Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #3386
    jonpayson
    Participant

    [Admin summary – original post continues below

    Gout In Neck

    This gout in neck discussion is now closed. I have summarized the main points, with additional material in
    Neck Pain With Gout. There is also information about neck problems with gout in the Gout Symptoms guidelines.

    Gout In Soulder

    This discussion, just like gout, progressed into the shoulder joint. So I wrote about gout shoulder symptoms.

    If you still have questions about gout neck pain, please start a new gout pain discussion. I highly recommend you read the gout guidelines, first.


    Question for all the gout sufferers out there:

    Have any of you ever experienced neck pain from gout.  Im referring to extremely painful upon any movement of your neck.  And pain radiating up to the jaw, ie TMJ type of pain.

    I originally brushed this off because i have had surgery in the spine in the past, and thought it was related to that, but now I’m thinking its possible that its just another area plagued by this pain in my ass disorder known as gout. 

    Thanks, 

    JP


    Too young to be Scared Of Gout!
    Plagued by Gout Pain in Neck, Jaw, and Shoulders!
    #9836
    gout sufferer
    Participant

    Hello Jon,

    Talking from my experience:

    gout may have triggered your neck pain.  my dad and I both suffer from gout. my dad has experienced this kind of pain so many times. I have experienced it too.  I know the feeling… it is unbearable. my dad says his neck hurt even when he blink his eyes…. (I think that is bit over the top!!!) but when I used to get this kind of pain in my neck, any movement of head was impossible . I even had to adjust the height of  my dinner plate  to eat.

    but since I have started allopurinol (300mg) some 10 months ago I haven't suffer from any gout attack.

    what damage (if any….) the allopurinol is doing inside me….. is something I don't know….

    in conclusion: (speaking from experience again….)

    Yes it is possible that gout can attack any joints in your body….


    Best of luck.

    #9837
    zip2play
    Participant

    Jon,

    I have had bouts with neck pain as I presume most people have. Not the TMJ type but the type that makes it painful to turn my head too far in one  direction or the other. Alternately I have suffered the kind slightly lower down that seems to radiate down one arm or the other.

    I have always attributed this to “wear and tear” on the joints and had it confirmed by X-ray as an “awful lot of arthritis and compressed cervical discs.”

     I would not be surprised if there was a gouty element to the situation but neither would I be surprised if there weren't. I just don't know. There are lots of people with TMJ and cervical arthritis who have never had a moment of foot pain.

    A good test to tie gout in or out of your TMJ tyype pain might be  to take something like 6 colchicine in a day (one an hour) and see if there is SIGNIGFICANT pain relief. One would expect relief from gout but not from osteoarthritis.

    For me, when my neck acts up I move the computer monitor from the left side of my desk to the right or vice versa, that often does the trick for about 3 months. Another thing I have fouund to be a super NO-NO: NEVER hold your phone between your head and your shoulder without using your hands; might as well proceed directly to a guillotine.

    Gout Sufferer,

    Don't be afraid of allopurinol. Millions of people have taken BILLIONS of doses with no long term problems. It is among the most innocuous of drugs while being among the most effective.

    #9838
    odo
    Participant

    Jon, while it is possible for gout to affect any joint, this is much more likely to be muscular tension related to the pain you are/have been experiencing. Especially so, as you describe the pain radiating to your jaw – maybe you've had a few headaches recently too?

    Would advise a professional neck & shoulder massage, acupuncture, if you're up for it, and awareness concerning posture, jaw clenching etc. Try to keep your chin tucked in slightly, so that the back of the neck lengthens and make sure you aren't hunching your shoulders. Gentle daily stretching, though painful initially can help increase the range of motion (turning the head, up, down, side to side, letting the head hang to the side  – try to touch your shoulder with your ear).

    It is very tempting to think every pain is directly due to gout (which in a way it is) when in fact many of the postural adjustments we make when suffering an attack are to blame. These can also trigger a gout response as well, of course, but more commonly in the limbs.

    #9841
    azasadny
    Participant

    I've had a gout attack in my right shoulder and the pain radiated into my neck, but the majority of the pain was in the shoulder joint itself… How is your shoulder? Can you easily move your shoulder joint without any pain?

    #9863
    jonpayson
    Participant

    TO azasadny: I do have shoulder pain in the left shoulder that is sometimes present with the neck pain, but not also, i also have had slight tingling in the elbow and wrist at the same time as the neck pain…but not always

    Gout sufferer: thank you for the description of your neck pain, it is very similar to mine.  I have not felt the pain in the last 6 weeks…probably due to the prednisone i have been taking.  i started to ween myself off the prednisone (been on allip for 4 weeks), but once started feeling the neck pain agin i ramped back up on it.  until allip does its thing for me, i wont be 100% convinced that it is the correct treatment for me.  I appreciate the success stories for it though, and have hope that it will fix the pain

    Thanks,

    JP

    #12152
    ahmed.baseer
    Participant

    I am experiencing my first gout attack in the neck, my doc confirms my uric acid is elevated after i got my lab tests back. ? He was surprised as he hadn’t seen a gout attack in neck. ? continuing with ibprofen 600 mg and starting alopurinol.

    #12686
    prorec
    Participant

    I have had numerous gout attacks in my neck and spine as well as many other joints of course. I am quite certain it is gout because I occasionally indulge in ‘forbidden’ foods such as a bit of meat or shell fish, etc. Every time I do indulge I get attacks in my neck and often my back or hands. If I refrain from such foods I do not have sore joints at all.

    The worst gout attack I’ve ever experienced was in my jaw. I was foolish and had several beers along with meat which brought on the terrifying attack. It didn’t happen the same day I had the beer but a few days later as is typical with indulging in such foods. When the pain began I took some indomethacin right away but the pain did not lessen. I took more indomethacin and still no relief. Normally this medicine alone would bring the attack under control. Desperate to get rid of the pain I took some extra Colcrys (colchicine) in addition to the regular daily dose. That didn’t help either.

    I was going mad with the intense pain. I was beside myself because the medicines that never failed me in the past were of no help. I contemplated going to the emergency room for help although I was not sure it would. Against my better judgment I didn’t go but took quite a bit more indomethacin and colchicine. A high dose of colchicine usually results in diarrhea and pain relief but not this time. I knew I was in dire straights now.

    Over the course of several more hours of debilitating pain I continued to take more medications and finally the pain began to diminish. After that horrible experience I swore to myself that I would never drink beer again. That was about ten years ago and I have not had a beer since.

    #12150
    Keith Taylor
    Keymaster

    Hi prorec, you really should get your neck checked by a doctor.
    Gout can cause permanent joint damage if it is not treated properly. This means getting uric acid under control – lack of pain is not a good measure of gout control. This is because uric acid crystals can accumulate slowly in the neck, and other joints. You might not get a gout flare immediately, but the buid-up of crystals can erode the discs between spinal joints, and also the bone as well.

    Gout In Neck

    This gout in neck discussion is now closed. I have summarized the main points, with additional material in
    Neck Pain With Gout. There is also information about neck problems with gout in the Gout Symptoms guidelines.

    If you still have questions about gout neck pain, please start a new discussion.

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.