A pain in the neck

On Tuesday, I noticed that my neck was stiff. It was strange - I hadn't done anything - but sometimes that happens, and I figured it would get better.

By Friday, it was better, and I was looking forward to the long weekend.

Friday night, my neck hurt so much I couldn't sleep.

Yesterday, I tried hot packs and slow movements. I even resorted to painkillers, which don't work for me, in the hopes that that anti-inflammatory part would do something.

It hurts when I'm sitting up, and when I'm lying down. It hurts (a lot) when I move from lying down to standing up. It hurts when I bend over to pick something up, when I tilt my head back, and when I try to turn my head from side to side.  (It doesn't hurt when I tilt my chin forward, which is how it would hurt if it were meningitis, so that's good.) Basically, I'm like a newborn baby whose neck is not strong enough to support her head.

It's clearly muscular - staying in one position causes it to stiffen up, and it loosens up with movement.

Last night, I started the night sitting up. After a couple of hours sleep in that position, I went into the bedroom and tried lying down. I actually got some sleep that way.

And today? It's a little better.

Still, not a fun way to spend a long weekend.

Do not try this at home.