Neck pain and light sensitivity | Arthritis Information

Just wanted to know if any of you with RA have neck pain as well as shoulder pain? And do any of you have eye problems that make light sensitivity a real problem? Thanks for your response! Hope you are having a good night! Susan Lee

Over the years I have often had neck and shoulder pain. I go through spells where it might be my worst problem.....then spells where it doesn't bother me at all.

I have dry eye caused by sjorgens syndrome (surely spelled wrong). It makes my eyes very sensative to the light. I rarely go out the door without sunglasses on anymore. You might want to make an eye appointment. RA can affect your vision in different ways. Often the problems aren't serious....but do require treatment.

I have neck and shoulder pain but I also have this whole protruding disc and lordosis of the cervical spine thing goin on. Don't know what from, just kind of appeared one day about 3 years ago. Fun...

I have been noticing sensitivity to light at times lately. I am due for an eye exam and I guess I need to go to an opthamalogist instead of an optomitrist. Good luck to you---We need to take care of our eyes!!

Susan Lee,

I also have trouble with neck pain, shoulder pain, and sensitivity to light. I haven't got a good handle of the neck pain. I have a herniated cervical disk. Atavan helps because any stress tenses the muscles and just makes the pain worse. Hydrocodone also helps and so does a warm pack. Hot bath is the best,
As for sensitivity to light, I got some of those lenses that darken in bright light and that has really helped a lot more than I thought it would. You might consider that if you wear glasses. I think it added about bucks to the cost of glasses, but was well worth it.

Hope you get to feeling better.

Pam
Pam - Rice Sock? I also have been having neck and shoulder pain. I use one of those pillows that conform to your neck at night and heating pad that helps. My bathtub is such a painful experience to clean - that I rarely take baths
I love my baths!! Actually my husband and I have been looking at houses and we found one we love....but might be ruling it out due to the fact that the master suite doesn't have a tub; just a large fancy shower. I'm not sure I'd be happy without my baths.

hi all

i also have neck pain and fairly extreme light sensitivity. the light from this monitor although turned low, is nauseating. i do all sorts of adjusting to protect my neck, one main thing is i don't carry things...no bag, purse, etc and i dont wear heavy coats. always aggravates my neck.

on the light thing: i wonder if it is ra or the meds that cause the light sensitivity. seems i have been light sensitive before my ra, but it is getting worse every year. recently diagnosed with srojens, but the eye doctor didnt say that was necessarily a cause light senstatity. i am developing cataracs from prednisone which he says could be more of a cause (the prednisone and the cataracs.) also experience blurry vision. but, not everything is ra i guess, it could be age! although it's weird cause its intermittent, and worse when i am having a flare.

[QUOTE=PamS]
Hot bath is the best, , but I am always looking for ways to relieve neck pain when I can't crawl into a hot tub of water, or don't want to be medicated to where I can't think. If anyone has any good ideas, please share. I haven't tried one of those warm patches that you can get at the drugstore, but may give it a try because I can't always run around with a rice sock on my neck.

[/QUOTE]
I buy those hand warmers that you use for putting in gloves. I keep them on my nightstand. I lay them under my neck and rub them on my hands. You can get about 4 of them for a dollar or so at Wal-Mart. I love these little handy things, especially when you aren't feeling like moving at all. I feel like they really help, and they last for about 8-10 hours. They are awesome, and cheap and unmedicated. The brand I buy are called HeatMax Hot Hands 2

I picked them up on a whim when it was chilly here. I LOVE them.

edit: After researching, I see you can buy a case of 40 on Amazon for 27.95.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002T861Y/103-5132325-38 67046?v=glance&n=3375251

arizonara38780.876712963They have those thermal pads you can get that attach to the skin and can be worn for up to 8 hrs. I will use my lidoderm pads sometimes when the neck and shoulder pain is bothering. It is usually my left side. A rice sock is basically a sock with rice in it that you have sown up the open part after placing a good amount of rice in it. Then you can nuke the sock in your microwave and place it on your neck and shoulder to let the warmth sooth the pain. As suffers of arthritis it is important to have our eyes checked every year because as Lovie said our eyes can be affected and the sooner any problem is found the better chance of treating it and have it not affect your eye sight. meme
Thanks for all the good ideas! I tried cold gel packs on my neck and was amazed at how well they worked. I have also just cleaned my local Walmart out of handwarmers. I am truely impressed with those. They are warm, but not hot. They just feel good on achy areas. My daughter and I are in the process of making little holders out of scrap material for the handwarmers that I can apply and velcro in place.
Pam
I am glad to see you are getting some relief. My neck was up to its old tricks again this weekend. Today I went from cold, to heat, to my TENS unit, hot patches, muscle relaxers and Tylenol 4. At least it is tolerable right now. I don't think I have had it this bad in about a year! I wonder if this episode with my neck is so much worse now b/c I am on the tail end of a flare up...It is so frustrating that I went for 3 weeks where I could barely walk, then my hands were really bad for a week and now this again.UUUGGGG!!!!!! I think I am going to go to my chiropractor in the AM. I've gotta do something---I can't stay home from work forever 'cause they just won't pay me if I dont go!
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com