Pain in the Neck!

The basic sitting position with your arms on a desk can cause what you're describing by itself.
Also, if you're carrying kids around, carrying them requires you to hold them in a hunched over position (whether you notice or not), which puts strain on the lats and upper vertebrae. If you have large breasts, that "helps" too, causing that hunched over position.
And finally, weak core just hammers it all home (this is not a suggestion about your fitness level, rather a common problem).

In short, get thee to a chiropractor that also has a masseuse.

A good chiropractor will explain to you exactly how your condition arrived, and what steps you can take to correct it on your own.
Pain killers and massage alone will not solve the problem, just mask it. You need to learn how the body interconnects, and learn what stretches, strengthening exercises and habits you can adjust to feel better.

I LOVE my chiropractor. He's taught me so much.
Do some research and find a good one.
You'll never look back!

Have you tried a chiro instead of a massage therapist? You could have a pinched nerve I had one and it would hurt and almost burn as well and a physical therapist helped that but i hold all my tension in my shoulders and neck and a chiro really helps with that area!

I would recommend you see a Physical Therapist ASAP.

We live in a very forward facing society....we cook, drive, pick up children, sit at desks all day...nothing we typically do reverses the forward posturing all day long.

In the interim, trying laying flat on your back with legs in an L shape up over a chair, couch, bed. Then raise your elbows out to your side. Lay there for at least 10 minutes to reverse.

Also try doing Wall Angels...probably better to google that PT move than me trying to explain it here. If you can't find an easy description, leave me a msg and I'll try.

It sounds like you are in knots over not exercising your back enough. So, please see a PT to give you the proper exercises.

GL!

I would recommend seeing a good chiropractor and getting a massage. Thankfully, I get both at my chiro's office.
Also, work on your posture if that might be part of the problem.

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Oh boy can I empathize - my neck has been my nemesis.

Are you sleeping on more than two pillows?

I hurt my neck so badly one night that I had to go to an orthopedic doctor I was in that much pain. He told me to stop sleeping on a bunch of pillows - i.e., keep my head relatively level with my back (perhaps raised just slightly). Then he gave me some powerful NSAIDs and sent me on my merry way.

Believe it or not - what has helped me more than ANYTHING I've ever done are the pull-ups in the P90X classic series. Since I started that I have not had one neck pain at all. I did get twingy a few weeks after I stopped for a bit. I think lots and lots of pull-ups have helped me to develop some shoulder strength.

Good luck - I know how frustrating that can be. Hope you can find some relief.

chiropractic...been doing it my whole life, totally works! Don't ever want to live without it!

maybe you knocked your neck out of whack a little. I'd have the doctor double check it. I was in a car accident and I did that and I'd have massive headaches. The cure was a simple one though. Warm rag every evening on the neck to loosen in up. I also had to do some stretching as well. But check with your doctor first. Either way I'm sure the warm rags will releave the symptons for a bit.

I would see a doctor, but I remember when I was having bad neck pains, the dr. mentioned carpull (sp?) tunnel syndrome. I thought it was odd because I thought CTS was a problem with your hands and wrists, and the dr. said it can manifeset itself in the neck.

I had that and also down my arm. in my case, it was the COMPUTER that was the problem for me.. i used to work on one for up to 8 to 10 hrs a day.. also, the repetitious movements of reaching over to use the mouse and even picking up the phone.. all can result in TENDONITIS... and too, once you have it, then things like wking out can make it much worse... I used to Naproxen for it and even that didn't do much, also I really don't like to take meds... massage helped to a degree , but what helped the most and completely was my leaving my last job. I just could no longer be on a computer for that length of time.. not to mention, I also had the whole desk area ergonomically checked and the whole nine years and I did physical therapy.. the only thing that worked was off the computer.. now, you may not be able to do that.. BUT... you may want to check with your doctor and get an mri (x-rays) won't show muscle and ligaments.. and see if perhaps you have tendonits.. at least, you might be able to rule that out .. .

Oh and I also used to have numbing in my arm... if it isn't Tendonitis, sounds like the nerve.. it's worth getting it checked out..

I wish you the best

I have the same upper back/neck problems and it sometimes gets so bad that I have horrible headaches and want to vomit. I had to go to a doctor for physical therapy and was told that I have muscle spasms in my neck and shoulders that causes tension around my skull, causing headaches. I think large breast size, lifting kids, and poor core muscles from pregnancy are the culprits. I don't go to the phys. therapist any more because it got too expensive but I do things at home to help. I use a heating pad, take Aleve or Advil, use biofreeze (like bengay), massage, and prescription muscle relaxers (only if in really bad pain - they make me sleepy). I also do the exercises that the doctor had me do to strengthen those muscles. Not sure if this is what's happening with you, but I hope you find some relief soon!