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Hi everyone,
I was having lunch today with a good friend of mine and she was telling me how she's been having this really weird clicking sound in her neck that she notices when she turns her head from side to side.
I asked her more about it and she said as far as she can tell she is the only one who can hear it, it came on suddenly, and she does not have pain or numbness or anything.
She spends a lot of time on the computer and I'm voting for poor posture contributing to a neck issue of some type. She said that lately when she kind of rolls her head around she can make her neck kind of do a popping thing. She said she's also under a lot of stress lately so she's wondering if that's part of it.
Does anyone else here have a clicking neck when you turn your head? If so, did it go away on its own or did you need to see a doctor and or a chiropractor? I want to try to help my friend if we can. Thanks everyone! Michelle
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Well I'm a new addition to the "neck clicking" club. My story seems similar to others, woke up on day and there it was, turning my head to the right: click. Annoying. No pain just mild irritation and my now conscious effort to avoid looking to the right. Not good. I do have a job that is sedentary and this development is actually pretty depressing since I've always been an active person without any kind of issues like this. Thanks for keeping this thread up and sharing information for people like me. At least I know I'm not the only one and have some ideas of what I may be able to do. Thanks again.
August 2, 2010 - 8:41amThis Comment
Anon - I'm glad you found us and that you know you're not alone. Are you planning to see a doctor or do you plan to wait this out and see what develops? You're right, it is hard when you're an active person and something comes along that slows you down or stops you. I hope you will be able to find ways to stay active despite this problem and wish you well.
August 2, 2010 - 6:29pmPat
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I too am a victim of sudden neck popping. Usually it is just an annoying popping sometimes it takes a moment to pop and that is uncomfortable. I have not been to the doctor yet as it seems rediculous when there is no pain associated. Usually it is only me who hears it but sometimes it is so loud! What the heck is going on? Wondering how long I should wait to check it out!
August 2, 2010 - 7:40pmThis Comment
Well, it's May already and insurance has just denied anymore coverage of chiro sessions. Just b/c I don't have pain doesn't mean it isn't horrendously distracting and annoying! It interferes with my work and driving. I should've lied and made it out to be really painful. Then again, I'm ready to try something new.
May 4, 2010 - 4:42pmI have been doing my best to stick to the strengthening exercises and there is a significant decrease in clicking when I turn my head to the right (most days there is none)! Looking down and up has also reduced some. I still hear it loud & clear though when I turn to the left. Don't know where to go next with this, but I'm contemplating a good physical therapist I know. I have to admit, I'm also getting tired of trying! But I'd be foolish to quit now.
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Hi, I too have clicking in my neck, and though where it's clicking does not hurt, my neck muscles upper back and shoulders do hurt - I got whiplash about 6 months ago and that's when it started. Seems that the clicking is a lot more prevalent after spending about an hour at the computer. I've been to PT and Chiro - (because of the injuries sustained in the car accident, the chiro doesn't want to do any adjusting and I appreciated his telling me that rather than pretending he knew what to do to help me). Anyway, 5 months of PT hasn't stopped the clicking, but I've also been to a physiatrist (probably spelled wrong, but it's a spine specialist) who told me that each vertebra has four very small joints, and due to a reduction in the covering and or fluid that normally protects those joints, mine are rubbing across each other (sort of like snapping your fingers) and that's what causes the noise. Yes, it's very annoying, but he didn't tell me if it will eventually cause pain but then again, I didn't ask him. Thought maybe my two cents might help shed a little light on the subject. I used to spend many hours a day at the computer, but since the accident, any more than about 45 minutes and my neck muscles and shoulders will hurt very badly for a couple days - plus I have the added delight of the (non-painful) clicking. Here's wishing good health to all of us!!
December 9, 2011 - 10:12amThis Comment
me to
May 4, 2010 - 11:25amThis Comment
I'm also following this thread because recently the noise in my neck has come back and with it a painful stiff neck and now intermittent left arm numbness. Got the shock of my life when the neurologist looked at a 2006 CD MRI of my brain and said I'd had a few TIAs and need to lower my HBP to avoid a major one. I went into mild panic, because a few years ago when I had experienced what I thought was stroke-like symptoms and gone to the ER, the doc had said in passing that I had had a TIA. I guess the shock this time is the casualness with which the findings were mentioned. So I focused on the news and left the neuro's office forgetting to find out about the noise. Luckily for me he asked to repeat the MRI of cervical spine, so hopefully something will show to give a clue, and then I can discuss in depth my current status. I'm clearly 50 pounds overweight even if the doc says slightly. My job is sedentary but I'm determined to find a way to combat the negatives of that. I've begun to lose weight but the stroke reference scares the living daylight out of me. I'm following this thread to see what resolutions emerge from other people's cases of noises in the neck.
March 6, 2010 - 1:59pmThis Comment
teej34, I can understand your worry too. Good you're taking action though. I hope they can finally pinpoint your problem and help you. Good luck!
March 12, 2010 - 5:36pmThis Comment
Ok, I think I'm the only one following this post. : ) But for anyone who stumbles across this on their search... got back my xrays of my neck. pathology results from the hospital said everything was fine. HAH! Wrong! Pathology reports without a visual is just wasted info & knowledge! My x-rays showed that although the 1st 3 vertabrae were arched normally, 4-7 were practically straight along a rulers edge. I've been using my neck wrong for the past ?? years – tilting my chin, rather than using the full range of motion of my neck. Like I said, I must've been sticking my neck out working on the computer for years! So now I'm doing other exercises to stretch and strengthen my neck. I have to work at it relentlessly and my chiro is confident I can get those vertebrae active again. He also told me of another patient he had recently who had clicking also. This guy was an athlete though, with a thick, muscular neck. It only took 2 adjustments to get rid of his. Hopefully next update with show progress. Next chiro appt isn't for another 2 weeks, so I have to work my neck off. : )
March 4, 2010 - 6:57pmThis Comment
Me too. When I look up and down as well as right to left. But no pain and only I hear it. I'm 40, have always worked on a computer and it started suddenly about a month ago. I have a habit of sticking my neck out and a history of slouching while seated, so I've been working on trying to improve my posture. Interestingly, when I do a particular exercise recommended to help me with my posture (bent over row with or without a weight) and really reach down my hand, my neck is straight forward and steady and the clicking noise happens then too. I've gone for 3 weekly adjustments and my chiropractor is still stumped but determined to figure it out. I am getting a ctscan tomorrow (for something entirely different) so he suggested they also take xrays of my upper spine and neck. I'll keep you posted.
February 23, 2010 - 7:08pmThis Comment