Headache/Eye Pain/Neck Pain

[Spinx1000]

I am a fit 29 year old male. A few years back I was diagosed with Polycythemia. My mother had this rare blood condition. I have suffered with bad headaches over the years but lately I can't take anymore. I have gone to consultants about my blood condition and told them of my headaches but they do not think they are connected and have failed to provide any explanation why I suffer like this. Normally i wake with the headache, also I will have a pain over my right eye. Sometimes the pain is so bad I get sick. The pain can spread around the back of my head and out my neck. Most of the time i only get relief when my wife massages the back of my neck. This relief may only be temporary. I had put it down to sinus for a long time as I can also feel very congested in the nose. However at this stage I feel there is more to it. Could it be caused my neck problems?

[Dr_Foot]

Polycythemia as you may known is an increase in the number of red blood cells mainly. It is though the overproduction of the RBC's is due to chronically low levels of oxgyen or over exciatably of the bone marrow where RBC's are produced. The classic symptom of headaches in polcythemia is associated with a couple of possible causes: hypertension, blood clots or increased intracranial pressure. If you current doctor did not associate this findings with the condition I would suggest you seek alternate advice.

Regards

Dr Foot

[KatEyes]

Have you had scans to rule out likely causes? I'm particularly thinking of an MRI and MRA of the neck and head. I had headaches for years before these tests were done and they identified some contributing factors.

You mention waking up with the headaches. May be unrelated, but that can be a symptom of sleep apnea. If you have any other sleep issues or are sleepy during the day, a visit to a sleep doctor may be in order.