Inflammation of Carotid artery and neck pain

[SBBugg]

About six months ago my left neck began to hurt and I noticed what I thought was a lump there. I went to a head and neck specialist and he said that I had inflammtion of my Carotid artery(Carotidynia).  The lump, I guess, was just the bifurcation of my artery that was swollen. The doctor told me to take an anti-inflammatory(ibuprophen) for 2 weeks. The pain finally diminished, but about a month later it started in my right neck. The pain now runs all the way down my neck and into my shoulder and right chest a bit.  It especially hurts if I apply pressure to my pulse(Carotid artery).  It feels like inflammed nerves or something. So, I went back to another doctor and he gave the same diagnosis. He said unfortunatley the cause is unknown. Now I am on a stronger anti-inflammatory. I just want to know the cause so it won't come back. I also got blood work and a head and neck xray completed, but am still waiting for results. Has anyone ever had this?  Any similar symptoms?  Should I be more concerned? Thanks

[odd]

I have the same thing going on, just about 2 days ago i had an intense pain in the right side of my neck over my carotid artery and then the next day i felt a lump which caused me to believe it was swollen.  The lump is still there and the pain is too, i haven't been to a specialist just my family doctor who told me arteries don't get inflammed.  Then i saw this website and realized that he must have been wrong, anyway i know what you are experiencing and it is no fun!

[SBBugg]

My doctors said that it is just the outer lining of the artery that is inflammed.( nothing to do with the inside).  I have been on anti-inflammatories for 3 weeks now and it still hurts. Does yours hurt worse when you press on your pulse?  Let me know if you find out anything else about this condition.

[mst2]

I just had this happen to me.  It began about 3 weeks ago and come on rather suddenly.  I am now on prescription strength Motrin.  I am interested in knowing your results.

Thank you,

mst2

[tina6884]

I had the same thing about a year ago. My internist placed me on steroids, antibiotics, pain meds, and cough med. All my symptoms were pain over my left carotid artery, I had a cough that was almost constent, I could hardley turn my head, I could not lie in bed on my left side, you could look at my neck and see my pulse pounding, I had pain from my ears all the way down my shoulder. I first went to a nurse practioner who said it was all my ears and to take mucinex. I did so but continued to get orse which is when I seen my internist. She was flipping out about how bad it was and wanted me in the hospital, I refused and did meds. I was on steroids for 30 days. I have been fine until now. My symptoms started again yesterday and I go see my internist this week. SO maybe you should find an internist and good luck I think it is more serious then some doctors are acting. Hope this helps.

[lauren81]

Hi everyone.

Has anyone had a thryoid check? My Dad (age 53), also went through this about 2 years ago. However, his GP is an amazing guy, and sent him for some blood tests and scans. It turns out that he had "nodules" (cysts) on his thryoid, which were causing his neck to swell and inflame everything around it. He also had trouble swallowing sometimes, and coughed alot (especially when laying down.) As his were, usually these nodules are benign, but do have to be removed if they're causing breathing troubles. He made it through the surgery fine. He does still have some nodules on the other side of his thyroid, but they haven't grown & aren't causing problems, so they will just stay there. I'm not saying that any of you have nodules, but if the steroids aren't helping, or it keeps coming back, etc., I would say that going to an endocrinologist wouldn't be an over-reaction.Hope that helped.

[meades]

This same thing has been going on for almost a year now for me. I just turned 40 (male). A few months ago I went to my Primary Doctor and he said my Right Carotid Artery was inflamed. It is very painful to the touch and almost throbs with heartbeat. He wrote a script for a low dose of prednisone. The pain almost always goes away within a two week period, whether I take something or not, but I am very concerned as to why this is happening and if here is something else I need to address with my Doctor. I am in good health otherwise. Is this something I now have to just live with???

[keebe]

I was diagnosed in Oct., 2008 with caratidinia and given steroids and antibitics.  It helped.  BUT  my concern is that 2 months later, i went to my doctor with a cough that I just cannot control and now pain on the opposite side exactly like the right side and he tells me I have it again, on the other side.   I THOUGHT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE RARE???????   so how did it come back so soon and now on the opposite side?  I refuse to go back to reg. dr., he can refer me to another doctor.   wanted to tell you I sweat like a lizard at night and sometimes during the day.   My eyes have also gotten really inflammed and itchy, and soar?  I don't know .  I am a healthy 45 yr old, 5 7 and weigh within my range.  sorry that you feel like ****.  I hope you will know where to go from here and let us all know.

