Anyone else dealing with a stiff or sore neck from AS? Does it happen? What kind of symptoms have you had, and what has helped?
I’ve had a stiff neck most of my life and was diagnosed with AS (in lower back) a bit over 10 years ago. Possibly related, but who knows.
In the past year, things with the neck have gotten way worse. My upper neck gets so tight that it feels like it affects my vision or focus, makes me feel dizzy or kind of “dreamy”, and worst of all is that recently, the tightness has spread to my throat muscles. Now I sometimes get a swollen/strangling feeling around the thyroid area (which was checked), my speech and articulation feels affected, and my voice becomes weak, thin, slightly higher, and monotone. That’s a bad one. I often have to cough to try to “reset” it. When it gets tight, it feels like it’s limiting the airflow while I can breathe fine.
A year ago I developed an unexplained high pitch tinnitus in left ear as well, and eye floaters have been increasing with time.
I do have some reflux/heartburn tendency and a C5–C6 disc prolapse in neck, but doctors say that shouldn’t be causing this. Head, neck and ear MRIs have come back clean and that high pitch tinnitus has no clear reason. No signs of calcification anywhere they say.
Muscle relaxants barely relax anything, and NSAIDs don’t seem to do much at all either. Stretching sometimes make it worse, cold weather and wind definitely triggers it big time.Symptoms come and go.
I’ve been holding off on starting biologics since my AS symptoms have otherwise been mild (mostly occasional lower back pain, no inflammation markers).
But now I’m wondering if Simponi could still help with this? My doctors are skeptical that biologic would do anything to this without visible inflammation, but said I could always try if I want.
I’m just very hesitant about starting biologics, due to the side effect profile overall and the fact that if it doesn’t help - then it could make this even worse instead, as the side effect list includes neurological issues etc.