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Cheery
May 4th, 2008, 05:51 PM
I love to wear buns, but I've noticed that whenever I wear them, I get really bad neck pain, even if my hair has only been in a bun for a short time. I have kyphosis, which means my back and neck curve too much, so I'm assuming that when all of my waist length hair is gathered into one spot like that, it puts too much weight on my neck. Hence the neck pain. Has anyone else experienced this? Any suggestions on how to deal with it? Thanks.

florenonite
May 4th, 2008, 06:04 PM
Where do you wear your bun? I wear mine quite high up on my head, and you might find that this helps with the neck pain. I'm not really sure what's causing it, but that was just a thought that came to mind.

Curlsgirl
May 4th, 2008, 06:15 PM
I have had very bad neck pain and headaches lately no matter HOW I wear my hair when it's up or contained even in a low ponytail. I have an old whiplash and bone spurs at the top of my spine that I am thinking may cause mine. I have actually thought about cutting my hair a bit but not sure what to do. Even a simple braid hurts. Two braids feel a lot better but I can't wear it like this to work, just is not professional.

Cheery
May 4th, 2008, 06:34 PM
Where do you wear your bun? I wear mine quite high up on my head, and you might find that this helps with the neck pain. I'm not really sure what's causing it, but that was just a thought that came to mind.

I usually try to wear it right at the back of my head, but sometimes it ends up being lower than that. I'll have to try it higher.

Patrycja
May 4th, 2008, 07:48 PM
I don't have nearly the length you do but I get the neck pains as well.I would highly suggest doing what florenonitesaid.I find if I wear my cinnabun basically on the top of my head(not literally,but its quite high),My neck doesn't seem so bad.

I do want to ask-when you have your hair in these buns,are you on a computer?That can cause back and neck strain as well..

Rosamaria
May 5th, 2008, 01:48 AM
I don't know if you will find this helpful, but I often found (when I had BSL hair a few years ago) that whenever I did my hair in a new updo my neck hurt. This also happened when I, very occasionally, wore my hair totally loose.

I think that the reason was not the style of hair that I was wearing, but rather that it was a new/unusual style for me. As a result I didn't feel at ease and my neck and shoulders felt tense. This resulted in neck ache or sometimes headache. If the style was successful and I became comfortable with it, I relaxed and experienced no more discomfort.

hazelfaern
May 5th, 2008, 02:10 AM
I have had very bad neck pain and headaches lately no matter HOW I wear my hair when it's up or contained even in a low ponytail. I have an old whiplash and bone spurs at the top of my spine that I am thinking may cause mine. I have actually thought about cutting my hair a bit but not sure what to do. Even a simple braid hurts. Two braids feel a lot better but I can't wear it like this to work, just is not professional.

Curlsgirl, could you bun your two braids, or loop them, so the weight is still differentiated, but your hair is up in a more professional way?

There are two examples of twin bunned braids at the bottom of the page here (http://www.dreamweaverbraiding.com/braid_examples/braid_examples_classics.htm).

Or, could you part your hair down the middle and wear two french twists?

Mary <><
May 5th, 2008, 05:20 AM
I work in a Chiropractic office, and we see patients with Hyper-kyphosis frequently. It is a very painful condition. My opinion is that you would have this pain on occassion regardless of how you wear your hair. I would recommend getting a Chiropractor to give you a consultaion (most do this for free) and ask if they can treat you for this problem. Can't hurt to ask, and you just might get the relief you need. HTH!

Sana
May 5th, 2008, 09:03 AM
BUNS=neck pain +wrist sprain:)) I am seriously updo challenged & take forever to tie my hair in a knot & when I do I cannot keep it for more than a few hrs as my neck starts hurting.

I wonder if braids are good enough to protect your hair as I can't imagine myself doing buns everyday

walkinglady
May 5th, 2008, 09:34 AM
You have a medical condition that sounds very painful at times. I feel for you. I only know how bad my head/hair can hurt when I get a headache. I don't know if your hair is long enough for an infinity bun but this is the most comfortable updo I know. It isn't as tight on my scalp, it seems to balance better, the hairstick doesn't irritate me, and so far I haven't had any hairs that pull. Best wishes!

Cheery
May 5th, 2008, 01:17 PM
I don't know if you will find this helpful, but I often found (when I had BSL hair a few years ago) that whenever I did my hair in a new updo my neck hurt. This also happened when I, very occasionally, wore my hair totally loose.

