Could strange pains be caused by tight shoulder?

[Tsutt]

I am a 32 year old women who started with tension headaches in her forehead.  Then pain in the right ear began.  Shortly after and for the last 3 months or so, I have had sharp and burning pains in my head that seem to move to different areas on both sides of my head along with pain in both ears, and pains on the tops of my forearms. It lasts all day long but it does not wake me up at night.  Vision is fine but I do have moments of confusion that lasts just a couple of seconds.  For instance, someone will ask me a question and it takes me a few seconds to understand what is being asked.  It only lasts for a couple of seconds but it has happened a few times and I thought that was strange. I have had two MRIs of the head and both came back fine.  The doctor thinks it is related to the tight muscles in my right shoulder and back. I was given muscle relaxers, which I can only take at night because they put me to sleep (probably why I don't wake up at night with these strange pains) and bextra for the inflamation (inflammation) in my muscles, which really seems to be doing nothing to help.  Is this a course that you might agree with, that this is most likely do to tight muscles which are pinching nerves or would you check something else? Also, the bextra was given to help with inflamation (inflammation) in the cartilage in my ribs (how this happened, I don't know)  Could this somehow be related to the "headaches"?
Thank you for your input on this.  I feel like I'm getting nowhere fast and it's scary to think there might be something wrong that they might be missing.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS]

Muscle tension in the muscles of the scalp, neck, and shoulder regions can cause neck and head pain. I would not expect this to cause pain in your forearms. A MRI of the cervical spine may be useful to help exclude degenerative disc disease. If this is negative an EMG (muscle/nerve test) may be useful. I hope this is helpful. Good luck.

[Tsutt]

One more thing, the top of my head is tender to the touch, like I've bumped it and now it's bruised.  Very Strange...

[ontherecord]

I find it unconvincing that all of these symptoms could be solely due to tight muscles in the right shoulder and back.  If the muscle relaxants aren't helping, then the etiology hasn't been truly confirmed.  You have mentioned that your MRI's came back normal, but what about the neurological exam? Was that unremarkable as well? Are you being managed by a neurologist? What else has s/he discussed with you?

[ontherecord]

Can you also describe the nature of the ear pain? You mentioned that it started in the right ear, but then you felt it in the left ear....how long does the ear pain last, and is it accompanied by any other symptoms (vertigo or dizziness, abnormal eye movements, etc.)? Can you also describe in greater detail the nature of the transient confusion you're experiencing? Is it more of a disorientation with time and place, or is it just brief moments of slowed information processing? Finally, besides the medications you mentioned, are you on any other medications?

[Tsutt]

Thank you for your responses.
My exam was done at a headache/pain center.  The doctor did not mention any other ideas of what this may be. The ear pain is a sudden dull ache.  It comes out of nowhere and lasts only for a short time.  I'm wondering if it is due to the muscle joining the ear and the shoulder.  
The confusion is definately slowed information process.  I don't know if it is related at all.  Someone will ask me a question and I fell like it takes a couple of seconds to process it.  This has happened three or four time in the last couple of months.
As far as medications go, I'm not on anything other than what they gave me.  I have however traded the bextra for ibuprofin - it seems to work better for me.  
This weekend, I did try to take the muscle relaxer during the day.  I took 1/2 of one in the morning so it woldn't make me tired.  It did seem to help.  However, when it wore off, my shoulders and back muscles went into knots, like spasms.  This lasted for about an 1 1/2 hours. It was very painful.  And ever since, the muscles going down my back are very tight.  I've tried stretching, yoga, etc. Nothing.
I'm going to go back to the neurologist and request the MRI of the spine as sugeested above. There has to be a reason or at least a solution to these strange pains.

[kahle]

I know what you are going through.  I also suffer from tension headaches that cause strange and unusual symptoms that doctors can find no answers to. I insisted to my GP that I try Physical Therapy to help loosen the muscles.  Not only did that help but they helped with some vestibular exercises (to help with the dizziness and "confusion") as well.  It helped with me.  It may not be the answer for you but it can't hurt.  Let me know if it helps.  

Good Luck.