I have this congenital thing where the joints in my spine (the facets) aren't shaped quite right and form a "kink" in my cervical spine area. Add age into the mix (degenerating discs), and they started rubbing together creating inflammation and irritating the discs there. So, about once a year or so I need cortisone injections to reduce the inflammation and make everything hunky-dory for a while. This is the 3rd time I've had the injections, and they really do work like magic. My doc was funny this time, he said "well, the good news is there is nothing different from last time" so he gave me 2 more than he normally gives patients, just like he did last time

I asked him and it turns out there is nothing I can do to change it. Posture, exercises, etc. can exacerbate and/or ease it, but the fact of it can't be changed. About the only thing that feels good is massage to rub out the collateral muscle knots but that doesn't fix anything. I don't think there is a surgical solution, short of fusing my spine, and that is NOT what I want to do in my neck!

Sucks, but at least I can fix it when it needs it!

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