severe neck pain

i got a headache two days ago in the base of my skull and it has causes severe neck pain i have tried pain killers hot water bottles freeze spray and nothing works i cant sleep because of it and i am in alot of pain but the pain isnt constant it comes and goes but when it comes its absolute agony can you please help

[beefsrstew]

I have really bad headaches that come and go and the cause of them is osteoarthritis with left sided stenosis of the c4 vertebrae. "Bone spur" . I had to have an MRI to find this out. You may way to get that looked at by your doctor and see if anti inflammatory meds and muscle relaxers help you when you feel it coming on. What I was told causes my headaches is that the joints in my neck get inflamed and the muscles are constantly trying to correct to take the pressure off the nerve canal. When the muscles get fatigued that's when the headache comes and it's bad. Hope this helps and do yourself a a favor, write everything down so you don't miss a detail when you talk to your physician,

[peachy1983]

thanks very much for your comment the headache got worse again today im only 25 so its a thng i dont suffer with very offten to if it doesnt die off in the next day or to i will go to my doctors as its a pain i cant put up with but thanks very much and i will get back to you once if been to my doctors thanks again

[Tracey1285]

I, too, get terrible, awful headaches.  They start at the base of my neck and move up the back of my head.  The only thing that touches it is 1000mg of Advil every 4 hours.  I had an MRI and was told I have stenosis, Degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, blah, blah, blah.  What the headache is from is the occipital nerve being pinched.  Surgery is an option, but relief comes from anti-inflammatories like Advil.  I also have a home traction device - goes over the door - pulls my neck up gently.  It feels great!  You can get this at most drug stores that stock ambulatory items.  Hope it helps!

[Violette001]

Hi, I Have had a very long history of migraine and terrible headaches all of my life then the pain at the back of my neck started and I went through an odyssey of doctors and heard everything from “you don’t have anything wrong with you-to go home in the waiting room are real patients”.  In the end I at last by pure chance found a neurosurgeon that took me seriously and treated me as a real person. I have been operated on now but unfortunately it was too late and the nerve was permanently damaged now so that after a few pain free weeks after the op the pain came back again.
What I do want to pass on to you though and maybe to others as well is that Chiropractic treatment which I had for 7 years is not the answer it only makes everything worse if your problem is the spine. I only went there for so long because I had given up finding anyone who could help me.

What has helped me has been epidural steroid injections in the thoracic and lumbar areas but unfortunately they make the cervical area worse.
A medication used for epilepsy called Topamax has been very helpful to reduce the migraines that had increased to almost 25 days per month during the past several years.
An electrical appliance called “Tens” which reduces the pain sensation and helps nerve recovery. Also to keep changing the pain medication until you find one that really works for you, this took me years!
Then the last therapy which only you can do and no one else, any kind of relaxation therapy that works for you, I do meditation. I know it sounds strange but it really does help. It relaxes the muscles which are cramped.

[Keynote]

I have not heard of this traction device. I will look for it. I also have neck problems with bad headaches on and off. Thanks

[swebbybeebee]

very interesting reply, i had fusion C4-5 18 months ago, relief with neck/shoulder arm pain- still have alittle. but now have bad headaches and neck to mid back stabbing pain that is relentless, never had that before surgery. would you say that relaxation works for low levels of pain?  i had tried every procedure that i'm aware of.....