I think that the reason was not the style of hair that I was wearing, but rather that it was a new/unusual style for me. As a result I didn't feel at ease and my neck and shoulders felt tense. This resulted in neck ache or sometimes headache. If the style was successful and I became comfortable with it, I relaxed and experienced no more discomfort.

You know, I've experienced that too. If I'm not comfortable with a hairstyle, I can't seem to relax my neck. But I'm very comfortable with just a basic bun. It actually took me a long time to realize that I always got neck pain when I wore my hair like that, but it would go away when I took my hair down.

As for the question about whether I'm at a computer when I wear my hair like this, Yes. I work in an office, so I sit at a computer most of the day, which does give me neck and back pain occasionally. But buns hurt my neck even when I'm not sitting at a computer. Like Mary said, my kyphosis causes pain randomly, no matter how I wear my hair. But my neck gets particularly sore when I wear buns.

Islandgrrl
May 5th, 2008, 01:37 PM
What about something like crown braids? That would get the weight off the back of your head and still be up and professional looking.

I've also noticed that if my updo is pulled too tightly, I get a headache. If it's secured well, but looser against my scalp (I don't know that my explanation is really good), then my chances of getting a headache are greatly minimized. Even when my hair is ultra long, this seems to be the case.

Cheery
May 5th, 2008, 02:08 PM
What about something like crown braids? That would get the weight off the back of your head and still be up and professional looking.

I can never get crown braids to work! I posted a thread about them a while ago... I'm not sure how to make a link to it...

FlowerHair
May 11th, 2008, 03:50 AM
My hair is very heavy, so it's painful to wear buns or other updos at this point.
For me, the solution is to wear a really low bun/folded ponytail or just a loose pony tail. A tight updo is just not possible anymore...

Nynaeve
May 11th, 2008, 02:47 PM
I used to get neck pains from buns, when my hair was shorter, I don't know though if the main reason it went away way either because I got more length, because I learned to do them better, or because I learned to balance it in a way that works with my neck...
Wish I could help more :(

kissedbyfyre
May 11th, 2008, 02:53 PM
If your hair is long enough, try a figure 8 or infinity bun. Some have suggested that 2 work quite well when dealing with weight. I don't have the same medical condition as you but I've coped with hair headaches since my hair hit waist length. I've found that it takes some playing to figure out the right updos to deal with the weight and thickness. Placement also factors into the whole ordeal as well. If I place my buns at the nape of my neck I'm able to deal with the weight a bit better. I still need to take my hair down about once a day, massage my scalp and redo the bun to prevent the headaches and tender scalp.

Looped braids also sound like an awesome idea to get the hair out of the way.

ItalianFlower
May 11th, 2008, 03:03 PM
I agree with Mary; see a chiropractor.

Specifically, see a Pettibon chiropractor.http://www.pettibonsystem.com/

If you want to PM me where you live (like the state, not stalkerish) I could give you the name and location of a good one. My doc is absolutely amazing; I had the same EXACT problem you did...

Curlsgirl
May 15th, 2008, 06:19 AM
Curlsgirl, could you bun your two braids, or loop them, so the weight is still differentiated, but your hair is up in a more professional way?

There are two examples of twin bunned braids at the bottom of the page here (http://www.dreamweaverbraiding.com/braid_examples/braid_examples_classics.htm).

Or, could you part your hair down the middle and wear two french twists?

I am going to try some of these styles. Thanks so much!

harpgal
May 15th, 2008, 08:44 AM
What helps me is to braid my hair first to keep it contained. Then I wrap it around a hair stick and wear it very low. I also place my hands on either side of the bun and gently move my hair forward so there is no pulling on my hair line. Wearing a bun high (unless it was right up on top of my head) caused pain.

ginalaurie
May 15th, 2008, 02:08 PM
I also place my hands on either side of the bun and gently move my hair forward so there is no pulling on my hair line. Wearing a bun high (unless it was right up on top of my head) caused pain.

This seems to help me, too. I also do it when I just braid.

Just about any updo gives me head and shoulder pain if I don't take it down every few hours for a little while. I seldom wear updos for this reason, but I will wear a log roll secured with a ficcare now and then. The ficcare makes it easy to let down and put back up again. So if I'm just sitting at my desk, I'll let it down for a few minutes. An infinity bun does seem to cause less pain for me, too, as someone else has mentioned.

I usually wear my hair in a single braid either down my back or on one side. It seems to be protective enough and it's working for me so far.

