Neck tightness/numb hands - BAD - Anyone familiar with this?

Hi, today is day 77 benzo free (but who's counting) :~)

 

I have had chronic neck pain on my right side that's causing my left hand to be numb every day when I wake up.  The numbness wears off a little throughout the day, but my fingers on my left hand always tingle. Sometimes it's really bad and I can't shake blood back into my hand for minutes when I wake up.  Sometimes the pain is so bad from the blood entering back into the hand it wakes me up.  The knot in my neck it always painful and moving my head around is either tight an annoying with snapping sounds or terribly painful.

 

Anyone else experience this and if so, what do you do about it?

I do .... It's your call how comfortable you are with a Chiropractor, but that's what I do often to help ease that kind of pain. I also do acupuncture and physical therapy. Hope you feel better soon

I too experience a lot of neck tension and pain which sometimes leads to tingling in my arms...I go to a chiropractor and get a lot of relief from that.  Nothing beats a good neck crack...I seriously get SO much relief from it. 

 

The neck pain/tension can be very unpleasant though...mine comes and goes so it's not a constant thing.

 

All the best to you...take care,

Schatje

For those crazy tight neck muscles I see and acupuncturist who follows the acupuncture with some trigger point massage. Very effective, if temporary. But after a while those muscles respond faster to the trigger point stuff. On bad nights I use a heating pad.

You might want to change the position you sleep in too, if it is causing one side to be tighter than the other.

-Tanya

I get the neck pins and needles sometimes. I had it in tolerance withdrawal worse.

 

S#

Thanks everyone!  Funny - I made an appointment with a chiropractor for tomorrow about an hour before this post 

 

Also, Duh!  A heating pad.  I've been terrified that this is going to become permanent - or start to spread to other areas.  I make my living as a musician and haven't played since I started this crazy idea that I was going to get off this crap.  I hope this really doesn't cause permanent nerve damage.

This has been my most severe physical symptom since nearing the end of my taper.  It has improved substantially and I can only hope that it continues to heal.  Please let us know if the chiro helps. 

Oh yah,

I forgot to suggest a magnesium supplement. They have really helped my muscle tension. When my throat was really bad, so that I couldn't get comfortable to sleep the little sleep I did then, I would take one an hour or less before bedtime. Start with a smaller dose and work your way up to what helps. You know you have taken too much if you get the runs ; )

Enjoy the chiropractors!

-Tanya

Please be VERY CAREFUL with going to a chiropractor! If possible, only go to a chriopractor that is an M.D. or a D.O.

 

I used to do chiropractic for several years with someone who never graduated medical school, until they dislocated one of my ribs. It can be very dangerous.

 

 

 

I too have right-sided neck and jaw pain. I've had it for 2 years now, and it's probably the worst tolerance withdrawal s/x I've had. I had no idea it had to do with Klonopin. I've tried everything for it - occupational therapy, traction, acupuncture, pain meds, etc. The ONLY thing that worked was going to my D.O. and getting injections of Novocaine. This is called Neural Therapy and it works amazingly well. It was literally a life saver for me, and it's safe - actually it's very healthy as long as your Dr is using preservative-free injections. Please look into it if you feel "stuck."  

 

I firmly believe that treatment from an Osteopathic Doctor is the way to go. They're brilliant educated people, the treatment is extremely gentle and works.

 

As for neck cracking in general... people say it's harmless, and can even make you feel better. I admit it; I do get immediate relief when I do it. But I know without question that my pain is overall much worse the day that I or anyone else cracks my neck. Plus, once you start cracking...  you have to keep doing it. Kinda a weird addiction!  

 

Hope you find some relief

 

Holly

Oh yah,

I forgot to suggest a magnesium supplement. They have really helped my muscle tension. When my throat was really bad, so that I couldn't get comfortable to sleep the little sleep I did then, I would take one an hour or less before bedtime. Start with a smaller dose and work your way up to what helps. You know you have taken too much if you get the runs ; )

Enjoy the chiropractors!

-Tanya

I agree with this, magnesium is something I take without fail every night. It has not "cured" the neck pain, but it's so important, especially for muscle tension.

I have had both.  When I get numbness in my hand some times it feels dead and so heavy, like it is made out of lead.  My neck used to sometimes feels so stiff that I could barely turn it to look left or right.  Both the neck pain/stiffness and the numbness/pins & needles have slowly been becoming less and less, very gradually.

I have precisely this, and the physiotherapist said my c2-c3 spine is pinching my nerve and causing numbness.  he said ice the back every 15 minutes (really helped) to bring down the inflammation, my dr. gave me NSAID, and gave me exercises. It helps.

I always cringe when they say use ice!  It feels yucky to me!  Ewww!!! I opted for heat instead and got good results.  Glad to see those things worked for you wellness, great advice!

You dont necessarily have to have a pinched nerve to experience pins and needle, numbness etc in wd. Parasthesias are common wd sx. Many people go to the doctor with these complaints only to have tests come back normal. Just dont want everyone to think they have a pinched nerve. We worry a lot in wd anyway. Its always good to get things checked out if sx get too bad or worrisome...

good point colleen, mine was definitely from a pinched nerve.  Slight traction on my head stopped the tingling instangly.

