Wow! Info added to my notebook.

The "Wow" refers to the neck and shoulder aches I had with Round 3 of the "Crud," (probably hog flu) several weeks ago.

It started with a sore throat, and I immediately started taking elderberry syrup and gargling with alternating solutions of Listerine (and water) and peroxide (and water), a different one every hour.

I added one drop of Oreganol [concentrated oregano oil -- Whole Foods Health Store item] to 8 oz of water (the next morning), taking it morning and evening (it kept the Crud out of my lungs last time).

On Day 2, I started getting major neck and shoulder aches. I was not doing any physical activity out of the ordinary, nor did I fall asleep on the couch.

On Day 4, the sore throat quit. The crud didn't go into my lungs, but my neck and shoulders were sore enough to warrent taking several doses of Tylenol. The usual stretching and EMU oil doses didn't work.

I was tired but the "flu" never materialized. On the other hand, the shoulder and neck aches were severe and almost drove me to seek medical attention, but they started growing less on Day 6.

Had they kept on and had there been other symptoms, I would've gone to Urgent Care. I remember having something like this as a teenager and having it described as "a cold in my back." Hardly scientific, but I hate to pay $60 if it's unnecessary, and in this case, it turned out to be.

I had no clue until I read this thread that Hog Flu might've been a "cold in my neck."

Now that makes sense, and if I encounter it again, I'll treat it differently, unless there are other symptoms that suggest a more complicated problem like a pending stroke or menningetious (sp) -- sorry!