Question
Hi,

You seem to be helpful with many people saw I thought I'd give it a shot...I'm not really having any neck pain, but just a couple of weird things....for years and years if I turned my head too quick, I'd get a sharp one sec pain in my neck and then the pain would dissappear, it didn't really give me any problems except for the one sec pain, for about the past year, I've noticed that I don't have very good range of motion if I turn my head to the left, and if I stretched my right arm over the front of my body that it cracks, honestly I can't identify where the cracking is coming from, and finally the past couple of days I've noticed that if I move my head down I hear a loud pop, along with the pop, afterwards my neck seems less tight, and right after pressure from the right side of my forehead is relieved (thankfully I don't suffer from headaches or anything like that, I pretty much just noticed the pressure relief that occurs after the pop, oh also I don't know how long I've had it, but I have a huge knot about halfway down my neck a little to the left, and the top of my shoulders near the base of my neck is extremely sore, thanks for any help....

Answer
Hello Angela,


   The popping or clicking with the shoulder is usually tight tendons snapping across the joint or each other. The pressure and popping in the neck can be musculature but most likely from a facet (posterior joint in the spine) joint that is swollen, stretching may release the gas in the joint producing the popping sound.  You may want to see a Doctor of Chiropractic that specializes in soft tissue treatments.  They will be able to adjust the irritated facet (in the direction of the joint to restore normal motion, forceful stretching may lead to ligament deformation and instability of the joint) and perform soft tissue work to the shoulder, neck, and back to release tension, restore range of motion, and proper biomechanics.

Have a great day,

Dr. Brendon O'Brien D.C.