Hi, All, New here but I see that a lot of folks have questions about the neck clicking. I too, have that problem. I was dx with fibromyalgis about 14 years ago, have degenerative disc disease in lower back for the last 25 years and other than neck aches from sitting at a computer for too long, nothing major going on with my neck. Got in a relatively minor car accident about 4 months ago and dx was whiplash. About a month or so after the accident I began to notice the clicking - it's almost as though something is getting hung up in there for a split second, but like the others it doesn't hurt - just feels pretty weird. Anyway, been going to physical therapist for about 3 months and just started going to a chiropractor and I asked both of them and they both gave me the same answer - at least for me - they told me that each vertebra has four tiny joints and what's happening is, when I move my head, the joints are hitting each other (maybe not all 4 joints, but I'm thinking there are 2 on each side and 2 of them are hitting each other) or perhaps more precisely, they are sliding over one another without benefit of some of the joint fluid that should be there. Mine is getting worse. The fibromyalgia is slowing down the healing process of the whiplash for me and my physical therapist suggested just the other day that I just stop PT for about a month - give my neck time to heal without all the extra stretching and exercises I've been doing. Sounds good to me. I'm going to hold off on the chiropractor for that month too. Hadn't really done much with the chiropractor - he's a great dr. very concerned and based on everthing that's going on with me (herniated discs, too) he said he's not comfortable doing any neck or back cracking on me for now anyway. I have to admire him for that. Anyway - that's what these 2 professionals told me. They said it's not going to cause damage, per se, that it just feels weird and there's really not much I can do about it. Of course for most people any strengthening we can do of the muscles surrounding an injured area (with your doctor's approval first, of course) is going to provide the injured area with more support. Since the accident, I also noticed that if I look up I get dizzy. Well, like the old joke goes "don't look up" which I remember most of the time. But the other day, PT was doing some stretching of the muscles of neck/shoulders, and , as I was lying down on one of those tables, had me put my head over the side while he gently stretched the muscles. The dizziness hit me like a bolt of lightning - stayed with me all night - getting worse and worse, nausea and vomiting began a little bit later and the whole thing lasted about 15 hours or so, leaving me drained physically and emotionally all day today. Has that happened to anyone else here? It was so bad - I was miserable. couldn't stand up without holding on to something. Called my spine dr. today and was told it was probably nerve related from tilting my head back/chiropractor said it could be inner ear damage, stroke (it was not a stroke) or caused by my brain bouncing around in there during the car accident - but both said "take it easy" and "don't look up" be careful washing hair in the shower, avoid going to a beauty salon where they have you tip your head back into the sink, etc. Since we were on the subject and the neck clicking started for me the same time as all this other junk, I thought I'd just give you the full story in case there are other's out there who are experiencing similar things. Also - just because this is what my medical people told me for ME, does not mean this is what is happening with you. I'm only telling you all this - like everyone here - to give you one more take on what it COULD be. Hope you all feel better soon!!! Take care.
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Hi, All, New here but I see that a lot of folks have questions about the neck clicking. I too, have that problem. I was dx with fibromyalgis about 14 years ago, have degenerative disc disease in lower back for the last 25 years and other than neck aches from sitting at a computer for too long, nothing major going on with my neck. Got in a relatively minor car accident about 4 months ago and dx was whiplash. About a month or so after the accident I began to notice the clicking - it's almost as though something is getting hung up in there for a split second, but like the others it doesn't hurt - just feels pretty weird. Anyway, been going to physical therapist for about 3 months and just started going to a chiropractor and I asked both of them and they both gave me the same answer - at least for me - they told me that each vertebra has four tiny joints and what's happening is, when I move my head, the joints are hitting each other (maybe not all 4 joints, but I'm thinking there are 2 on each side and 2 of them are hitting each other) or perhaps more precisely, they are sliding over one another without benefit of some of the joint fluid that should be there. Mine is getting worse. The fibromyalgia is slowing down the healing process of the whiplash for me and my physical therapist suggested just the other day that I just stop PT for about a month - give my neck time to heal without all the extra stretching and exercises I've been doing. Sounds good to me. I'm going to hold off on the chiropractor for that month too. Hadn't really done much with the chiropractor - he's a great dr. very concerned and based on everthing that's going on with me (herniated discs, too) he said he's not comfortable doing any neck or back cracking on me for now anyway. I have to admire him for that. Anyway - that's what these 2 professionals told me. They said it's not going to cause damage, per se, that it just feels weird and there's really not much I can do about it. Of course for most people any strengthening we can do of the muscles surrounding an injured area (with your doctor's approval first, of course) is going to provide the injured area with more support. Since the accident, I also noticed that if I look up I get dizzy. Well, like the old joke goes "don't look up" which I remember most of the time. But the other day, PT was doing some stretching of the muscles of neck/shoulders, and , as I was lying down on one of those tables, had me put my head over the side while he gently stretched the muscles. The dizziness hit me like a bolt of lightning - stayed with me all night - getting worse and worse, nausea and vomiting began a little bit later and the whole thing lasted about 15 hours or so, leaving me drained physically and emotionally all day today. Has that happened to anyone else here? It was so bad - I was miserable. couldn't stand up without holding on to something. Called my spine dr. today and was told it was probably nerve related from tilting my head back/chiropractor said it could be inner ear damage, stroke (it was not a stroke) or caused by my brain bouncing around in there during the car accident - but both said "take it easy" and "don't look up" be careful washing hair in the shower, avoid going to a beauty salon where they have you tip your head back into the sink, etc. Since we were on the subject and the neck clicking started for me the same time as all this other junk, I thought I'd just give you the full story in case there are other's out there who are experiencing similar things. Also - just because this is what my medical people told me for ME, does not mean this is what is happening with you. I'm only telling you all this - like everyone here - to give you one more take on what it COULD be. Hope you all feel better soon!!! Take care.
November 4, 2011 - 12:36amThis Comment
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