Question
I am sufferng from trapped nerves in my neck and which lead to excruciating pain in my arm and upper back.
I am seeing a chiropractor, Do you have any advice about pain relief and how to get some rest? There is no position either sitting or standing or lying down that is comnfortable and it is very debilitating.
thankyou.

Answer
Dear Kathryn,

The limitation of chiropractic is that it doesn't restore your ability to relax those tight neck muscles.  Manipulation can't do that, only learning can.

In other words, you need to improve your control of those muscles to learning/relearning how to feel and control them.

The article on whiplash injuries at somatics.com/page4.htm (articles) will give you more of an understanding of this option which, frankly, is the one I would resort to if I had your problem.

For quickest results, I would recommend sessions with a somatic educator, whose field that is.  The list of practitioners is found in the blue navigation bar at the top of the web page, somatics.com.  Talk to the person before you begin with him/her, to determine whether his or her level of proficiency can do the job.  You should feel some confidence in him/her before you begin.

Self-help resources in audio/book form can also teach you how to control those muscles.  Probably the best resource is the program, Free Yourself from Back Pain, of which a free preview is available by sending blank email to [email protected].

with regard,
Lawrence Gold

PS:  In what city/state do you live?