I have arthritis in the spine and have had neck injuries in the past and my neck creaks like a old rocking chair.
I'm glad this thread came up. I have also felt that the neck crunching/cracking has something to do with TN in my case. I had a whiplash injury before the TN that resulted in chronic neck pain; and also misalignment of jaw (TMD). Add to that poor posture (sitting at a computer all day). I notice that moving my head/neck to different positions can either aggrevate or alleviate pain -- not always, but sometimes. Shawnamohana, can you share what the neck exercises are?
I have crackling on and off. I don't know if it has anything to do with my mild to mod C-5 - C-6 disc degeneration. Most of the time it doesn't hurt, then just when I don't expect it and make a movement like swing my hair to the side to brush my teeth, youza! it's like nerve pain, like I pinched a nerve.
Oh yeah I do. I am sure that mine is because of being in my forties. I have noticed crackling noise in a LOT of areas over the past few years, LOL. Probably because as we get older, we lose some of the cartilage between our joints, thus the aches, pains, crackles and pops.
Erik, when i first saw the physical therapist and doctor, they put me on an anti-inflammatory and a muscle relaxant and helped me find a neutral position for my head. They had me keep that neutral position as much as possible and not look down for a little over a week before I started the exercises. They said the nerve was too irritated to start right away. After a few days of holding the neutral position, for the first time in a long time, I had no pain in that one very limited position. I you don't mind my asking, when you press on your facet joints are they tender?
I think she might be talking about a little miracle book called Fix Your Neck…can do at home or with PT or both. Long standing clinically backed method!
NanciB said:
I'm glad this thread came up. I have also felt that the neck crunching/cracking has something to do with TN in my case. I had a whiplash injury before the TN that resulted in chronic neck pain; and also misalignment of jaw (TMD). Add to that poor posture (sitting at a computer all day). I notice that moving my head/neck to different positions can either aggrevate or alleviate pain -- not always, but sometimes. Shawnamohana, can you share what the neck exercises are?
Yes I do want to share just havent been able to get the time get on the computer. I want to make sure I explain everything right and well, I will try to get it done tomorrow, too difficult from my phone.
I have the noises as well. I continue with the Mackenzie method but there is some pain that comes irregardless.
Nanci, I was trying to find the video on youtube that explains what the theory is behind the exercises and why they work, but unfortunately I think the Dr. took it off. I think you can still find it on his website, his name is Jeff Turner at the Texas migraine clinic. He talks mostly about headaches but I believe the same applies to TN and other facial/head/neck/shoulder pain. Kc Dancer you are right about the book, but I think it might be called "heal your neck", not sure though, I don't have the book. I did a retract backward extension exercise that the PT taught me, but you can also find it on youtube. That exercise fixed the bad TN pain. I then looked up another two exercises because I was still having some pain in the angle of my jaw and my ear, not as bad as the TN pain. I could feel on the side of my neck where it was sore, I figured it was an inflamed bulging disc there too. So I found the exercise that was for the sides of the neck and that definitely helped with my other pain. I still have some pain and problems in my lower teeth/ear area that I believe is from an infection under a crown that two dentists missed. Getting that taken care of in two weeks. Kc, I remember reading you were trying Mckenzie, I was wondering when you started and How did it work for you?
Marie, you might want to read about adrenal fatigue.My belief is that it can also contribute to the pains we feel. I think sometimes TN is just one piece to a much bigger puzzle. Certainly the one that calls our attention the loudest, but I think other pains are lumped in with TN but are coming from different problem areas, all caused by the same underlying condition.
My head makes crunching noises whenever I move it from side to side. My chiropractor told me it was the sounds of my arthritis. :-(
I do at times and am always wanting to "adjust" my neck making it pop to feel better. I try not to do this anymore as at times it makes the pain worse. The Dr. I saw in Texas said this is caused by the disc being swollen and the body's normal reaction is to try to correct it. To me it seems like there is some type of abrasion between the disc and the neck vertabrae. I often find that if I try to slowly look up at the ceiling that something sort of gives way in that area between the base of the skull and the top of the neck bringing me a lot of pain relief. This is all on the left side of my skull and neck, as are the atypical TN problems in my left eye, ear, jaw, teeth and face. Do you ever have any pain in your mid or lower back or your stomach or elbows or wrist like I do?
Best of luck to you,
Jack
I saw Dr. Jeff Turner last February as well! He helped me relieve probably 50% of the pain from ATN. I highly recommend seeing him especially if you have migraines like I did. I used to have several migraines a month, but since seeing him and doing the simple exercises he gave me I have had only one migraine in the past 5 months.
Shawnamohana said:
Nanci, I was trying to find the video on youtube that explains what the theory is behind the exercises and why they work, but unfortunately I think the Dr. took it off. I think you can still find it on his website, his name is Jeff Turner at the Texas migraine clinic. He talks mostly about headaches but I believe the same applies to TN and other facial/head/neck/shoulder pain. Kc Dancer you are right about the book, but I think it might be called "heal your neck", not sure though, I don't have the book. I did a retract backward extension exercise that the PT taught me, but you can also find it on youtube. That exercise fixed the bad TN pain. I then looked up another two exercises because I was still having some pain in the angle of my jaw and my ear, not as bad as the TN pain. I could feel on the side of my neck where it was sore, I figured it was an inflamed bulging disc there too. So I found the exercise that was for the sides of the neck and that definitely helped with my other pain. I still have some pain and problems in my lower teeth/ear area that I believe is from an infection under a crown that two dentists missed. Getting that taken care of in two weeks. Kc, I remember reading you were trying Mckenzie, I was wondering when you started and How did it work for you?
Yes.
I’ve had the crunching cracking sound all my life. Its either my TMJ jaw or its because my tn makes my ears soo painful and sensitive that every little sound like me swallowing(only the spit that’s in your mouth at all times) all day long makes allot of noise and really bothers me. But I totally know what your talking about.
Janet,
I too had the horrible TMJ for several years along with the TN but after I saw an Applied Kinesiology Chiropractor that has for the most part disappeared! He would place a finger on the muscles behind my upper teeth and then put some type of vibration device on his hand and it was wonderful! He also did some cranial adjustments and I could tell after the first visit that my whole skull felt better! I saw him for 2 months or so and then it took another month or two and most of the TMJ pain was gone! What a relief that is, as that was the worst for me. I have a really sensitive left ear as well, and loud anything makes me very cranky! Motorcycles never used to bother me, but these days, wow, I just want to make them all go away.
Best of luck to you, and I hope that helps!
Jeff
Janet Elg said:
I've had the crunching cracking sound all my life. Its either my TMJ jaw or its because my tn makes my ears soo painful and sensitive that every little sound like me swallowing(only the spit that's in your mouth at all times) all day long makes allot of noise and really bothers me. But I totally know what your talking about.
i have this horrible cracking noise which feels like it's either coming from my neck or my skull then i have pressure and ringing in my ears i started with this a few years a go, the pain is so severe, it,s as bad as the TN pain, most days i can't cope with the pain with the cracking plus the TN, I sometimes feel like throwing the towel in
I have this and it didn't go away after I had a Discectomy with fusion years ago. I had a c5-c6 herniated disc. At least the awful forearm pain is gone. It felt like my arm was being crushed due to the pinched nerve. Hope yours is just muscular and nothing more serious. Mark