Arthritis

Why does this have to surface just as I've turned 60?  Seems like everything age-related happens to me at the typical earliest age, making it more difficult to ignore the fact that I'm getting older.  Turns out my neck pain is being caused by arthritis (called cervical spondylosis).  When I mentioned to the doctor that my jaw was cracking/locking up also, he said I should be checked for TMJ.  He confirmed that I have scoliosis--something no doctor had mentioned until my GP noted it a few months ago.  Apparently the scoliosis is resulting in my neck having to carry more weight than normal.   I'm set to have an MRI next week; after that the doctor said he would be able to tell me what I should/shouldn't do to help the neck pain.

It's possible the headstands I was doing up until about a year ago contributed to the arthritis; who knows.  Arthritis does run in our family, and I do have it in my fingers, so I'll never know for sure.  But I'm guessing I will need to stay away from exercises/poses that put pressure on my neck.  I'm sure the rolling I did on the hard floor at the Y didn't help, either.  I really think yoga instructors need to be more careful when they're teaching in spaces with hard floors--the mats do nothing to protect the spine.