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What Causes Neck Pain While Exercising?
Question: Hi Doctor,
I would appreciate your opinion…
Within a few days after our last correspondence, my neck pain went away. A few days ago, however, I jogged about 2 blocks (a friend's dog had a seizure, so I was running to my car for some water for the dog). I felt my neck hurt a little during the run. Within an hour afterward, the same neck pain returned in the exact same location, and it's still hurting. I was just curious why a quick run would make the neck pain return? Does that sound like it might be fractured after all? I was thinking it probably wasn't fractured since the pain went away relatively quickly at first (within a week I think), but now I'm wondering why a quick jog would make the pain recur. If it’s a bone bruise, would it make sense that jogging would make the pain return? Since my initial injury, the pain has felt very localized, but I couldn't quite pinpoint the exact spot when I would push around. I can now pinpoint the exact point of pain. It's in the middle and slightly to the right of what I think is C6-C7 (or maybe C7-T1). What does this mean to have a pinpointed place of pain? When I push on it, it doesn't make me want to scream or anything. It just hurts and seems to be on the bone - or maybe it's on the disk? The pain is probably a 5 out of 10. My husband said the area is still slightly swollen but much less than before. He said the swelling is at my point of pain and extends a few inches out to the right. As I said before, I never had any bruising and still don't. No shoulder or arm tingling or pain. Just the pinpointed pain on the neck vertebrae.
So... does this revised description (plus knowing that a short jog made it hurt again) make you think it is a bone bruise, a fracture, or just a whack that needs time to heal? I have a pretty great medical center here that read my X-rays, so I highly doubt they missed anything. I have no idea what it would mean though if they did and if a minor fracture means I'd be in any danger?
On a related note, is it okay for me to get my flu shot while my neck is hurting? Seems like it might be a silly question, but I just know that I’m not supposed to get my flu shot if I’m sick or have a cold. I’m not sure if it’s okay to get the shot while I have an injury.
Many thanks for your time and continued assistance.
I would appreciate your opinion…
Within a few days after our last correspondence, my neck pain went away. A few days ago, however, I jogged about 2 blocks (a friend's dog had a seizure, so I was running to my car for some water for the dog). I felt my neck hurt a little during the run. Within an hour afterward, the same neck pain returned in the exact same location, and it's still hurting. I was just curious why a quick run would make the neck pain return? Does that sound like it might be fractured after all? I was thinking it probably wasn't fractured since the pain went away relatively quickly at first (within a week I think), but now I'm wondering why a quick jog would make the pain recur. If it’s a bone bruise, would it make sense that jogging would make the pain return? Since my initial injury, the pain has felt very localized, but I couldn't quite pinpoint the exact spot when I would push around. I can now pinpoint the exact point of pain. It's in the middle and slightly to the right of what I think is C6-C7 (or maybe C7-T1). What does this mean to have a pinpointed place of pain? When I push on it, it doesn't make me want to scream or anything. It just hurts and seems to be on the bone - or maybe it's on the disk? The pain is probably a 5 out of 10. My husband said the area is still slightly swollen but much less than before. He said the swelling is at my point of pain and extends a few inches out to the right. As I said before, I never had any bruising and still don't. No shoulder or arm tingling or pain. Just the pinpointed pain on the neck vertebrae.
So... does this revised description (plus knowing that a short jog made it hurt again) make you think it is a bone bruise, a fracture, or just a whack that needs time to heal? I have a pretty great medical center here that read my X-rays, so I highly doubt they missed anything. I have no idea what it would mean though if they did and if a minor fracture means I'd be in any danger?
On a related note, is it okay for me to get my flu shot while my neck is hurting? Seems like it might be a silly question, but I just know that I’m not supposed to get my flu shot if I’m sick or have a cold. I’m not sure if it’s okay to get the shot while I have an injury.
Many thanks for your time and continued assistance.
Brief Answer:
Probably the beginning of a pinched nerve
Detailed Answer:
this is the location of the beginning of the pinched nerve process I mentioned before. it usually starts in the muscles right next to the spine. you can't feel the discs or bone in this area so if you press it and it hurts it can only be skin or muscle. this means it is either truly just a strained muscle that came back or the nerve is irritated and causing the muscle to spasm. either way it's not serious. the muscle strain will respond to stretching, ice, Tylenol, and rest while the irritated nerve related pain will persist. definitely safe to get the flu shot
Probably the beginning of a pinched nerve
Detailed Answer:
this is the location of the beginning of the pinched nerve process I mentioned before. it usually starts in the muscles right next to the spine. you can't feel the discs or bone in this area so if you press it and it hurts it can only be skin or muscle. this means it is either truly just a strained muscle that came back or the nerve is irritated and causing the muscle to spasm. either way it's not serious. the muscle strain will respond to stretching, ice, Tylenol, and rest while the irritated nerve related pain will persist. definitely safe to get the flu shot
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Brief Answer:
Not a bad idea
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Not a bad idea but for a different reason. the ct will show the arthritis in your neck and the risk for a pinched nerve. It will also put your mind at rest about the fracture.
Regards,
Not a bad idea
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Not a bad idea but for a different reason. the ct will show the arthritis in your neck and the risk for a pinched nerve. It will also put your mind at rest about the fracture.
Regards,
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
I think you might be right re the pinched nerve. I woke with the pain point hurting a little more, and now I have some tingling along the top of the shoulder and down the outer part of my upper arm. I really don't want a CT scan due to the radiation, and I'm not clear on what the point of it would be in terms of how it would affect my treatment? How would you treat a pinched nerve? Will it eventually just go away?
Brief Answer:
They usually last about three months
Detailed Answer:
there are many ways to treat it starting with physical therapy, then oral medications to injections to surgery but it will likely go away on it's own in 2-3 months. it improves in the opposite way it worsened. you'll know when it improves when the pain refresses to a previous point. in other words if you have shoulder pain and then it goes back to back pain then the episode is most likely over. for a lot of people the shoulder pain never completely goes away
They usually last about three months
Detailed Answer:
there are many ways to treat it starting with physical therapy, then oral medications to injections to surgery but it will likely go away on it's own in 2-3 months. it improves in the opposite way it worsened. you'll know when it improves when the pain refresses to a previous point. in other words if you have shoulder pain and then it goes back to back pain then the episode is most likely over. for a lot of people the shoulder pain never completely goes away
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
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