During the day, I can get some relief by slowly bending foward, starting with the head and neck, and just kind letting the spine roll down, with legs slightly bent, feet about 6 inches apart, until I am bent double, arms, head, neck and shoulders just kind of hanging loose for a minute or so, then slowly rolling back up into a standing position, staying loose, until the head and neck are erect again. (It is very much a rolling of the spine action, starting with the head and neck going down, and with the neck and head not rolling upright until the end of the rise.)

At night, to sleep on my back, I find it helpful to fold a blanket into thirds lengthwise, then roll it up, and place it under my knees to keep the legs bent and the lower spine straight. Althernately, I lay on the opposite side from which the pain is radiating down the buttock and leg, bend the top leg, and rest it on a couple of stacked pillows to keep it aligned.

The Ibuprofen really does help if you take it for several days at a fairly high dose to give it time to reduce the nerve inflamation.

Anybody got any suggestions for nerve pain and related muscle spasms stemming from the cervical spine?

Damn - we are getting old!