My Neck! My Back! My Neck and My Back!

Have you ever had really bad neck pain?

I never had...until Wednesday, when I started to get this weird crick in my neck. And then it got progressively worse over the next two days, despite application of IcyHot (watch out folks), a couple back rubs from Eileen and trying really hard to have good posture. It didn't do anything.

My response to this neck pain (which was concentrated at the base of my neck and radiated out to my right shoulder) was typically male: I complained to my wife and begged her to make me feel better (if you asked her, she would readily admit that she was sick of my whining, and I can't say I blame her), and then decided that I must keep on training and ran 10 miles Friday morning, despite the pain. You would think it wouldn't have been a big deal because I was running, not crawling 10 miles using my neck and chin, but it was. I was okay at first but by mile 8 I was pretty much in agony and had to walk/run the rest of the way home. So dispiriting! But I guess I know not to do that again. Anyhow, as I assessed my reaction to said pain, I have to admit that it is typical of every stereotype that I have heard women spout about men who are sick--they are helpless, crying babies. And also probably a little stupid. (Ladies: can I get a witness?)

Anyhow, all the people I consulted about my neck problem said that it would just go away after about a week. But that was not happening for me because I don't think I could have gone another week with this pain, it was that bad. So I did something I never do--I took aspirin. I don't take aspirin for two reasons: 1) I don't like taking medicine at all, despite (or because of) the fact that I have to take anti-inflammatories every day for my Crohn's. 2) thinning your blood and potentially giving yourself ulcers (two side effects of aspirin) isn't the smartest thing to do when you are already bleeding enough down there. But I was desperate and went for it (note: I could have taken Tylenol, which doesn't have these side effects, but that would have only been a pain-reliever, not an anti-inflammatory, and I wanted to get both effects), and miraculously, my neck cleared by this morning. Isn't that crazy? Maybe it's the placebo effect, but I don't care. I have mild soreness when I turn my head to the left, but otherwise I'm right as rain.

So, the morals of this story are:
1) Don't take aspirin or related products if you have IBD
2) Take the time to rest if your body is actually telling you to
3) Be more sympathetic to your spouse's neck and back pain if they have any, because one day it's gonna get you, too.

I also think that everyone would benefit from better posture.

Oh, and this is the obligatory, periodic link to what I am doing on this site, for any newcomers. Welcome!