Katherine wrote:

When my shoulders and/or neck act up/become tense, I get
headaches,usually in the back of the head between the ears.
(Not eating - or fasting - also causes that.)

Have you tried massage?   So you have a spouse or
boyfriend who could give you massages?

Have you tried traction?  I have an over-the-door kit that
I can slip mychin into and apply 6 to 10 pounds traction
to stretch the neck and relieve the tension that's built up.

... Relativity all depends on how you look at it.

Hi Katherine,
In my opinion you should try to get your Dr. to order a MRI of your cervical
spine and find out exactly what's going on in there. Then you will know how
to effectively treat your issues. By the time I finally had one done, I
needed near emergency surgery to correct an advanced problem. Had I
addressed the issue much earlier (had MRI) I probably could have avoided a
fairly serious surgery. I had been treating it with chiropractic for many
years. While that provided temporary instant relief, it masked a growing
problem 'till it was too late to exercise other options.
GaryZ
GaryZ

Katherine wrote:

It has just sunk in what you said -- "could be old age".

No one is too young to be diagnosed with arthritis.
Anyone can come down with it.  I met a 29-year-old
lady with THREE total joint replacements.

Babies have it.

Teens have it.

There's JRA - for juvenile arthritis.

... Firemen find them hot and leave them wet.

Katherine,

welcome to the group, but sorry you have to be here. Pull up a chair and sit
a spell and I am sure someone will give you some chocolate.

This is the place to be if you have arthritis problems. This group is really
good about sharing info and trying to answer questions and just being there
for support.

I feel for you. I know how it goes. I also have OA in the spine and neck. I
have DDD in lower back too. I am also a fibromite. So I know it is not fun.

I take tylenol rapid realease for pain. Not much help but better than
nothing. ;-)

I use the tennis ball in a sock against wall to loosen up things back there.
Also hubby rubs me down alot. Heat and ice are good.
Rice socks warmed in a micro is good too to use.

I feel the same way you do too, it does get worse as we age. So much for the
golden  years. ;-)

You take care and hang in there. Stay if you would like, over time you will
learn alot about arthritis and such.

No,,,, wrong impression of this newsgroup.   I was glad to see your post and what you had to say.    It shows how bad,,,, how serious neck and spine can be for any of us.   I am also glad that you did not make the final choice for getting rid of pain.   People choooose that way out all the time but they are not the fighter you are.
thanks
Harv
 Sorry,
 I guess that was a little too honest for this ng
 Ed
   "Ed" <Saywhat@viganal.canel> wrote in message news:gjDVh.5560$vE1.3562@newsfe24.lga...
   I actually have DDD and Arthritis in the neck.
   In the last 10 years the neck has only gone into a full fledge flare twice.

   I have had horrendous accidents and been in 10+ pain. I have watched my knees being run over by a car.  But when the neck flares is the only two times I sat in my chair with my pistol in my lap, trying to decide just how much more of this I was willing to put up with.  Was I willing to pay that price to continue living.
   Well I am still here so I must have   decided to pay that price.

   I can not think of a pain as severe as the neck being out.
     "jones" <jones@nowhere.com> wrote in message news:4625ad0e$0$25441$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...
     Anyone else get this?

     Katherine

not too honest in my book.  I think many of us have been there, though not
all from neck issues.  I pretty much made a global decision to live with this
for as long as my heart keeps beating over 20 years ago.  That carries me
through some really rough times.  I still have times of telling God that I
don't know if I can keep doing this without some relief for a while.  It
usually eases off *just* enough soon thereafter.....

OTOH, you are posting in html, which causes problems for many newsreaders.  
I'm on a Mac, so don't know how to turn it off on most PC programs, but maybe
someone can tgell you how to do it for the program you're using.  That way
more people on the group will be able to read what you are saying.