framptoncottrell said:
Kev_n_Liz said:
Have you tried a good massage? you might have a trapped nerve.
Kev.
After a riding injury, the best advice I had was from a GP - she recommended a sports physiotherapist who sorted out torn ligaments and swollen tissues.
Get the name of your local physio from your GP.
Physios cannot prescribe painkillers but they can make suggestions that you can carry back to your GP. For the record I was on a powerful painkiller called Tramadol and a muscle relaxant called Diclofenac. The physio also recommended a TENS machine which was wonderful, but might not be appropriate for neck pain.
Dr (musical, not medical) Roy
For the record, diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, very good, but not without its side effects:
"Side effects that might happen while you are taking your medicine
In common with most drugs, this medicine occasionally causes side effects in a few people.
If you get any of the following tell your doctor:
- Stomach pain, indigestion, heartburn, diarrhoea, wind, nausea or vomiting;
- Constipation (difficulty in passing bowel motions);
- Any sign of bleeding in the stomach or intestine, e.g. vomiting blood or bowel motions with signs of
blood;
- Headaches, dizziness, drowsiness or fatigue;
- Disturbance of taste, vision, hearing or sensations;
- Sleeplessness, anxiety, confusion, depression or trembling;
- Skin problems or hair loss;
- If you think you have blood disorders (your blood may not clot easily or bruises may appear), liver
disorders (yellowing of the skin or eyes) or kidney problems (water retention, problems urinating
i.e passing water);
- If you have mouth ulcers;
- If you become sensitive to light (i.e burn more easily, or exposure to light causes itching);
- If you have high blood pressure;
- If you develop an acute inflammation of the pancreas (i.e. feel a severe abdominal pain sometimes
radiating straight through the back, usually accompanied by nausea and vomiting);
- If your tongue becomes swollen;
- If your behaviour changes, or you feel disturbed;
- If you experience difficulty breathing, itching, swelling.
Medicines such as DICLOFLEX 25 mg, 50 mg and DICLOFLEX RETARD 100 mg may be associated
with a small increased risk of heart attack ("myocardial infarction") or stroke. "
(This is taken from the patient information leaflet). The drug is also prescription only.
Try some gentle warming up before you next undertake such aqctivity to try to prevent the stiffness afterwards. Otherwise try Ibruleve gel (Ibruprofen) to relieve symptoms and good old-fashioned paracetamol.