Chronic Neck Pain - what's next? Looking for resources

Hi!

I'm 23 years old and I've been suffering from slowly worsening 'chronic neck pain' since I was 8 after multiple accidents that caused neck trauma throughout my life. I've harassed my doctors and GP's my whole life and after years of 'you're too young', I've just been faced with the inability of the NHS's structure to help me.

I've had an x-ray, where I was told two of my vertebrae are out of alignment (though 'not by enough to cause pain') and an MRI, which had no useful information as I was told they only look at the areas that affect my body lower than my neck. My pain is solely in my neck and head. From what I have been told, they don't look at or help with my type of pain. I've bothered them for 3 years since and they won't rereffer me for an MRI as they say it would just be the same thing - them looking at the part that isn't causing my pain and passing me on to a pain clinic. I'm waiting for the pain clinic to contact me, but my life has become completely unliveable.

I've been put on muscle relaxers and, recently, a low dose of nerve pain medication which is the first thing to help even a little bit. It takes an imperceptable amount of the edge off my pain but feels like the first step forward I've had. My physiotherapist suggested that it indicates that it **is** nerve pain.

I'm so tired of things being put off, ignored, waved away. I want to go private. I want to know what the cause is and if anything can be done to fix it. I'm willing to pay anything, go abroad, anything. I just want to know what the problem is and what my real options are. When I mentioned this to my GP, she said I would just be paying tothe body compensates for this effect by increasing sensitivity to adenosine. **Once the effects of the coffee wear off, the resulting surge can cause sleepiness and muscle fatigue** find myself in the same position. But I find it hard to believe that no one in the world is able to help me just because my pain is only in my neck and head.

If anyone knows of any specialists, communities, doctors, businesses, treatment paths, anyone that could help or even be a good lead for me to find a doctor that could help me or look into my issue, that'd be greatly appreciated.

Hi, Sorry to hear of your neck pain. I am in a similar position, except mine started around 6 years ago. I have had x rays and multiple MRI scans on my neck on the NHS. I was always told nothing could be done (MRI showed degenerative disc disease). Finally I saw a different Doctor and he said they could help me. They referred me to have my first CT Guided nerve injection into my spine (near the neck pain area) and I was told it may or may not work.

Well, I finally had relief from neck pain for the first time in years. That was a month ago and although its still working I can feel some small pains returning. I was told it could last 1 month, 3 months or even 12 months, Everyone reacts differently. But at least we found something that works.

Perhaps you could go down this route? Wish you all the best,