Im so happy you got some relief Wellness, I hope I didnt offend you in any way. Things can get complicated, and other stuff can pop up for sure.

It is such a relief to hear that others have experienced the hand numbness & tingling!  Well, not really a relief; now I know that lots of people are dealing with this - and I most definitely would not wish this on anyone.  I am so sad for all of us

 

I too have had a nerve problem in my lower back (at L2).  It started about 5 - 6 years ago and has been recurring ever since.  At that time I think I was taking the Klonopin, but I don't think it was responsible at all.  Back then it was actually doing what it was prescribed to do (help with anxiety and major sleep issues).  Oh - if I only knew then what I know now . . . . .

 

Anyway, after zillions of medical tests, physical therapy, etc., I have learned ways to minimize the back pain & discomfort it brings, like by keeping my weight down & exercising (yuk  ).  In the past few weeks however, since I have been free of the benzo, it has come on with an intensity like never before.  I had also been having some pain/discomfort in both knees.  That has now escalated to new levels as well.  It is as if 'it' has sought all of my physical weaknesses (past & present) & attacked them full force  !!! EVERYTHING is SO magnified right now, even little problems have become major ones.  Kinda like the "opening of old wounds" or "waking the sleeping dog", ya know what I mean?  I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this kind of thing???

Hi Jayfour - I do a lot of Eastern Med practices - so my two cents, if you're interested -

 

Here's a neat explanation I received....The meridians/energy channels we have run all through our body. The knee pain, in particular, are the channels/meridians for "liver." This is literal and figural. Literally, that channel runs right along the knee. It is under a lot of stress while detox (the livers job). And the Liver Channel in Eastern med holds value in emotion/anger. Hense the added pain. The lower back in a literally terms is a support for the body (duh) but it also means the same in a figural sense too - in regards to emotional support.

 

I like this approach of understanding because I've had those symptoms come and go in those areas - and they are always strongly relate to process I'm in at different periods of my life. You can imagine the high alert all of this meridians are on during a detox or w/d. Some like this philosophy - others don't. Thought I'd offer what gives me comfort.

I do like your explanation Clementine!  And it does make sense to me too.  I know my liver is working overtime right now!!!

 

I understand how vulnerable the body is right now; this detox is so intense.  It amazes me (& not in a good way) how many past problems have come back to haunt me.  I had some issues with my left shoulder (numbness, pain) about a year ago.  I went to physical therapy for about 2 months and since then have had little to no pain.  Well now it is back and worse than it ever was a year ago.  And - it has gone in to my right arm as well!

 

I'm sure this will all pass in time; right now I do like your scenario.  It sort of personalizes it and makes me think about how hard the 'parts' (liver, etc.) are working right now - doing their job - instead of dwelling on the negative.  Thanks !

I have had pains come back as well.  The fact that these things that were 'gone' have come back intensely during w/d makes me wonder if the original pain wasn't benzo induced from the beginning.  I have decided not to go to any more medical professionals  until I can sort out what is benzo induced and what isn't.

So good that hollym has her horse therapy. Being around equines is so pleasurable and healing. Wonder why there are not more therapies that use them out there, esp. for the psychologically wounded.

 

The nervous tracts that relay muscle activity to the brain--neck tightness, for one, or knots--cross over at the vertebrae C1 or 2, right at the base of the skull and brainstem. It's called 'decussation', and may account for the -sided-ness of the described symptoms.

 

I have always had bad neck tension, so I expect my own to ratchet up soon.

 

The alternative therapies described, particularly the accupuncture/-pressure, sound good. I've had some excellent chiropractors in the past, but all that popping during adjustments is scary. Have heard some bad stuff about some individual practitioners. Dunno if it is urban legend, or tru.

 

Try some capsaicin (red pepper) cream on the neck. Doesn't heal it, but sort of distracts or blocks the nerves, so the pain generated by the spasms doesn't register deeply.

 

Luck to all, and prayers for all the Buddies

 

juliad

I do like your explanation Clementine!  And it does make sense to me too.  I know my liver is working overtime right now!!!

 

I understand how vulnerable the body is right now; this detox is so intense.  It amazes me (& not in a good way) how many past problems have come back to haunt me.  I had some issues with my left shoulder (numbness, pain) about a year ago.  I went to physical therapy for about 2 months and since then have had little to no pain.  Well now it is back and worse than it ever was a year ago.  And - it has gone in to my right arm as well!

 

I'm sure this will all pass in time; right now I do like your scenario.  It sort of personalizes it and makes me think about how hard the 'parts' (liver, etc.) are working right now - doing their job - instead of dwelling on the negative.  Thanks !

 

You're welcome

 

Thanks everyone.  I just got back from 17 days in Costa Rica.  The chiropractor visit the day of the trip helped a lot.  I am tight in my back now, but probably from travel, trying to surf, ocean swimming and yoga.

 

It's weird how when I first was trying to w/d I typed this issue into the search area on this site and found very little info about it at all.  It's somewhat a relief to know it's part of the process.  Thank you again everyone for your awesome feedback!!