Minx or whoever-I have a medical conundrum (NOT SEEKING ADVICE-JUST A DISCUSSION!)

[Chaloobi]

Ok, my wife got an extremely bad stiff neck three weeks ago. She didn't strain herself or anything, just woke up with a stiff neck. It was so bad she went to a doctor who gave her muscle relaxers and showed her some exercises to work through it. Over the last couple weeks it gradually went away.

So, yesterday I worked out in the morning - very routine, nothing unusual, no pains no strains - showered and left for work. Between the time I left the house and arrived I started getting a stiff neck that worsened over the day yesterday to something I've never experienced before. Just like what my wife had. And I haven't had a stiff neck or anything like it in over ten years. WTF?

I've never heard of something like this being caused by a virus or something. What do you think?

EDIT---

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR ADVICE ON HOW TO FIX MY STIFF NECK. I WILL ASK A DOCTOR IF I NEED SUCH ADVICE. I'M JUST KICKING AROUND THE IDEA THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS MIGHT BE CAUSED BY A PATHOGEN, WHICH IS SOMETHING IN MY MEAGER EXPERIENCE I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF. IN MY EXPERIENCE WITH ACTUAL DOCTORS THEY TEND TO WANT YOU TO **** OFF WHEN YOU ASK THEM THINGS LIKE THIS, SO I WILL ASK A FORUM FULL OF ****ERS INSTEAD. THANK YOU.

[Steely Glint]

See a doctor.

[Chaloobi]

Originally Posted by Steely Glint

See a doctor.

Thanks.


It seems like the doctor has no idea what this is - at least my wife's doctor didn't. If it is a virus, there's nothing the doctor can do about it either. If its just a muscle spasm thingy, there's still nothing the doctor can do, right? Muscle relaxers are nothing more than a sedative, and I don't need that....

Have you ever heard of anything like this being communicable???

[Dreadnaught]

Have either of you had strep recently? Could be a side effect of Rheumatic Fever, though both of you are really too old for it.

[Steely Glint]

It's Lupus.

[Chaloobi]

Originally Posted by Dreadnaught

Have either of you had strep recently? Could be a side effect of Rheumatic Fever, though both of you are really too old for it.

Neither of us has been sick recently. If this were caused by some virus, wouldn't we have fevers?

Originally Posted by Steely Glint

It's Lupus.

I'm not familiar with lupus.

[Dreadnaught]

Yes, but when you have Rheumatic Fever your immune system goes haywire (even over a common/minor virus) and attacks your heart and/or nervous system.

[Illusions]

You know what else it could be...

...how you both are sleeping. Or the bed. Since you share it, or at least I'm assuming you are.


...ohh, also...if you have a medical question...ask a Doctor. Not Atari CC. None of us are medical doctors.

[Steely Glint]

SARCOIDOIS.

[Illusions]

Originally Posted by Steely Glint

SARCOIDOIS.

MORGELLONS!

[Chaloobi]

Originally Posted by Dreadnaught

Yes, but when you have Rheumatic Fever your immune system goes haywire (even over a common/minor virus) and attacks your heart and/or nervous system.

That sounds fun.

Originally Posted by Illusions

You know what else it could be...

...how you both are sleeping. Or the bed. Since you share it, or at least I'm assuming you are.


...ohh, also...if you have a medical question...ask a Doctor. Not Atari CC. None of us are medical doctors.

Originally Posted by Steely Glint

SARCOIDOIS.

Originally Posted by Illusions

MORGELLONS!

Good advice.

Anyway, since my wife recovered well enough, I'm not all that concerned about it, except that it hurts like hell. It just struck me that it seems like this was transmitted from her to me and I was curious if any of the medically schooled around here have ever heard of anything like that.

[Veldan Rath]

Originally Posted by Illusions

MORGELLONS!

THYROID STORM

[Steely Glint]

*strong Australian accent* Pulmonary encephalitis.

Seriously, I'm making this up. That's not even a real disease. Go and see a real doctor

[Illusions]

Originally Posted by Chaloobi

It just struck me that it seems like this was transmitted from her to me

If she woke up well rested yesterday, and then you woke up well rested today, would you assume that she transmitted some mysterious illness to you?

[[T]Baxter]

How old are you? Just wait to see the unexplainable possibilities when you get older. From experience I know how you can visit 4 different specialists for a problem and not one can tell you what is even wrong, let alone fix it...

[ImAnOgre]

Have you turned your matress recently? Spin it every spring, flip it every fall.

[Chaloobi]

Originally Posted by Illusions

If she woke up well rested yesterday, and then you woke up well rested today, would you assume that she transmitted some mysterious illness to you?

I understand your point. Its still a pretty significant correlation.