ATrixie
March 29th, 2009, 10:15 AM
Great thread!! :)

So I hope it's okay to resurrect it a bit? :)

I've been recently trying new hairdos (& playing with hairsticks more, maybe they are too short for my hair also..) & today I tried a crown bun & now my hair/scalp/neck hurts! lol

So, it seems for most people this works:
- wear bun lower down (that's what I've been doing so far)
OR - crown buns (would like to, but how?)
&/OR - braid buns (have recently started experimenting with them too! :) YAY!!)

Can you post a bit more about crown buns that don't hurt? :)
And how to go about changing hairstyles with maximum ease? (I'm reluctant to wear a crown bun again, lol! Maybe it was just too tight, or I was too tense when going about washing the dishes, & it went undone & all..?)
Do you wear the same style every day even if it hurts, or do you give the hair & scalp a rest, & then re-try after a few days or next week..?

Just curious, how to go about it! Any tips & ideas welcome & most appreciated!!

lacereza
March 29th, 2009, 11:23 AM
................................

Carolyn
March 29th, 2009, 12:55 PM
My theory on this is when a bun is badly placed and is giving you a headache that it simple needs to be moved or taken down for a while. I think the weight of the bun pulling painfully on the scalp will cause you to tense up your neck. This will cause neck pain and a headache. Rebunning your hair will often help, as will holding the bun with a different hair toy. I like to change the bun placement or bun type mid day if things are getting uncomfortable. I also have a selection of hair toys in my bag so I can swap them when I need to.

My chiropractor has been of great help to me. I have some neck problems that can be managed but likely not cured. If Mary comes back to this thread I'd love to hear if her doctor sees any long haired patients and what they do with their hair during treatments. I either wear a single braid or a Figure Eight bun held with my curved Argus prong.

spidermom
March 29th, 2009, 01:05 PM
Try two or three or more buns clustered near each other; it looks like one big, complex bun but spreads the weight out a whole lot better.

ATrixie
March 29th, 2009, 01:18 PM
Thanks, Lacereza & Carolyn! :)

I just removed the bun and had my hair 'freestyle', but it didn't like it either, so I put it in a low ponytale (more used to this position) & it got better..
Also, thanks to this thread started massaging my tense neck muscles (not on the head but the ones back on the neck & it got a bit better..) Not sure if you know about trigger points and such - I have a few books about those & basically they say to massage the tense muscles (and any 'knots') that can be far away from where the pain is too..
I also 'pushed' the hair back into the head a bit lol - sounds funny, but it helped! (just massage by itself didn't seem to help so much..)

I also chose to withdraw into a darker room & have some relaxing music & write down all my problems/stressors lol! (this used to be a factor with the headaches in the past) & what would need to be done etc. & it truly got better..
Still not ideal, my roots still hurt a bit..

I'm going to take it easy today lol.. I have some mild scoliosis & some other mild neck problems, & I found in the past that pain was mostly a combination of posture/tense muscles/stress/nutrition etc.

I had experimented with various things in the past, & low bun, or ponytail or braid/s seemed to work best & was most convenient too.. I'd love to find positions higher up the head that would 'work' too! So if there are any tips, please do tell!
(those of you who can manage it okay - how do you do it?)
Are the crown buns loose, or do you not twist the hair at the roots, just use an elastic rubberband..? (maybe I twisted the hair too much, hmm.. & made it too tight etc - I tried a crown bun without using elastics..)

Carolyn, yes it would be interesting to hear about what they do in a doctor's/chiropractor's office.. Or when taking Xrays or such..
I winged it so far, had a low bun for Xray (felt really awkward afterwards, like, would another hairstyle be better to show things realistically?) - not sure anymore what I had for PT - I think I experimented with different things.. just holding the hair away (for some things, like relaxing with hot wraps on the lower back-mmm!) or low buns high enough to be out of the way when needed or such, or 2 low ponytails or braids, or 1 ponytail at the side.. it depends what they/you are doing.. I had soft fabric/elastic rubberbands & sometimes adjusted the hairdo as needed..

my neck& back were truly better after the spa/PT treatment.. also nutrition & relaxation play a big role, as I said.. (too much beef/sweets etc does me bad! - hmm maybe the cookies could be partly to blame for this too.. :o even milk has triggered some PMS/menstrual lower backache so I try to avoid it that time of month..)

Hope your problems get better too!!

ATrixie
March 29th, 2009, 01:21 PM
Spidermom, just saw this - thanks! :)

I did try this the other day, but just for a few moments.. will give it a try again when my hair & scalp get better... :)

Have you personally tried it & was it okay?