[yorkietalkjilly]

Sounds like acute trigger point pain secondary to severe muscle spasm. "Sleeping wrong" is often the cause of this and can strain the muscles of the neck. Don't pop or hyperextend your neck, do shrug your shoulders often, and try to get moist heat to the muscles x3 daily. One good way to do this is to do your own SPA/PT therapy at home. Get a huge Turkish towel, drape is over your shoulders and bunch it up around the back and sides of your neck. Stand with the back of your neck to the shower with the hottest water you can stand beating down on that area for as long as you can or the hot water begins to run out. The great benefits of steam is that it spreads heat throughout body tissue faster than dry heat and heat promotes circulation which heals and increases circulation. One of the things muscle spasm does is squeeze nerves and tissue, cutting off free and adequate blood supply to the tiny nerves and parts of the body. That creates swelling and swelling further compromises circulation. Heat-induced circulation will help milk at the swelling as the good blood flow is re-established for a while and O2 and other nutrients in the blood find their way to the cells in the tissue previously getting less blood supply and this relaxes muscle spasm still more. Ultimately, muscle spasm pinches nerves and that causes the severe pain.

Arthritis, congenital subluxation or an old injury to your neck can also predispose it to strain or minor "injury" from certain sleeping positions as can working or sitting with your neck in one position for a long, long time. A good anti-spasmodic and something for pain as well as avoiding putting your neck in extreme positions will help it heal faster. No matter what you do, eventually the extreme pain will go away as the body slowly heals itself but you can help speed it along.