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back and neck tension
Daniellej125 posted:
I have an extreme amount of back and neck tension but i dont have any pain. actually, i can hardly feel anything there. i'll have my husband push his elbow into my back with great force and although i can feel the pressure, i cant feel any relief or any pain for that matter. also, i got a massage a few weeks ago (deep tissue) and was told that it looks like i had a back injury or something. (i have never had anything specific happen there, perhaps multiple strains though) anyways, i went to the doctor and she told me that nothing was wrong because i havn't lost any mobility and there is no pain so she just gave me a muscle relaxer and said good day. i am not happy with the doctor visit, though the pills are helping my back to relax a little better. i am just conserned that there is something else going on that she didnt bother looking at. she doesnt want to give me an x-ray or anything like that because i dont have any "red flags" that say i could have an injury or something. i sit behind a computer for 8 hours a day and i know that this job isnt helping with my problem. when i try to google this or anything, all i get are links for issues that have both pain and tension. i lack the pain. does anyone out there know what this could be? anyone ever experience anything like this? i just want to know if i'm just tense or if there is something wrong. all the other people that work here dont have any symptoms like this, atleast none that concern them like this is concerning me. i mean, literally my back/neck/shoulder area is hard as a rock. im very thin and there isnt much fat covering my back but there is also not a lot of muscle anymore either (i used to be very strong) so a problem doesnt have a whole lot of places to hide.
i really hope someone out there can relate and point me in the right direction. if there is nothing wrong and i'm just tense i will take comfort in that too. i just dont want to wonder anymore and i dont trust the doctors i am sent to, they have a tendancy to write people off, that really need medical attention, with a bottle of 800mg motin and tell them to hydrate.
if you read all this, thank you, and if you can help thank you even more.
-DB-
i really hope someone out there can relate and point me in the right direction. if there is nothing wrong and i'm just tense i will take comfort in that too. i just dont want to wonder anymore and i dont trust the doctors i am sent to, they have a tendancy to write people off, that really need medical attention, with a bottle of 800mg motin and tell them to hydrate.
if you read all this, thank you, and if you can help thank you even more.
-DB-
3 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:back and neck tensionI have an extreme amount of back and neck tension but i dont have any pain. actually, i can hardly feel anything there. i'll have my husband push his elbow into my back with great force and although i can feel the pressure, i cant feel any relief or any pain for that matter. also, i got a massage a few weeks ago (deep tissue) and was told that it looks like i had a back injury or something. (i have never had anything specific happen there, perhaps multiple strains though) anyways, i went to the doctor and she told me that nothing was wrong because i havn't lost any mobility and there is no pain so she just gave me a muscle relaxer and said good day. i am not happy with the doctor visit, though the pills are helping my back to relax a little better. i am just conserned that there is something else going on that she didnt bother looking at. she doesnt want to give me an x-ray or anything like that because i dont have any "red flags" that say i could have an injury or something. i sit behind a computer for 8 hours a day and i know that this job isnt helping with my problem. when i try to google this or anything, all i get are links for issues that have both pain and tension. i lack the pain. does anyone out there know what this could be? anyone ever experience anything like this? i just want to know if i'm just tense or if there is something wrong. all the other people that work here dont have any symptoms like this, atleast none that concern them like this is concerning me. i mean, literally my back/neck/shoulder area is hard as a rock. im very thin and there isnt much fat covering my back but there is also not a lot of muscle anymore either (i used to be very strong) so a problem doesnt have a whole lot of places to hide. <br />i really hope someone out there can relate and point me in the right direction. if there is nothing wrong and i'm just tense i will take comfort in that too. i just dont want to wonder anymore and i dont trust the doctors i am sent to, they have a tendancy to write people off, that really need medical attention, with a bottle of 800mg motin and tell them to hydrate.<br /> <br />if you read all this, thank you, and if you can help thank you even more.<br /> <br />-DB-
Lupylisa44 responded:
I couldn't find much about muscle tension without pain either. It would seem that the lack of pain you are experiencing could be a symptom of something, but what? Are you experiencing any numbness or tingling? What have you tried to ease the tension? I would suggest using some heat and doing some stretches to see if that helps relieve the tension.
I am sorry that I can't help you more with this. I am very thin and have the same type of rock hard muscles on my back/neck/shoulders but I have severe pain that accompanies it. Just be thankful that you don't have the pain-it can be very debilitating!
Lupylisa
I am sorry that I can't help you more with this. I am very thin and have the same type of rock hard muscles on my back/neck/shoulders but I have severe pain that accompanies it. Just be thankful that you don't have the pain-it can be very debilitating!
