A woman has revealed how a seemingly harmless change of pillow left her unable to lift her head, leading to a shocking medical diagnosis.
Sarah, a 34-year-old from Manchester, initially thought she had a stiff neck after switching pillows. However, her condition rapidly deteriorated, leaving her in excruciating pain and unable to move her head without support.
A Terrifying Decline
"I woke up one morning and couldn't lift my head off the pillow," Sarah recalled. "The pain was unbearable, and I had no idea what was happening to me."
Doctors initially dismissed her symptoms as muscle strain, but as weeks passed, Sarah's condition worsened. She struggled to perform basic tasks and was eventually forced to use a neck brace for support.
The Shocking Diagnosis
After months of tests and misdiagnoses, specialists finally identified the culprit: atlantoaxial instability, a rare condition where the vertebrae in the neck become unstable, often due to ligament weakness.
"I was terrified when they told me," Sarah admitted. "I never imagined something as simple as a pillow could trigger such a severe reaction."
Life After Diagnosis
Sarah now undergoes regular physiotherapy and wears a custom neck brace to stabilise her condition. She hopes her story will raise awareness about the importance of proper spinal support and encourage others to seek second opinions when symptoms persist.
"Don't ignore your body's warning signs," she urged. "If something feels wrong, keep pushing for answers."
