[GqArtguy]

Originally Posted by bryanc

I think the biggest question in my head is, "Which tissue is causing your pain?" You describe a bunch of symptoms, each of which is synonymous with muscle, or bone pain. I don't see any descriptions that lead me to think there's a nerve issue (not a classical one anyways).

I think its muscle because my chiro will adjust the T1 or C3 or C4 depending on which one isnt moving as well as it should.

1) What are you doing in your OL sessions that cause this pain?

Lifting :p I usually feel it after a lift. This weekend I was all fresh and I did a snatch with 80 kg, and as I held it, I heard a bit of crunching in the left scapula, as if I were popping my fingers, and afterwards I started feeling the tightness in the neck. It was weird because it was actually a good lift. That was a first.

I think doing a lift with more muscle than technique will spur it on. Ill feel it on a violent clean or a jerk that "feels" heavy. Ive been doing a lot of jerk technique stuff to correct this.

2) Are there OL sessions that you escape pain-free? What is different about these two sessions?

Meh it kinda comes and goes, I dont know when it will occur.

3) When you say "locking up" do you mean that you physically cannot move your own neck, or that it's "locked up" because it's too painful to move? Or, in other words, if I could nerve block your pain, would I be able to move your neck, or would it be stuck?

It feels like when you sleep the wrong way and you wake up and cant move your neck without feeling like death. Sure you can move it, but it hurts like hell.

4) Have you had any imaging of your neck done?

MRI? No.

5) What makes your pain better or worse?

Massaging, ART, adjustments make it better, but it will get expensive if I have to do this every week. I will roll a golf ball along spots of the shoulder and back of the trap, and Ill also use a thera-cane and do some poor-mans ART. My chiro's ART and adjustments get rid of it though.

6) Is your pain progressively becoming worse with each episode, or better, or is it random, or is there a pattern?

Sometimes Ill get it really bad or sometimes Ill get it and itll be minor enough to go without getting worked on for 2 wks.

7) How soon after lifting do you notice the problem? Or does it occur with lifting?

It can occur right after a lift, and its confined to OLs. My strongman stuff and gym stuff doesnt really create it.

8) Do you have any other symptoms other than the decrease in range of motion and pain?

Umm when I look straight down and its bothering me, I can feel the upper trap getting tugged, or at least whatever muscle runs down the left side of my neck (at about 7oclock if facing ahead is 12) and connects into the trap. If I look straight up, it feels like a corner is pinched where the trap crosses into the neck.


Oh and I did the chin thing against the wall, I end up looking straight ahead.