Lupylisa
With love, with patience and with faith, we'll make our way.
Report This| Share this:back and neck tensionI couldn't find much about muscle tension without pain either. It would seem that the lack of pain you are experiencing could be a symptom of something, but what? Are you experiencing any numbness or tingling? What have you tried to ease the tension? I would suggest using some heat and doing some stretches to see if that helps relieve the tension. <br /> <br />I am sorry that I can't help you more with this. I am very thin and have the same type of rock hard muscles on my back/neck/shoulders but I have severe pain that accompanies it. Just be thankful that you don't have the pain-it can be very debilitating!<br /> <br />Lupylisa
R Swamy Venuturupalli, MD, FACR responded:
What you're describing is the beginning stages of muscle tension and trigger point development. It's great that you don't have any pain, but it is possible that pain might follow unless corrective action is taken.
In my experience, most people who have desk jobs carry significant amounts of tension in their neck and back muscles. Over time, this results in hardening of parts of the muscle which get knotted up and form trigger points. Subsequently, these trigger points pull on the attachments of the muscles on the bones and lead to changes in the bones- thus changing posture. This results in abnormal stretching of the muscles and ultimately results in pain. Often times the pain from trigger points in muscles is referred down to other areas.
[br>I recommend that people who are developing muscle tension and trigger points start a comprehensive program of stretching of their muscles and also strengthening of the core muscles that maintain posture. Physical therapists are particularly useful in evaluating postural issues and prescribing corrective exercises. When pain sets in, muscle trigger points need to be massaged out using a technique callled myofascial release. Other options to release trigger points are heat, laser, ultrasound and trigger point injections. Once the trigger points are released, then a course of strengthening exercises can be helpful. There is emerging evidence that a technique called eccentric loading of muscles helps with chronic trigger points and muscle and tendon dysfunction.
In my experience, most people who have desk jobs carry significant amounts of tension in their neck and back muscles. Over time, this results in hardening of parts of the muscle which get knotted up and form trigger points. Subsequently, these trigger points pull on the attachments of the muscles on the bones and lead to changes in the bones- thus changing posture. This results in abnormal stretching of the muscles and ultimately results in pain. Often times the pain from trigger points in muscles is referred down to other areas.
[br>I recommend that people who are developing muscle tension and trigger points start a comprehensive program of stretching of their muscles and also strengthening of the core muscles that maintain posture. Physical therapists are particularly useful in evaluating postural issues and prescribing corrective exercises. When pain sets in, muscle trigger points need to be massaged out using a technique callled myofascial release. Other options to release trigger points are heat, laser, ultrasound and trigger point injections. Once the trigger points are released, then a course of strengthening exercises can be helpful. There is emerging evidence that a technique called eccentric loading of muscles helps with chronic trigger points and muscle and tendon dysfunction.
Report This| Share this:back and neck tensionWhat you're describing is the beginning stages of muscle tension and trigger point development. It's great that you don't have any pain, but it is possible that pain might follow unless corrective action is taken.<br /><br />In my experience, most people who have desk jobs carry significant amounts of tension in their neck and back muscles. Over time, this results in hardening of parts of the muscle which get knotted up and form trigger points. Subsequently, these trigger points pull on the attachments of the muscles on the bones and lead to changes in the bones- thus changing posture. This results in abnormal stretching of the muscles and ultimately results in pain. Often times the pain from trigger points in muscles is referred down to other areas. <br />[br>I recommend that people who are developing muscle tension and trigger points start a comprehensive program of stretching of their muscles and also strengthening of the core muscles that maintain posture. Physical therapists are particularly useful in evaluating postural issues and prescribing corrective exercises. When pain sets in, muscle trigger points need to be massaged out using a technique callled myofascial release. Other options to release trigger points are heat, laser, ultrasound and trigger point injections. Once the trigger points are released, then a course of strengthening exercises can be helpful. There is emerging evidence that a technique called eccentric loading of muscles helps with chronic trigger points and muscle and tendon dysfunction.
A good example of a neck exercise regimen can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCblNu5LbtE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCblNu5LbtE
Report This| Share this:back and neck tensionA good example of a neck exercise regimen can be found here:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCblNu5LbtE">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCblNu5LbtE</a>
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Dr. R. Swamy Venuturupalli is a board-certified rheumatologist practicing in Los Angeles. He is Clinical Chief of the Division of Rheumatology at Ce...More
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