Originally Posted by [T]Baxter

How old are you? Just wait to see the unexplainable possibilities when you get older. From experience I know how you can visit 4 different specialists for a problem and not one can tell you what is even wrong, let alone fix it...

Old as dirt.

Originally Posted by ImAnOgre

Have you turned your matress recently? Spin it every spring, flip it every fall.

Not since we moved into the house for sure.

[oldmunchkin]

If neither of you has been ill, I would have to agree it is probably either the mattress or the way you are sleeping. Did you maybe use a different pillow or shove your pillow out of the way during the night? As was suggested, try turning your mattress. Even if it's a pillowtop, you should turn it end for end at least once a year. Also, if your pillows are more than 2 years old, you should get new ones. Yes, it does make a difference.

[Unheard Of]

Originally Posted by Steely Glint

It's Lupus.

It's not lupus. It's never lupus.

[Nessus]

Your lack of faith has made baby Jesus cry

Good luck making Him stop anytime soon

You heathen

ACTUAL SERIOUS REPLY: anyone asking for medical advice on the Intertrons is an idiot. No exceptions. Get a ****ing doctor involved. If your sham-insurance can't pay for a proper one, well I guess you should have refrained from suckling on Adam Smith's teat some years back, nyet?

[Steely Glint]

Myxomatosis!

[Chaloobi]

Originally Posted by Nessus

Your lack of faith has made baby Jesus cry

Good luck making Him stop anytime soon

You heathen

ACTUAL SERIOUS REPLY: anyone asking for medical advice on the Intertrons is an idiot. No exceptions. Get a ****ing doctor involved. If your sham-insurance can't pay for a proper one, well I guess you should have refrained from suckling on Adam Smith's teat some years back, nyet?

See the OP FFS.

BTW - I have pretty good insurance coverage, though it isn't cheap. (Does that make me gross, disgusting, crass, hypocritical, selfish and all around bad?)

Originally Posted by Steely Glint

Myxomatosis!

I've actually had this one. It's the green, stinky pus that makes it bad. It was more or less painless and nothing fell off.

[Steely Glint]

Scrofula.

[Flixy]

Originally Posted by Chaloobi

BTW - I have pretty good insurance coverage, though it isn't cheap. (Does that make me gross, disgusting, crass, hypocritical, selfish and all around bad?)

That depends, do you have it for your own comfort or is it just to show off to people with crap insurance?

[Steely Glint]

Retroverted uterus.

[Chaloobi]

Originally Posted by Flixy

That depends, do you have it for your own comfort or is it just to show off to people with crap insurance?

Yeah, I never use that super nice insurance I have, just keep it around 'cause I can. Same with my Ferrari.

Originally Posted by Steely Glint

Scrofula.

Isn't that a bone in your ass?

[']['ear]

Meningitis can cause a stiff neck. It's the serious thing doctors worry about if presented with neck pain.

Any fever associated? Does Ibuprofen alleviate symptoms at all? Pain getting worse of better?

If fever, pain getting worse, and Ibu does little, get to a doc ASAP.

Seek immediate medical help if you have a fever and headache, and your neck is so stiff that you cannot touch your chin to your chest. This may be meningitis. Call your local emergency number (such as 911) or get to a hospital.

Call your health care provider if:

* Symptoms do not go away in 1 week with self care
* You have numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arm or hand
* Your neck pain was caused by a fall, blow, or injury -- if you cannot move your arm or hand, have someone call 911
* You have swollen glands or a lump in your neck
* Your pain does not go away with regular doses of over-the-counter pain medication
* You have difficulty swallowing or breathing along with the neck pain
* You have pain that gets worse when you lie down or wakes you up at night
* You have such severe pain that you cannot get comfortable
* You lose control over urine or stool (incontinence)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/003025.htm


Remember, you don't have to have all of these. Just one or two is enough to raise a red flag. Don't mess around.


but, likely she just has a knot in her neck. I get em ~2x per year. Ibu helps (back when I could take Ibu), and they usually improve within 1.5 days.

[Steely Glint]

Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.

[Hazir]

What about it being something as simple as a cold on the neck? Winter is approaching and if there's a draft in your bedroom that could cause all sorts of muscle aches too.

[Agamemnus]

Yeah, it is probably just a cold that you both coincidentally had at strikingly similar times. If you share a coat, that might be a problem since it helps to keep a warm body temperature if you want to avoid getting sick in the winter... but then again, when I look at my degree it says Degree in Economics Blah Blah International Business Blah Blah.. dont' see any "doctor" or "medicine" in that, so my advice is FOR PURELY RECREATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. NOTHING IN THE ABOVE STATEMENT WILL BE CONSTRUED AS MEDICAL ADVICE OR DIAGNOSIS. More legalese, etc....