Question
For many years I have had this problem. It is not constant, but is very bothersome when I get it.

When I get very stressed, I get at least 2 knots in my neck and sometimes a 3rd one as well.

When I get these knots, my right wrist hurts. My wrist feels like it is being constricted. If I try to press my hand forward or backward, it causes even more pain. If I make a circle with the wrist, it feels like things are being mashed up. It kind of pops, but it does not feel like any relief.

Is there a way to get rid of the knots? Can I do something that will at least relieve the pain in the neck or the wrist?

I have had x-rays on the neck and wrist and the doctors said everything was just fine.

Thanks  

Answer
Andrew:

Thanks for writing!

This is  a very usual occurrence in my patients. The stress causes the neck muscles to tighten, the tight muscles pull the neck bones apart,  the bones get in the way of the nerves and keep them from doing their job, the nerves, the nerves erroneously tell the muscles in the wrist to tighten,and the wrist hurts! It is not complicated.

When you say "the doctors said every thing was just fine" I am assuming you mean medical doctors?

This usually responds best to chiropractic care.

Here is an exercise that will help you.

The bones are not fitting together as they should. The little piece of slick bone on one vertebrae (a neck bone) is not sitting down on the little slick piece of bone on the next vertebrae.

There is a home exercise you can do that will correct it. And it is this.

Standing or laying on your back, keep your face straight forward. Do not tilt the chin down or up. If you are lying on your back, move the face toward the ceiling is such a way that if it touched the ceiling, your face would be flat on the ceiling. If you are standing, move it straight forward in such a way that your forehead and chin would touch the wall in front of you at the same time. It has to go straight forward.

Holding that position, move your chin in a figure eight pattern. Imagine the wall is a piece of paper. You have a pencil sticking straight out from your chin. Use the tip of the pencil to write a "8" laying on its side. {}-{}.

When done correctly, the neck will then make a crunching noise at the base of the skull. This is good. It will help your neck. It might not take the popping clicking sound out right away, but it will ensure that no damage is done and in fact will correct the problem if one persists in using it.

There is also a devise called the Posture Pump which will relax and muscles and restore the neck bones. It is available at most chiropractic offices.

A chiropractic examination and a second opinion on the x-rays is also a good idea.

To find a good chiropractor,  go to www.sorsi.com, www.icak.com and www.soto-usa.com and look for a good chiropractor near you. They can go over the exercise with you. It if from Dr. DeJarnette's writing.

Ask them if they do "the cervical stairstep procedure" before you make an appointment with them.

Dr. Rozeboom