could this be stress?

Posted by k on April 22, 1999 at 16:44:05
for the last 2 years or so I have had the following odd symptoms:
1. "clicking" at the back of my head when I turn my head in certain directions (and sometimes even when I don't turn it) - seems to be coming from the base of my skull on the right side of my neck
2.  intermittent tingling in the back of my head
3.  I am able to hear my pulse quite strongly in a quiet room - always present unless I am lying down.
I went to an ear/nose/throat dr. and he could not establish any sort of diagnosis but a. gave me a hearing test and he could also hear my pulse during the test; b. sent me for an mri (neck, i believe) and could find nothing.  this is driving me crazy!!  I am wondering if maybe it is stress because I have an extremely stressful job that I don't always handle very well and I generally let things get to me in general.  looking for any sort of help!
Posted by HFHS.MD.D.E. on April 27, 1999 at 10:21:43
Dear K;
It seems that you had a good evaluation done i.e. an Ear,Nose,Throat evaluation and an MRI of the neck. You did mention that you have a stressful job and that you generally let things get to you. I agree that the symptoms that you have been feeling could be related to stress. I am not sure whether you have been having other symptoms such as depressed mood, insomnia, poor appetite and loss of pleasure in activities. Sometimes, depression presents in other forms such as physical symptoms. I advice you to monitor the symptoms and follow up with your doctor if the symptoms change or worsen. If interested, you could call Henry Ford Behavioral Services at [phone] for a confidential evalaution. Talking with a therapist could help you cope if things become overwhelming. I hope this information was helpful.It is however for general information only and is not intended to substitute for a medical consultation.
Key words: Depression