The Framers Forum

I mean, literally!

Hello fellow framers. It’s been quite a while since I posted, but I have a health related question. Do/have any of you suffered from very stiff neck and shoulder pain? I imagine most of you will say, yes of course, it’s a hazard of the job. But I’ve been troubled with it now for about 6 months and it’s pretty bad and pretty permanent. Night time is worst, trying to get comfy and it’s bad in the morning too, so rest isn’t helping.

I’ve had massages, seen an osteopath, seen a (pretty rubbish) doctor and am currently under a physio – so to speak! Diagnosis from doctor was possible spondulosis – exercise and painkillers. I don’t take painkillers. Everyone else pretty much recommends exercise which I am doing religiously but to no lasting effect.

I am a youthful 59, but as I’m approaching my 60th birthday it just may be that the job and advancing age are playing their part and that’s how it is. I’d like to continue framing for a few years more. I enjoy my work and I’m otherwise fit and well which is why I am finding this hard to accept.

Any advice, tips from fellow sufferers – other than ‘give up the day job’, would be welcome.

all the best
Mrs C

Might be off the mark, but look up rotator cuff injuries and see if symtoms fit. It is a shoulder rather than neck problem, but it may affect the neck as it causes ligaments to swell and can pinch nerves.

The reason i thought of it is that i dislocated my shoulder about 4 months ago. My wife put it back in (she enjoys it!) and since then i have had a pain when moving my arm above shoulder height and putting on a top in particular. I have lifted and fitted solid doors no problem, but i struggle with sleep as it is painful then.

Anyway, i have apparently torn a ligament( there are 4 that make up rotator cuff i believe) and surgery seems to be my best option for me.

Having just taken 6 weeks off (back fully next week) after emergency surgery on my stomach, i am going to have to wait a bit.

Anyway, it was the pain in shoulder at night that made me think of that.

Good luck

Nick

P.s i dislocate joints regularly hence my wife putting them back in. I don't recommend it generally!

Has anyone given you a diagnosis? It can be quite helpful, if someone who knows what's what can narrow things down a bit. I've had a stroke and have got a lot of pains in various places at the moment and it's not easy to know, whether it's joint pain, muscule pain, posture, or trapped nerves. I just keep getting told that it's early days yet, which is not very helpful.

I don't walk properly and this seems to be creating problems where there were none before, but it not getting sorted any time soon. The main thing that helps sometimes tends to be a hot water bottle and paracetamols. Not much help I know, but if a medical professional can illiminate some of the possible causes it might get you nearer to knowing what the cause of the problem is and how to fix it.

I've seen a chiropracter in the past for neck pain. Similar to an osteopath but they use manipulation and adjustment more. An Alexander Technique practitioner might suggest that changing your posture could help. Both chiropractic and AT treatment worked for me, albeit for different problems, and qualified practitioners in both disciplines should be able to tell you at the consultation whether their form of treatment could help your condition or not. Although it's not clear whether it is actually spondylosis as the doctor only said it was possible, not definite. Have you had an x-ray to diagnose spondylosis?

I'd ask your doctor, pharmacist or other medical professional about whether to use heat or ice. I was once told that a rule of thumb was heat for an ache and ice for a pain, but I've no idea how true that is. If there's inflammation, you would need ice (ie frozen peas wrapped in a cloth) to help bring the inflammation down (I'm repeating medical advice after a recent acute pain experience here )

I hope you find a form of treatment that helps, it's very debilitating to be in pain.

Have you got a decent height workbench? If not this can lead to neck and shoulder pain, as well as back pain. Just a thought.