[mrswhatacop]

OMG, just came from the dr. with the same thing, he told me to take Aleve 3 times a day....I also have a bad cough and was diagnosed today with high blood pressure and asthma....what in the heck is going on.......I am quite frightened......he did an EKG just to rule out a heart attack and some blood work, said it was routine testing but I wonder?!?!?!

[meades]

Follow up...

So $$$$'s later and the Doctors still do not know what is causing me to have these pains so often. The only thing they have said is that most people get this once, maybe twice, during their lifetime and never again. Usually treated with over the counter Ibuprofen to help with the inflammation. I have it this four times in the past year and they just don't know why. I hope I have had the last episode already. Blood work shows slightly high sugars and CT shows nothing. Go figure.

[babs0261]

check for lymph nodes, floating lymph nodes due to sinus and throat irritation, also I had aprocedure done a radiofrequency procedure on facet joints, cleared my problem right up.  If you have inflamation with your facet joints it could be the cause

[babs0261]

go to A pain specialist, (anesthesiologist-pain dr) and search into facet treatment, with radiofrequency, this helps with disc trouble, facte trouble, and all other causes of pain in neck.  It is very beneficial to those in chronic pain and meds do not help.  I have multiple disc herniations, impingement etc and now after I had this procedure done I am pain free.  You can have this procedure done to avoid certain surgeries.  Refer to Dr Gorfine website in Palm Beach, FLorida.  

[swtcountrynana45]

ok I went to chiropractor had my neck poped and then by time i got home my eyes were blooded shot and i couldnt stand neck pain was so bad went to the dr and they had to send me to eye dr i had Uveitius in my eyes (eye inflamation)in both eyes and had to wear neck brace . couldnt stand for my head to sit on my neck . so now im wondering if the neck being pop is what is causing the eye inflamtion. my neck is still killing me been dealing with this for 2 yrs and i cant seem to get any Dr to believe me. this all started when i got my neck popped. has this every happened to anyone else. they cant seem to get my inflamtion to go away in my eyes. im feel like im at a dead in.

[cheslighty]

im experiencing the same thing, but no cough really, i do have pain in my mid-back that started about a week or two ago, then i woke up one morning and had a pain on the artery on my right side. It specifically hurts when i look straight up then turn to the right....I also feel discomfort going into my right check, i though it was tonsilitus, but i did a light workout and stretched alot, im  hoping that helps........by all the posts this seem to be kinda comon,......has anyone had the condition worsen????

[Cricket23]

I was just diagnosed last week with the same thing.  Horrible pain.  I also had a massive ear infection on top of it.  I have put together symptoms and realize I have had this a long time.  I though it was my neck where I have a herniated disc.  On 30 days of steroids, pain meds and sleeping pills.  At least I have a compassionate ENT who diagnosed it straight off.  I swear he knew before the placed a hand on me.  I had been mentioning the swelling just below my jaw and behind my ear for what seems like forever and it was just ignored.  I read that it may take up to 2 years on steroids to completely clear.  All I know is this sucks, sorry but it does.  I know you guys understand.  

[BobbyToes]

I could say "Ditto" to all of the above; however, in addition to the swelling on the right side of my neck and the pain/sensitivity, I also have had this huge, loud pulsing in my head.  Large doses of Ibuprofen have lessened the pulsing, but it is unnerving and wearing me out.  I'm waiting for the results of blood work to determine if I need Prednisone, but don't want to go on it if I can help it.  Will the Ibuprofen do the same thing?  When does the neck pain stop and the swelling go down?

[capecliff]

Went golfing on Sun. felt fine, that evening my neck on the left side started getting sore, at first I thought I pulled a muscle, next day extreme pain on left side carotid area, felt like I had a massive swolen gland, but none there.  I went to a NP she thought pulled muscle, I mentioned maybe parathyroid? so she did blood work, nothing there but pain got worse, so today I went back and a different NP along with a Dr. They examined me and diagnosed as Arteritis.  She is sending me for a neck ultrasound this week... my pain ranges from a 2/3 to 8/9 out of 10, at the low range it's tough to pinpoint, at it's worse, it is intense from below ear to just above collar bone.  Tylenol or advil does give good relief, but not total, she is putting me on Naprosyn 500mg 2x day.
I'm M 42 non smoker, active... Freakin me out.  She did say it's rather common, extremely painful, and tough to diagnose specifically, only rule out other things and treat... I feel ya'lls pain...literally.  

