u/Far-Storage-7333

Post:

32M, 5’8”, 165 lbs, no medications.

I work three physically demanding jobs (teacher, bartender, and part-time firefighter). Recently I went through a period of extreme sleep deprivation while finishing report cards (two all-nighters). I also typically sleep on a couch when I sleep (for the past ~4 years).

After finishing a full teaching day, I went directly into a bartending shift (5:30 pm–2:00 am). About halfway through that shift, I suddenly developed severe neck stiffness and significant lower back pain. The neck stiffness was bad enough that I considered going to the ER, but I finished my shift and went home to sleep instead.

When I woke up, the pain had improved but I still had neck stiffness and started developing headaches. For ~2 weeks after that, I had recurring tension at the base of my skull/neck with shooting migraine-like headaches radiating forward from the occipital area.

In the last week, the headaches and neck stiffness have mostly resolved, but I am now waking up with new, shifting pain in different areas:

• One morning: severe right clavicle pain
• Another: significant left shoulder pain (fluctuates in intensity)
• Another: very painful throbbing left thumb (felt almost like it was broken — difficulty gripping, opening buttons, using hand). This has improved but is still not fully normal

The concerning part is that the pain seems to “move” or appear in different areas after sleep, rather than staying localized.

Given the timeline (sleep deprivation + physically demanding work + couch sleeping), I am wondering whether this could be:

• cervical nerve irritation / pinched nerve
• referred pain from neck/upper back
• musculoskeletal overuse + poor recovery
• or something inflammatory or neurological that should be investigated

I have no fever, no known recent illness, and no medications.

Any insight into whether this pattern is concerning or consistent with something specific would be appreciated.

Post:

32M, 5’8”, 165 lbs, no medications.

I work three physically demanding jobs (teacher, bartender, and part-time firefighter). Recently I went through a period of extreme sleep deprivation while finishing report cards (two all-nighters). I also typically sleep on a couch when I sleep (for the past ~4 years).

After finishing a full teaching day, I went directly into a bartending shift (5:30 pm–2:00 am). About halfway through that shift, I suddenly developed severe neck stiffness and significant lower back pain. The neck stiffness was bad enough that I considered going to the ER, but I finished my shift and went home to sleep instead.

When I woke up, the pain had improved but I still had neck stiffness and started developing headaches. For ~2 weeks after that, I had recurring tension at the base of my skull/neck with shooting migraine-like headaches radiating forward from the occipital area.

In the last week, the headaches and neck stiffness have mostly resolved, but I am now waking up with new, shifting pain in different areas:

• One morning: severe right clavicle pain
• Another: significant left shoulder pain (fluctuates in intensity)
• Another: very painful throbbing left thumb (felt almost like it was broken — difficulty gripping, opening buttons, using hand). This has improved but is still not fully normal

The concerning part is that the pain seems to “move” or appear in different areas after sleep, rather than staying localized.

Given the timeline (sleep deprivation + physically demanding work + couch sleeping), I am wondering whether this could be:

• cervical nerve irritation / pinched nerve
• referred pain from neck/upper back
• musculoskeletal overuse + poor recovery
• or something inflammatory or neurological that should be investigated

I have no fever, no known recent illness, and no medications.

Any insight into whether this pattern is concerning or consistent with something specific would be appreciated.