Question
QUESTION: About two months ago I started getting neck pain on my right side.  I didn't have any trauma or injury--I believe it started from carrying a heavier purse than usual on the right.  Anyhow, since then I've been feeling a "crick" in my neck on the right and hearing a grinding sound when I turn my head--the grinding sound is originating from the occipital ridge area.  I also feel like my neck "catches" when I turn it to the right.  I have a nagging pain on the right around the occipital ridge area in one specific spot--more toward the ear.

I'm wondering what could be going on here.  The neck issues are fine when I wake up--no neck issues for a few hours.  They get worse as the day goes on.  Also, I get a lot of relief when I take a nap on the floor (no pillow, on carpet).  That seems to "fix" whatever is going on for a few hours.

When I massage my own neck I hear popping sounds in that area--it's as if my own light massage causes something to "pop out of place" as I'm massaging it.  This popping doesn't feel good.

Do you have any ideas about what may be going on with me?  I'm a 32 year old woman.

Thanks!

ANSWER: hello,
   It really depends on your history and what you do for work. if you sit in a computer all day then that may aggravate it if it isn't set up properly. Have you had a motor vehicle accident ever?
Do you have headaches? ear infections, dizziness, tinnitus? these could all be related to your neck pain. You have a bone on the very top of your spine called the atlas bone or C1. this bone surrounds the brain stem and is the most freely movable bone in the spine. you may have a subluxation or just a muscle spasm (most likely both) see a cranial therapist for muscle tension or a chiropractor for spinal re-alignment and muscle spasm reduction.
look closer at your work station where you spend most of your day so you can manage your therapy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your reply.  Does it sound like I might have neck arthritis?  I've heard that arthritis is better in the morning and worse as the day goes on, as mine is.

I haven't had a car accident in 11 years--and it was a minor fender bender, I was hit from behind.  The only other trauma which might be related is 12 years ago I had a shoulder injury while lifting weights at the gym--but this was successfully treated by a chiropractor at the time.  I haven't had any problems since.  I really do think my neck issues are caused by the heavy purse--filled with heavy books.

My work does involve significant computer work, and I admit that I have terrible computer posture.  

An additional symptom is occasional cheek numbness--not total numbness, but an altered sensation.  This happens sometimes when I clean my house (lots of picking things up off the floor).  It resolves after napping on the floor (no pillow) or going to sleep for the night.

Answer
that additional symptom is very serious. you could have trigeminal nerve impingement, you should get yourself back to your chiropractor. yes, it could be arthritis , only an x ray can definitively diagnose that. again, get your neck and body into see the chiropractor. trigeminal nerve pressure is not a good sign. good luck!