[cw896]

Me too.  Mine started when I was approx. 40 y.o.  Currently 48 y.o. female, non-smoker. not overweight. Interesting to note that another individual who posted at this site also has slightly elevated blood sugar.  Went to the ER, MD gave steroids to take.  Another Dr. recommended  Ibuprofin for the pain and swelling.Will go long periods with no problems.  Most current episode started 2 days and I also have a bad cough.  It was interesting to note that others have that same commonality.  I also experience great fatigue when the pain starts. Pain is in neck, jaw, ear, and temple areas. Had an ultrasound done on both the caratid arteries and no plaquing was evident. Very concerning.  This is the first time I found anything specific about Carotidynia.

[oldbiker66]

My husband has been having constant headache pain for over 2 months--the doctor diagnosed him with carotid artery inflammation and we have been searching for more answers for which we're not having a lot of luck. Our primary care physican says he has only seen two cases of this and has prescribed anti inflammatories which haven't helped a lot other than make him nauseus. He has sweating episodes, cold extremeties also and wondering if anyone else is experiencing this at all?  He's tried sleeping with different pillows at night for some relief, but nothing seems to help. We are thinking of going to Mayo (which is only 40 minutes away) to see if we can get some answers. Has anyone else been there yet?  
He has no cough either that some of you others have mentioned--ear ache, head ache, pulsing, and nausea but there just doesn't seem to be any answers.

[mellowguy]

I dealt with recurring carotid pain for years before discovering that in my case it was actually a form of migraine. If I catch it in the first couple of minutes, two Excedrin may work. If I wait too long, the Excedrin won't work. Then a single dose of Imitrex eliminates it within an hour. It is miraculous!

[angel1970]

my husband was diagnosed about a month ago with inflammation of his carotid artery on his left side he was prescribed anti-inflamatorys and told by our family doctor that this was rare a couple of days ago he started to have pain on his right side sore throat burning up at night called our doctor they put him on anti inflammatorys again if this is so rare how  has he got it in both sides of his neck and from what i have been checking out on the web inflammation of the atery could mean plaque build up he also gets headaches that last for days  has anyone out there got a definite diagnosis because i am worried my husband could have a stroke or heart attack

[bope77]

hello out there,, please i need help to this,, i discovered a small ballike inflammation on my left side of the neck at about 3 years though it wasnt hurting then,, went to a gp and he told me its just a normal inflammation i wondered then,,,,normal inflammation?? after 3 years i i discovered another on the right side which doesnt take up to 3 weeks before it started paining me and to worsen it the former one on the right side of the neck started paining me as well all i have been given by my doctor is diclofenac,, but it isnt working especially now that i am having the burning pain on all my neck and recently i have been having my pulse and almost most part of my body palpitating so loud and fast even to me hearing especially at the back of my neck....please help me what is this,,, im confused and cry over this sometimes because this is the first time in my lifei would be having problem with my health,.....help me,,,,,,

[AmyE77]

Hi, I am a 31 yr old female and also have severe neck pain on the right side of my neck in the carotid area for 3 days now.  It radiates into my jaw, shoulder and right arm. I went to Emergency room yesterday where they did several back,chest & neck xrays and also a carotid doppler. They said there were no tears or blockage in my carotid artery and all xrays and blood work came back fine. They sent me home with a diagnosis of Arthritis and a script for motrin and vicodin. There is no visible inflammation on my neck but the pain is unbeleivable! It seems to worsen when Im up moving around (as when my heart rate increases) its like i can feel my pulse in that area and its painful. I didnt know that arthritis in the neck would cause you to feel pain when your heart rate increases. Im terrified that they missed something in the tests they ran. The pain has worsened and it does not go away with prescription motrin.

[Vishal29]

Hi, like you all i am experiencing the same pain in my back neck (Left side) and its been now seven years.....Initially, it started from vertigo and now i get the pain and the vertigo as well. This vertigo can last for about 1hr and it happens to me generally every morning. I went to doctors and till now nobody had been able to diagnose the real problem.
Can any help me? Its a real hell.....

Thanks in advance

[Phrogflyer]

I am on my second bout of the inflamed carotid artery syndrome (2 years to the month apart).  I have looked into it and there is no definitive diagosis for cause.  The common belief is a viral infection.  Since I get hayfever in spring and use Flonase and that drug can cause upper respritory infection, I have to wonder if drug promotes the problem.  In any case as uncomfortable as it can be, it isn't fatal and only lasts a week or so wtih anti-inflamatories.  Good luck all.