Severe neck pain
Posted , 8 users are following.
for the last few days I have been getting really bad neck pain, I have lost my appetite again and feel sick. could this be a flare I am on 3mg and have been for the last 8 months. I have chronic osteoarthritis which affects my back and knees, at the moment it feels like I'm falling apart. not put any posts for sometime as I was told a while ago it wasn't pmr but arthritis still kept me on pred though. any help would be grateful.
0 likes, 12 replies
EileenH kathleen21605
Posted
Where is the neck pain? Does it go up into your head? Have you any other symptoms? Do they mean osteoarthritis caused the PMR symptoms or just that now it is OA rather than PMR causing the trouble?
kathleen21605 EileenH
Posted
The neck pain is across the whole of my shoulders, top of left arm. it doesn't go into my head although I can hear a grinding when I move my head. I don't think pmr caused the oa. I had that before pmr diagnosis. when I was given pred I thought it was a miracle cure as all the pain I had went away that was 2years ago. Rheumatologist appointments are very rare and don't seem to do anything. All Drs appointments say my blood checks are acceptable. I've had bone marrow biopsy didn't show anything and numerous ct scans that showed the arthritis. Going back to a different Dr next week will let you know outcome. Thank you for all the information I get reading the posts.
EileenH kathleen21605
Posted
Possibly muscle spasm, trapped nerve. Glad you have another doctor to see. I'd suspect the doc is wrong - PMR pain, not OA. And whatever - if a low dose of pred is the only thing to relieve the pain, what's wrong with that?
mary19068 kathleen21605
Posted
Hi kathleen21
I had the exact pain going across my shoulders and up the sides of my neck and an ultrasound scan showed shoulder bursitis. Ask your doctor if you can to be referred for an Ultrasound Scan....
kathleen21605 mary19068
Posted
I had an ultra sound on that shoulder sometime back was told there was inflammation probably arthritis. he wasn't very pleasant and spoke to me like I was stupid. As I said will see a different Dr next week so maybe more helpful. Thank you.
EileenH kathleen21605
Posted
If there is inflammation in a shoulder and you have a diagnosis of PMR - the most likely explanation is NOT arthritis but the PMR.
kathleen21605 EileenH
Posted
Thank you I will certainly be speaking to Dr this week.
sandy08116 EileenH
Posted
Sometimes it is so obvious, you have to wonder where doctors are coming from. When I had muscle pain across shoulders, arms and legs the docs tried to pin it on everything from frozen shoulder to lupus. Not one (sorry, only one) made the connection to my history of GCA.
Anhaga kathleen21605
Posted
Sometimes I get a headache, fortunately these days rarely. When I do I take aspirin (I have a good relationship with aspirin and am careful). The following day I not only have dealt with the headache but a lot of other pain goes away too, the pain which I think must be due to OA not PMR. Do you find a regular painkiller helps things like the neck? If not, or only very marginally, then it is most probably PMR. Unfortunately not only are nsaids contraindicated with pred they are also contraindicated for OA treatment as they interfere with cartilage regeneration. But it might be worth the experiment as a one off to see if it helps.
sandy08116 Anhaga
Posted
Have to smile . . . a good relationship with aspirin.
I am on good terms with panadol. 😃
kathleen21605 Anhaga
Posted
I don't often get headaches now either, I can't take aspirin and was told no ibuprofen which affects my kidneys. The only other pain relief is paracetamol after trying numerous others, it does help a little but pain still there. Can't win really I will be checking my steroid dose when I see Dr this week.
kathleen21605 Anhaga
Posted
hi just got home from Drs increased my pred by 1 daily and prescribed tramadol which i can take with
paracetamol blood test in 2weeks to see how things are. Now on 4 mg so still quite a low dose.