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scd1833
USA
124 Posts |
 Posted - 04/13/2009 : 22:15:04
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| what's the deal with the cracking of my neck and back, and how does it tie into the cycle of TMS symptoms? I know it does, but how and why and how do I deal with it? it seems to release the pain/tension but only temporarily, and I've never been able to get a definitive answer from any health professional about what is actually happening. thoughts? |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2009 : 11:45:47
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| It is nothing but gas being released from the joints. Perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. The temporary relief you feel could be due to slight release of endorphins, and/or placebo effect (which is the same reason why chiropractic adjustments sometimes seem to offer temporary relief). |
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scd1833
USA
124 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2009 : 18:41:27
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| so how do I stop? or should I? it just seems to feed the cycle of tms, but I feel I need to do it to stop the pain, it certainly is a physical thing though |
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Dave
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2009 : 09:20:22
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It is simply a habit. The temporary relief is likely a placebo affect.
Personally I have had a habit of cracking my knuckles since I was a child and I have not made any attempt to rid myself of it. |
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Anna Lee
United Kingdom
2 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2009 : 10:44:30
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I'm not sure the neck cracking can be considered the equivalent of cracking knuckles. I suspect the latter is something Dave has always been able to do and it is not related to any pain.
But the neck cracking that scd1833 refers to sounds a lot like the syptoms I have developed this last year. By slightly stretching my neck in a particular way I too get cracking noises and it feels like I am freeing up my very stiff neck. Like scd1833 it just affords temporary relief, but some days the muscles in my neck and shoulder feel so stiff there seems little else that will help.
I had an MRI done and it shows some arthritic and osteophytic changes. I'm not sure if my neck pain and stiffness is related to that or whether it's just a coincidence or whether it's TMS or ... Well whatever, it's jolly unpleasant. |
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sarita
130 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2009 : 15:09:31
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when i suffered from neck pain, my neck cracked. when my upper back hurts, my upper back cracks. my pt told me the muscles around the vertebrae stiffen and puts pressure on them, thus cracking them brings relief. i think it is certainly nothing to worry about.
muscle stiffness, alterated muscle tissue, muscular changes, whatever you call it=  tms |
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sarita
130 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2009 : 15:12:22
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and i dont think its a placebo effect. the relief is real, makes sense, but soon thereafter, the muscles stiffen again. thats what i feel. just ignore the cracking, i suggest.
take care |
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scd1833
USA
124 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2009 : 23:36:59
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I think it is exactly the same as cracking your knuckles, the relief is "real" but the pain is TMS (created by the mind) so how can the relief NOT be a placebo? particularly since it usually so short-lived?
it sure seems like just another physical distraction to me. |
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cracking back/neck
