Pain in the Neck

Leave it to me to throw out my neck while sleeping.

Yes, actually sleeping. {Yawn. How boring.}

It's been about two years since I last threw it out, and I'd happily gotten used to living without the pain.

But here it is, back again.

The origin of the pain seems to have been a fender-bender I was involved in when I was in my early twenties. Ever since, my neck has been very sensitive. Turn my head too fast in a slightly wrong way? My neck goes out. Sleep funny? My neck goes out. Use too heavy a weight at the gym while working out my shoulders? My neck goes out.

I've even caused it to go out on me while talking on the phone! {'Course, it wasn't the talking that did it... it was the hands-free way I held the phone between my ear and shoulder that did it. Big no-no.}

Although I'm not 100% certain how I did it this time, I suspect I strained it during a workout at the gym the other day, and then I slept on too many pillows last night, cocking my neck in an unnatural position. I usually try to guard against the pillow injury, but evidently I became too sleepy to notice the situation.

So I look pretty odd today as I go about my business. Can't turn my head without turning my whole body with it. I walk with my back, neck, and head in perfect alignment; any deviation reduces me to tears and excruciating pain.

It'll pass within a few days. I won't be able to run or play tennis or lift weights for a few days, and then it'll I'll do it tentatively for a while. But it will get better. And I'll be more careful for a while.

In the meantime, I'll just enjoy a little downtime. Catch up on e-mails. Read a book. Rest a while. Find a little pleasure from this pain.