Head/Neck pain pressure. Please help.

[SaraBellum]

Hello,

I am a 31year old female. In 10/07, I suddenly experienced an aching pain on the left side of my neck, under my jaw bone that radiated to my ear up to my temple with some sharp pain under my eyebrow. It felt like I had a blockage in my neck and I had to position my head to the left. This sudden onset left me light headed and also came with what was eventually diagnosed as anxiety. The pain was so intense I went to the hospital emergency room, where I was diagnosed with TMJ due to the area of the pain.  I followed up with both my PCP and Dentist. My dentist ruled out TMJ or any tooth issues and my doctor referred me to a neurologist.

Needless to say, 2 ½ months, countless blood work, a MRI (showed nothing), and spinal tap (ruled out everything) later, I have been diagnosed with migraines and was given Nortriptyline, gradually increasing to the current 30 mg per day. I am not sensitive to light or noise nor do I feel like I’m having a “headache”. I constantly have a pressure feeling on the left side of my neck and head. I have recently started acupuncture and after the first treatment I felt ok for a few days, with no pressure however now the pain has returned with a vengeance along with the head, neck pain and head angled to alleviate pressure to the same side of the pain. Also, my anxiety level is through the roof when the pain is intense.  

Some history, In 2005 I experienced facial numbness and tingling in the right side of my face and was told it was probably a virus. At that time, I had a MRI and blood work done, both results were fine. I still have this facial issue, I have just adjusted to it.  In 5/2007, I was diagnosed with allergies due to the multiple sinus infections and sinus headaches I had experienced in a short amount of time. Sinus headaches are the most common type of headache I have experienced. Also, about a week before the sudden onset of these so called ‘migraines’, I did have a terrible cold but not the flu. Possibly related or not?

Has anyone experienced these type of symptoms? What, if anything, has helped you with your symptoms?  Are they really migraines?  This is very exhausting. Any insight would be helpful. Thank you for your time.  

[Dr Santos]

Hi,
How are you? It is good to hear that your health has been better.  A magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA), like MRI, uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to provide pictures of blood vessels inside the body. With MRA, both the blood flow and the condition of the blood vessel walls can be seen using a contrast material. Take care and wishing you good health always. Warm regards.

[SaraBellum]

Your diagnosis sounds pretty intense. I hope everything has gone well for you.

I had not heard of an MRA but that would have been helpful if my doctor would have recommended it, if just to rule it out. The mysterious ailments are still that, mysterious.   For the most part, my health has been better.

Thank you for that helpful information.

[BadKarma650]

I don't know if you'll see this since the original post is two years old but I had the same numbness/neck pain/pressure.  An MRI showed nothing but an MRA showed that I had an anuerysm in my left corotid artery in the cavernous sinus (where the corotid enters the skull).  Maybe that info will help

[cvega]

I encourage you both to persevere, persevere, persevere. I hate reading about your symptoms and seeing that you don't have an appoitment for several weeks out, and that you were experiencing numbness in your tongue and finding it difficult to articulate for several weeks and your doctors wern't tripping over themselves to get your very serious syptoms to stop. Could I venture the guess that you both are your primary advocates when it comes to your health. I am. I'm married to a wonderful man, but he is not a roaring lion, and that is what seems to be needed often times when one is ill. The one who is ill, is too vulnerable to question and be alert and say, "Now," "That doesn't work," "This isn't working," and "Call the doctor."
I know how migraines do all that you described, and I'm so sorry that YOU know them like I do. It is commonly written in medical journals that migraine sufferers develop a low tolerance for pain; that is a claim I have strongly digagreed with several years now. I've felt that because of what we endure, and often silently because our pride makes us  'fake it' until our body betrays us, we develope a much higher threshold and tolerance for discomfort and eventually pain because we are conditioned to tolerate it to stronger and stronger degrees; so my point, don't let any doctor, or anyone, insult you or your situation with migraines by belittling you. Take your maigaines seriousely, because they are. All the best, cvega

[tracik]

I also wanted to add that i also recently experienced (at the same time the pain started in the back and front of the neck) a numbness/thickness on the right side only of my tongue. this lasted for 3 weeks then got better. It felt funny to talk-hard to get my tongue to form words. I am also fatigued on my right side--it tires easily. Also, my right  eye feels heavy or thick but no vision problems. I need answers and forgot to add this above.

Thanks,Tracik

[tracik]

I have been experiencing things very similar to what you describe. I have been experiencing this for about a year. My problems started after being diagnosed with the flu in March of 2007. I had two ear infections at that time as well and the right side of my head has not been the same since. I was diagnosed with a viral ear infection in summer. I experienced- over several months- problems with dizziness, confusion, feelings of fainting, a pulsing in my ear that sounded like a helicopter or morse code.  In November, I began feeling a burning/pulling feeling in the front of my neck where you check your pulse on the same side as all the other problems. Im not sure if all is related or just a coincidence that all is on the same side.  The pain in the front of neck eventually after a couple of weeks went away but has now returned along with a pain in the back of my neck that radiates up and into the top of my head.This pain has been a constant pain for 4 weeks now and pain medication doesn't help it. An MRI was done and it found nothing. I am scheduled to see a neurologist in a couple of weeks. You're not alone.

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi,

Maybe you can discuss with your neurologist the condition called carotidynia as a possible differential.The pain of carotidynia is severe and may involve the neck, jaw line and temples ( it follows the path of the common carotids).Some have associated this with a viral infection.

Keep us posted regarding physician's advice.