAYS. I HAVE THE BONES AND DISCS BREAKING DOWN DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR. I HAVE HAD 2 ABLATIONS WHICH DIDNT HELP MUCH. LIVE WITH IT.

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@quiteachiver75 This is what my Dr told me long ago when the cracking started. and there is nothing we can do just live with it ,as a friend says it is what it is. One thing I use and it helps is get some kind of oil in me and rub oil on that area like I cook with Olive OIl use Hemp oil in my smoothie and rub peanut oil on my skin. A lot of our hyloronic acid oil with arthritis is depleted and I replace it forme this works . When my knees are hurting when I get up out comes the peanut oil . I dont know if arthritis can be inherited but Im full of it as my Mom was . She had 2 knee replacements and Im trying to avoid this . So betweent oil and knee brace Im doing o.k. God bless us all

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@lioness

@quiteachiver75 This is what my Dr told me long ago when the cracking started. and there is nothing we can do just live with it ,as a friend says it is what it is. One thing I use and it helps is get some kind of oil in me and rub oil on that area like I cook with Olive OIl use Hemp oil in my smoothie and rub peanut oil on my skin. A lot of our hyloronic acid oil with arthritis is depleted and I replace it forme this works . When my knees are hurting when I get up out comes the peanut oil . I dont know if arthritis can be inherited but Im full of it as my Mom was . She had 2 knee replacements and Im trying to avoid this . So betweent oil and knee brace Im doing o.k. God bless us all

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THANKS FOR YOUR POST INTERESTING READ JUST NEED TO LIVE WITH IT. Take care

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