myofascal problem? NECK muscles?

[jatiro]

For the past five months i have had a continous headache that medication does not seem to help. The headache is primaruily on my left temple and the pain varies from a 3 to 8 out of 10. The headache started with a stabbing pain on the top of my left temple area the changed to a constant sharp pain that over the past 4 months has shown a small sign of improvement but not alot. On the day i got the headache i was doing overhead work for a few hours in the morning and then hr before headache punched the couch messing around.

Also since week 2 i have been having alot of muscle issues in my neck. Trapizium SCM on the side of the headache feel tense and inflammed and have also found two small lumps on the back of my head. Think they are on the suboccupital muscles or other muscle in that area. These lumps (feels like a small pea) are not overly sensitive but if massaged can become sore to the touch. I also seem to be holding left shoulder high, get pain in neck(C7 area) and left shouldler

The headache has always been around the temples and get a tight tingling feeling just infront of my left ear (where my artery is also more noticable than usual by touch) about 1 inche square and sometimes it spreads along cheek bone.

I have had an MRI of the head and a CT of head and a full range of blood test which were clear apart from raise in my eurinsphil levels which is at a 7

Could a neck muscle problem cause a five month continous headache? (with varying intensity of pain)

Would a mri scan of the neck be able to look at muscle in neck and look for any nerve problems?

[loz51]

Hello everyone

I was wondering if anyone has suffered these syptoms that I have had for an ongoing 3 years now. A dull aching pain down the right side of the arm and up the right side of my neck, also numbness and pins and needles occasionally in the arm.

Thanks Loz

[DaveMck]

I have just developed this problem over the last few days. My kneck feels sore, weak at times. I have pain in my left temple. Plus I also have the twitching in my kneck. I plan to phone the docter tomorrow. It is great that sites like this are about, really helped my understand where i should really be heading with this matter and also settled my nerves about it.

[Maria]

James, how is your headache now? Are you still doing acupuncture? I've been sent to another neurologist in another city because it's taking to long time to get an appointment here. I hope you're feeling better.

Maria

[Sugar Fairy]

Having had an anterior discectomy with fusion 2 years ago, I am still getting dreadful incapacitating headaches.  They do seem to start at the back of my neck, proceed over the top of my head (generally one sided) and settle behind my eyes and forehead or down one side of my face.  They feel like a combination of nerve pain and intense pressure within my head.  I can feel quite sick at the same time.  Nothing seems to releive them and lying down or movement makes them worse.  I think it must be related to my neck but I don't know why.  Can anyone advise me?

[suffer0611]

Ifell down 20 feet of concrete steps fall 2004 supraconlar fracture of humerus of humerus with ulnar nereve involement per and had 2 surgeries then had to have spinal fuion on L4-5 because foot keep drooping and buring, pain in hip. Surgery on Back May 20005 still hurting like before.?   But why is why my neck  left trapaze muscle, scauple and left arm hurting.  I can't sleep, I'm misable.

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

I cannot give you a clinical diagnosis over the internet, so my adivce is limited and should not substitute for a formal medical opinion.

Headaches can be intimately connected with pain and muscle spasm in the neck. Perhaps the best idea is to deal with the neck problem first - with physical therapy, muscle relaxants, botox to relieve the muscle spasm, then see what residual headache is left if any. The headache now seems to be continuous as you say, termed chronic daily headache, a common outcome of unresolved/undiagnosed headache. To eliminate the problem the underlying cause ?neck muscles should be identifies and treated, and your pain medications managed carefully to avoid or elimate medication overuse headache (a common additional factor to chronic daily headache). Its possible there may be a pinched nerve in the neck triggering the muscle spasm, this can be evaluated with an MRI of the neck.
Followup with a neurologist or headache specialist is important

[jatiro]

My neuro has diagnoised me as having Status migraine. Is it possible to have a five month migraine??

[summertimetowne]

Because U brought it on by compressing the back of your neck-I would suggest an MRI (no CT scan) of cervical spine to rule out chiari malformation, and/or basilar invagination.

[Citizen T]

jaitro,

if i were you, i would get:

MRA of the brain
MRA of the cercical vessels
MRV of the brain
ANA and Lupus screen
Avoid any strenuous exercise (such as pushups) without proper breathing techniques

[sissy123]

I had anterio cervical fusion almost one year ago today.  I have many migraines and I use Max-alt 10mg and they help so much.  I use to suffer with them for days on end.  My problem seems to stem from the constant severe muscle spasms in my neck and shoulders still.  Surgery did take away the feeling that I was holding onto an electric fence in my arm, but I still have alot of pain where I mentioned.  

I bought a 150 year old house which has needed much work.  I tried to throw myself into it and was painting many cabinets two tone colors and was looking up almost the whole time.  That was about 1 month ago and I have been in terrible pain ever since.  So I was thinking, you said you had a MRI of your brain, but it sounds like you may need one of your neck.  It hurts when you look down...does your headache ever start from your neck or the base of your skull?  

Sissy123

[jatiro]

if i try to put my head to my chin i do get pain in back/neck. The headache has been 24/7 but the pain varies. I also have noticed that when i am relaxed i get a  twitch from my neck and i hear a click which never used to happen. I seem to always have a dull ache in the left side of my neck, and if i press on the top of my back muscles i have a couple of areas which are tender to touch.

[mike1105]

sounds myofascial to me.. i've been through this. gentle, persistent, consistent, frequent stretching and massage if that's the case.

[jatiro]

I am a 22 yearold male 75kg.

[jatiro]

was yor headache persistent, did you eventually mange to get rid of it?