Spasmodic Dysphonia Bulletin Board

Neck Pain
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Posted by: kitten ®
08/05/2005, 20:47:52


I have ABSD and I have posted on this bulletin board in the past as "Kitty". For whatever reason my login stopped working and despite on line assistance, I gave up and created "kitten" as my post name (Kitty was my nickname for Karen but I do go by Karen). Besides my problems with ABSD I also seem to have muscle tension in the back of my neck. My chiropractor said that C5 was out of place and was putting it back in until I could no longer afford to go for treatment. He taught me some maneuvers to get it back in place myself.

Two months ago I hurt my shoulder and now I have an impingement and frozen shoulder. I am currently in physical therapy, but that is aggravating my neck and causing severe headaches. I am already having trouble sleeping with the shoulder pain and this isn't helping.

My question is has anyone else had problems with muscle tension in muscles other than the vocal muscles? Could this be related to SD or just another unfortunate and unrelated condition. I will ask my orthopedic surgeon his opinion but I won't see him again for 6 weeks.




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Re: Neck Pain
Re: Neck Pain -- kitten Top of thread Archive
Posted by: Lynne ®
08/05/2005, 21:37:37


Hi Karen and Kitty and Kitten,

To answer your main question --- YES. Severe and for 30 years.

You're welcome on the BB under any name, but thanks for identifying previous handles. If you want to be "Kitty" again, write to the BB moderators and they can get you back to your other handle. It's fairly simple but it's good to mention that.

In addition to having been diagnosed with extremely severe AD-SD (to the point of having vocal surgery 10 years ago to talk again), my family is full of other neurological "stuff" and I spent my entire childhood with vocal tremors and was a chiropractic patient, dealing with severe neck/shoulder/back pain for over 25 years. Some days I feel fortunate to not have Cervical Dystonia, as it's very painful and related to previous "things."

Although SD doesn't always manifest such symptoms, SD is a neurological disorder originating in the brain which appears as symptoms in the larynx.

Thus, many of us with SD also display symptoms such as you describe. The experts (voice/neurological) I've seen call my voice case, "atypical," and you may have a robust, atypical case also --- based on your description. Patients are fortunate if they don't manifest other related symptoms. Physical therapy can often be very helpful for what you mention, with a skilled therapist who knows something about dystonia and other neurological disorders.

Good luck, Kitty, and good to see you back on the BB.

--Lynne (AD-SD; RLN; PVFM; Northern California)




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Re: Neck Pain
Re: Neck Pain -- kitten Top of thread Archive
Posted by: Vici ®
08/08/2005, 11:07:43


Hi Karen! It's good to see you posting again. I have ABSD too and also have a lot of muscle tension in my neck/shoulders and headaches. I think it's from the effort to talk. Sometimes I think I try too hard, trying to be heard and understood and trying to sound somewhat normal. All that effort really does a number on my muscles. My sister-in-law is a physical therapist and gave me a great neck/shoulder massage when she saw how tense I was. I only have the muscle tension and headaches when I am, or have been, talking.

Vici ABSD/Illinois




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Re: Neck Pain
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Posted by: kitten ®
08/08/2005, 14:35:44


I think you have a point about speaking and muscle tension in the neck as I find I tense up my neck in the effort to speak. However, I did have some neck problems before my SD symptoms began. The C5 vertebrae keeps coming out of place and the X-Ray showed arthritis as well. I have arthritis in a number of joints, including my recently injured left shoulder. I have frozen shoulder from an injury and arthritis showed up in the X-Ray (or MRI?). I am having therapy right now for the frozen shoulder and it is agravating my neck problems. Thanks for responding.

Karen Lynch




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Re: Neck Pain
Re: Re: Neck Pain -- Vici Top of thread Archive
Posted by: Cindy in TX ®
08/08/2005, 18:24:50


Karen,

I have experienced neck pain myself. I have Muscle Tension Dysphonia, It's neither Abductor, or Adductor Dysphonia. My Dysphonia is from Muscle Tension. I have experienced all of the symptoms you have described. In fact I have had to quit sleeping on my stomach. You might want to try this. When you sleep on your stomach it twists the neck, and can create more headaches, and neck pain. I had Xrays only, and my Doc. showed me that I have lost the natural curvature that the neck should have. This is from Tensing up so much because of pain. My husband also noticed that when I sit at the computer, I hold my shoulders up, which also causes Tension. I have tried to make sure that I lower my shoulders when I am at the computer, and changed my sleeping habits. It has really helped with the tension. I have noticed that when my neck is hurting it does cause my voice to worsen. This is from the Muscle Tension, thus causing the voice to become worse.

My Doctor also prescribed a Muscle relaxer which has helped me to sleep more relaxed, I am not one to try to drive, and work after taking one of these, and so I only take them before bed. Of course your Doctor knows what is best for you. I don't know the first thing about what medication you would need, only what has worked for me.

I truly understand how you feel though, believe me, I have taken my share of Ibuprofen, Tylenol, etc... A good neck message does help. I even went to the store, and got myself a messager. Something about the deep massage with vibration really helps.

Well, these were just a few tips that I have tried, and have shown some relief. I hope that you will find some relief, and I understand how you feel. Hang in there.

Cindy in Texas



Modified by Cindy in TX at Mon, Aug 08, 2005, 18:28:17

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Re: Neck Pain
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Posted by: kitten ®
08/08/2005, 21:41:32


I sleep on my right side (I have a frozen left shoulder right now). My ENT took me off Ambiem and replaced it with the muscle relaxant Valium to take at bedtime. It was supposed to help me sleep also and it did at first. The longer I take it the less it works for sleep (I take 10mg). I have an electric neck massager that uses Shistu (sp?) motion as I cannot afford massages any more. I am not working and living on a small pension. I think I have a combination of Muscle Tension Dysphonia and Abductor Spasmodic Dysphonia. The abductor spasms have been videoscoped 3 times so there is no doubt I have spasm and you can hear the shakiness. I have a soft voice my first few sentences of the day, but the more I talk the quicker I loose my voice completely. I used to be able to whisper but even that is difficult now. Thanks for the advice, Karen.



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