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Suggest Treatment For Pinched Nerve Pain In Neck

Posted on Mon, 9 Nov 2015

Question: I believe I may have a pinched nerve on the left side of my neck, and a crick in the right side of my neck. Always painful. Extreme pain when I turn my head from side-to-side over 10 degrees. Pain also from bottom of my neck through both shoulders.

Answered by Dr. Divakara (47 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Don't move your neck much.

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Thanks for posting your query.

Well it very much seems like a nerve pull but before going on to treatment , we need to consider other possibilities like Cervical disc prolapse, muscular spasm or fracture.

I need more information to differentiate between these conditions. So kindly let me know the following details.

1. Since how long you are having these symptoms?
2. Did it start abruptly or gradually?
3. Did you sustain any trauma to neck?

Also don't move your neck much for few days. You can apply cervical collar around your neck.

Kindly revert back with the details asked .

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Divakara (42 minutes later)

Thank you Dr.Divakara,

I first noticed a slight crick on the left side of my neck upon waking on Tuesday morning. On Wednesday morning, it had become worse.

We have 2 new dogs, one is a trained walker. The other is young and is NOT trained to walk using a leash. He jumps, barks and pulls on the leash whenever he hears another dog, sees another dog, or person walking or riding a bicycle.

He pulls very hard on the leash and walks side to side very fast, so I change hands whichever side he takes.

After his hard and constant pulling this last Wednesday afternoon, my neck became stiffer, and felt like I had a pinched nerve. (I've had pinched nerves before in my neck, back, hips, etc.) My dog's constant pulling and moving side to side may have something to do with causing a pinched nerve.

Thursday morning was worse, and I had the crick on the left side of my neck.
Hence no walking the dogs since last Wednesday.

Yesterday (Saturday) the pain became unbearable. My neck hurts at all times, as well as the pain coming down from my neck to my shoulders.

Besides difficulty turning my head side to side, I have difficulty lifting my head up to type this email.

Trauma I suspect came from my dog pulling and yanking me during Wednesday's walk.

Hope this helps some.

J XXXXXXX

Follow up: Dr. Divakara (4 hours later)

Thanks for your advice Dr. Divakara

Answered by Dr. Divakara (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Use neck collar for a week.

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Thanks for the information.

Yes it could be a nerve pull but cervical disc prolapse is also a possibility. I have ruled out muscular spasm and fracture from your history.

I recommend you to use a cervical collar around your neck for a week. Along with this you can take NSAIDS medication like combiflam for pain relief and also get a prescription for Pregabalin and use it .

Pregabalin is a nerve tonic which reduces the irritability of the nerve and hence gives you relief from pain .

After one week remove the collar and see if the pain on neck movements persists , if yes then you need to get a MRI scan of your neck to check for disc prolapse.
But if no or little pain is there , then start doing slow rotatary exercises of the neck.

Don't attempt to do neck exercise or even check for pain before one week.

Hope this information was useful to you.
Any clarification feel free to ask.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Divakara (23 hours later)

Thanks Dr. Divakara.

I'll be checking in with my physician on Wednesday morning.

J XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Divakara (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Take Care.

Detailed Answer:
HI

Wish you speedy recovery.

Take Care.

Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj