# Neck pain and bowel pain



## Brenbits

*neck pain and bowel pain*

I am wondering if others have severe neck pain (esp on the right side)?
I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when I  was 25 yrs old. I just turned 51! For the first 10 yrs I had horrible bloody diarrhea, but then I sort of went into "remission"  as that symptom stopped. What started then was a chronic, stabbing pain in my right side of my abdomen and severe pain in my right shoulder.  The pain has progressed to both shoulders and back of my head. I have "episodes" (I call them) where the bowel and the neck(and shoulder) pain cause me to be almost unable to function. I think it has something to do with my ileocecal valve not functioning properly, but my gastroenterologist keeps saying IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). My medical doctor tells me that it is very common for people who have suffered with UC to have a prolapsed ileocecal valve, but she offers no suggestions to help. Any ideas out there?


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## Astra

Hiya Brenbits
and welcome

I have terrible neck and shoulder pain too. I have seen a physio, chiropractor and osteopath. None of them have a clue what it is. The osteopath reckons it's Occipital Neuralgia aka Arnold's neuralgia. 
The symptoms on Wikipedia tally with my symptoms.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occipital_neuralgia

I'm on 25mg Amitriptyline, this has been my Godsend! I'm sleeping better and able to function a lot better. I was in agony, and could barely speak let alone function!
I have total empathy with you.
Is it a Crohnie thang? I dunno!
Hope you get something sorted soon, ask about the Amitriptyline
lotsa luv
Joan xxx


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## dreamdesire

I get pains in my shoulder/chest and neck and my doctor told me that the nerves from the intestines and stomach run up the shoulder so will cause you to get pains there.


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## Astra

Well maybe this is true, but I don't have any intestinal pains, nothing at all, I'm in remission, but my neck and shoulder still hurts!


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## archie

Hi Brenbits, right shoulder tip pain can be caused by pressure on the nerves from anywhere in the abdomen it is a very intense type pain but does not cause a restriction in shoulder or neck movements and generally localises in the shoulder tip.  Neck pain can also refer into the shoulders and there are many causes of this eg wear and tear, stress neck strain, prolapsed disc etc etc.  If you have pins and needles in the arm it is usually coming from the neck.  If the neck is painful along with a restriction in movements then it is generally symptomatic of a neck problem and not due to your bowel.  Sometimes when you have increased inflammation in the body i.e the bowel this can trigger some joint problems and crohns can run hand in hand with sore joints.  Neck pain is also triggered by stress as is the bowel.  If it keeps reoccuring get some treatment from a physio and watch your posture as if your tummy is sore you tend to hunch your shoulders forward therefore increasing the strain on your neck. Hope this helps...


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## D Bergy

Funny thing that I was doing an Internet search regarding neck problems and Crohns and it brings me here to this site.  

Had one of these episodes that started yesterday.  No neck pain this time but a headache and nausea.  I thought I caught a bug but the nausea would come and go too quickly. 

Woke up at three in the morning because the headache was so bad.  

I finally thought that maybe it was my neck.  I put a heating pad on it and slept for a while.  Now the headache is gone. 

It makes me wonder if this neck problem is just a symptom of Crohns or if it plays an active role in the disease?   Going to have to do a little research to satisfy my curiosity. 

Dan


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