Question
I am 24 y/o working as a firefighter / paramedic. About 4 years ago I developed extreme neck pain / shoulder tightness. I am still unsure of the initial insult. I was treated with muscle relaxers short term. No Fix. Shortly after I developed a twitch. I have a tendency to turn my neck to the side and move my shoulder. This seems to get worse when I drive, sit for long periods of time, or am stressed. The pain is more intense at the base of the skull and posterior shoulders. I think I move my neck to stretch the muscles but I'm not sure if it is voluntary / involuntary. Maybe a little of both. I have been x-rayed, bone scanned, and pt. These have provided no explanation. I was treated with Zoloft, assuming anxiety might be a component, but the twitch / pain continued. Acupuncture seems to help a little, but I am looking for a real cause and a real treatment solution. This is a bothersome problem, but the PCP's seem to blow it off as I can not reproduce the symptoms on demand, and I am a healthy young man.

Answer
Matt:

Thanks for writing!

Well, you have had the run around long enough, so I will give it to you straight.

This very likely came about because of a repetitive small injuries to your sacro ilicac, where your hip bone hooks to your back bone. This joint normally does not move but it can be torn loose little by little by lifting, falling or even sitting in a soft chair.

Your only hope is to get to a good chiropractor and get to the bottom of this. I do not know if you have been to a chiropractor by now, I would suspect you have. But, there are chiros and there are chiros. Go to www.sorsi.com, www.icak.com and www.soto-usa.com and find a good chiropractor near you. Before making an appointment, ask them if they do DeJarnette SOT. If not, ask them if they can refer you to someone who does. SOT is the chiropractic approach you need used on you to get to the root of this.

Does this answer your question?

Dr. Rozeboom