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Neck muscle strain
I went to a myofascial release physiotherapist for my thigh and pelvis pain/tension. He assessed me and told me I had a tight neck and started to press on both sides of my neck with his finger or thumb in the front of the neck pretty intense I guess doing a myofascial release. I told him it was too much pressure, so eased off a bit but continued to push for another minute or so. 24 hours later I felt a lump, "kink" in my neck when swallowing, then it started to throb and on 3rd day I had very tense pain on the left side of my neck. I went to ER, an ultrasound showed increased thickness of sternocleidomastoid muscle on the left and ED doctor diagnosed me with neck muscle strain and spasm. It has been almost 4 weeks since that myofascial treatment. The pain and tension improved. I have been using a red light for the last 4 days for 3 min 3 times a dya and it seems helping. What else should I be doing? Should I be stretching my neck? ER doctor told me not to stretch the neck. Thank you!
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olgah, Personally, I use Voltaren Gel and a heat pack for neck pain and soak.
Sleep with a good pillow that is not too flat or too high to aggravate your neck.
Sitting at a computer puts strain on the neck as well as looking down at a cell phone.
Praying for you. Blessings & Prayers....
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2 ReactionsI am afraid to use a heat pack, because it might increase inflammation and make pain worse. It is ok to use heat pack on the neck if your neck is just sore or tight after doing exercises. But if you have an injury like strain with inflammation, I don't think heat pack is good idea. I used Voltaren gel for few days and muscle relaxants prescription pills at the beginning. I didn't notice much improvement.
I have occipital neuralgia and severe arthritis in my neck. The doctor prescribed baclofen, a muscle relaxant, especially for the neck. I was given some stretches and other exercises to do. I use a shiatsu massager everyday, a heating pad and red light treatments.
I made an oil - jojoba and peppermint oil and rub it on my neck before I go to bed. The cooling distraction of the mint provides some relief and distraction from the pain in my neck. I use a special cervical pillow and sleep on my back.
Maybe it would be good to follow up with your PCP and see what other therapies would work for you.
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2 ReactionsYour condition is different than mine of course, but the red light therapy seems to be working for me too. I used it for last 6 days and noticed big improvements compare to 3 previous weeks when I didn't use it. I am going to see a physiotherapist this week (a different one) for my neck. Thank you for your comment!
Hi, I noticed a tender, swollen spot on the side of my neck, next to my Adam’s apple (near the outer part). It started after I turned and stretched my neck and pressed the area, which made it pop.
It feels sore and a little swollen, but I haven’t had any other symptoms like fever, trouble swallowing, or voice changes. It hasn’t gone down yet. It happened a few minutes ago.
Could this be a strained muscle, or should I be concerned about lymph nodes or my thyroid? Could this be something worse?
What you're feeling is simply a small muscle or tendon that got irritated when you turned and stretched your neck. The tenderness and swelling on the side of your neck near your Adam’s apple are completely consistent with this and are not related to your thyroid. Lymph nodes and thyroids don’t suddenly swell from movement, so this is certainly just a muscle reaction. Gentle movement or light massage should help it settle. This is not dangerous and cannot be something more serious.
@ashlynnmae
It only hurt when I touched it and I felt a little ball in there idk how else to explain it
It wasn't From movement
I only noticed it when I stretched my neck bc that area was protruding more and I brushed against it
@ehdog
That sounds like a nodule or a muscle knot, both of which are harmless. It could also be a normal part of your anatomy that you’re only noticing now, more common than most people realize. Either way, it’s not where lymph nodes or the thyroid are, and there’s nothing concerning about it.
@ashlynnmae
What if it was my thyroid? Would that be an issue
@ehdog
I don’t think it’s your thyroid, and even if it were, that would be completely normal. It’s not a sign of anything that requires medical attention or anything serious. Thyroids can sometimes feel a bit enlarged, and that’s perfectly fine. What you’re describing isn’t anything harmful, you’re going to be okay.