DO I HAVE OCCIPITAL NEURALGIA OR TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA OR WHAT?

[fresnoborn]

hello. i have been having chronic pain for over 9 years now. it is pain in the back of my head in the center where the spine meets the head in the nap area. it radiates down my neck and into my shoulders and down part of my back. it also radiates around both sides of my head and around my jaws, over my nose and over my upper teeth. it feels like a stinging, tight feeling with some sort of pressure. i  had an mri of the head and all it showed was a retention cyst in the right sinus that wasn't irritated. i had an mri of the neck and it showed a slight bulging of the c5 c6. i had a neck xray and it showed bone spurs on my c2 c3. the docs feel that these issues should not be causing me such severe pain. i am currently on neurontin, baclofen and lexapro. i seen a pain doctor and he said he thinks it may be trigeminal neuralgia. i looked on the internet and i read about something called occipital neuralgia. i'm wondering if maybe it could be that. can you tell what other tests i can take to see if its the bone spurs, or the discs or the retention cyst or occipital neuralgia or trigeminal neuralgia? i am at the end of my rope. i am now on nexium also because the meds are tearing up my stomach. please advice on what i can do next? thank you any advice will be greatly appreciated.

[frustrated7261]

I was rear ended 7 months ago, since that day I have not been pain free. They tell me I have occipital neuralgia. I have done the injections, meds (that made me very unsettled) and pain meds every day and nothing helps. I have not been able to return  to work, adding to the stress. I understand the frustration of others with chronic pain. Nothing is worse than them telling you we do not know what else to do for you.

[ixus]

I think you should check condition named Chiari Malformation.
http://www.chiarione.org/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/chiari-malformation/index.html

[mag9809]

I too used neuronton,and it did nothing for me except make me off balance, and took me a while to get back to myself- as far as thinking clearly, although the shooting pain makes me feel very anxious, I at least now feel like this is not gonna beat me I will get to the bottom of it.
Someone said that this forum was useless,but I feel that maybe if the dr`s & others feel "Its all in your head " there is someone else thats knows different,I say they need to walk in your shoes.
Hope you find ansers too!
                   Mag

[mag9809]

Hi
hope you are getting better,there is nothing worse than recurring pain and no answers.I know a little about that for quite some time I have a recurring sharp like almost like an electrical shock pain that hits me in the left ankle -like the nerve is damaged .I have x-rays mri nerve tests and needle tests in my muscles-no ans.

[fresnoborn]

i have to take the neurontin and baclofen because i am in complete agony if i don't take it, it's just tearing up my stomach but i have to take it. do you think it could be related to occipital neuralgia?