For those that have experienced repetitive strain injuries, does coffee and alcohol make it worse?

Keep in mind I am not a doctor. You really should see your physician to get a proper diagnosis since it can be anything from heart issues to organ problems or nerve damage.

I occasionally have that issue but mine has to do with a pinched nerve in my neck. I am in otherwise good health and have not noticed caffeine or alcohol creating an issue for me but I rarely drink and only have coffee once a day.

I will say the one thing both have in common is that they are diuretics and may be making you dehydrated. Dehydration can cause a long list of issues especially if you aren’t eating well you are pissing out necessary nutrients that are necessary for proper nerve functions. If you have a drinking problem then consider joining AA. Your liver may be telling you there are bigger concerns. But either way, both also do put a strain on your liver and kidneys, and heart if they are in excess.

Unfortunately I crack my neck a lot, and on occasions I crack it too hard and cause considerable amount of pain. I think it might be a pinched nerve and nerve damage. Will definitely see a doctor ASAP.

@rockfan Then that may be the issue. I was laying down on the couch one-day watching tv when suddenly I felt searing pain and then my arm felt like it was on fire. I was in so much pain. For a while, it felt like I broke my arm. Went to the emergency room and the doctor recognize all the symptoms, and he did an x-ray and found out it was a nerve in the neck. He explains there is a major nerve that runs straight down to my arm. It went from pain to totally lose of feeling. It took about 2 months to get the feeling back in my hands. It felt weird not to be able to feel stuff. But yes, get it checked out and stop cracking your neck.

@Pandora – that’s exactly what I felt the last time I went to a chiropractor for neck pain. Luckily I had previously scheduled a steroid injection in my spine for that pain. I thought a chiro would help, but she made it suddenly a lot worse.

@RocketGuy Have you thought of seeing an acupuncturist? My sister-in-law and brother-in-law who both hate needles swear by it. They see one regularly for their bad back. My sister-in-law was told by conventional medicines if she didn’t get back surgery for her bad disks that she will be paralyzed. Her acupuncturist told he if she had the surgery he would never be able to repair the damage. She was practically bedridden and decided to go against the surgery. That was over 27 years ago and she was able to walk around and do regular exercises without any problems. At the sign of any backache, she goes to the acupuncturist and she is great after going. She was finally able to convince her husband to give it a try and now he can’t stop singing their praises.