weird neck ,sinus pressure, pressure behind eye,constant neck popping.

[silvermoon38]

Last spring I was suffering from neck pain that led to headaches. The neck pain had been there from the previous fall but not the headaches.Then I started feeling pressure in my forehead,went to the doctor they did a cat scan and I had a really bad sinus infection.Lasted for about 3 weeks,went to the ears for another two weeks and finally disappeared! A couple of days went by feeling pretty good then all of the sudden felt an extreme head pressure and a swelling in the side of neck! I thought maybe my sinus infection had come back but CT scans showed no sinus problems,ears clear.The ENT did agree that I had soft tissue swelling in the side of my neck (where the cartoid artery would be). Had another contrast CT scan on the side of my neck. Showed mild swelling and that was all. I got busy moving to a new house towards the end of that summer so I let things slide.  Okay here are my symptoms that are making my life misery! Behind eye pressure in right eye fullness feeling in right ear,occasional ringing in right ear,swollen neck (right side) that when pressed upon makes the pressure behind my right eye feel worse! Floaters and worsening vision in right eye, constant neck popping and cracking  ( to release pressure build up ) pressure  and sorness in neck area, sore spot on spine towards the neck. right arm weakness, sore shoulder blades., and sinus pressure without sinus problem,s extreme fatigue. Can anyone give me a clue?

[jcarter0489]

Currently experiencing similar symptoms. And it cause me to have chest pain which the doctor said isn’t Costochondritis and that’s inflammation on the chest/rib cage.  I know I’m years late but any diagnosis?

[jcarter0489]

*which IS Costochondritis

[Amber_84]

Silvermoon, I'm having the exact same problems.... Help me figure this out

[Mward85]

Spinal compression, slight-severe  disk herniation in the cervical spine , subluxation (dislocated) of atlas and axial , chiari malformation, cat scratch fever, nasal cavity and nasopharengial cancers can cause all of these symptoms. As can injury related damage to the central nervous system.c4

[RR1308]

I just found your post regarding your issues - which are pretty much identical to my own. The progression you've experienced follows my own going on 2+ years. What I and doctor have thought was adult onset of extreme allergies causing continual sinus pressure (for the first year), with symptoms expanding and intensifying, with sudden severe loss of vision in right eye (my only working eye), she ordered brain MRI, carotid artery test, sinus x-ray, autoimmune blood tests. All but the blood work came back deemed "normal." So - now to rheumatologist about the autoimmune issue. I did find the very substantive and helpful response in 2012 to your original post made during 2010. I do not like the sound of fibromyalgia - and I'm even more unhappy about the treatment the medical community is determined to shove on everyone - meaning pharmaceutical drugs like Lyrica. I thought it had been proven that fibromyalgia is caused by a virus. Which, in my case, makes sense. Immediately prior to onset of all of the symptoms you described and I too share in - I had a severe case of shingles located in the area where the back of the neck joins the head - and extending down spine over to emcompass right shoulder down to right elbow. To me, it makes sense to connect the viral origins of the shingles to a viral origin to the "fibromyalgia" symptom onset that has progressed over the past 2 years to now a debilitating level that impacts my life to the point where I am pretty much home bound 90% of the time. I don't know if you ever found treatment/diagnosis for your issues and I don't know if you are still online - but - on the chance that you are still kicking up a storm (happily I hope), I thought I'd toss out this reply. I'm a female - I do have some TMJ and wear a night guard made by a dentist for the past 6 months that hasn't really helped much - that was an attempt to address the weird pressure/jaw/facial bone pain that the dentist thought was due to TMJ - but the mouth guard doesn't appear to help - the situation has actually become worse. So - still trying to mitigate damages - using anti-inflammatory diet, herbs, turmeric, steam, daily soaks in hot tub with Epsom salts does help a lot at night. Also bought an acupuncture mat on Amazon - with neck acupunture cushion that helps relieve the pressure build up in the head. It's a horrible feeling - I'd prefer dealing with conventional pain I think rather than that type of pressure that makes you wonder if you're in mental jeopardy.

[JeLi305]

I googled my symptoms and this came up, exactly the same as mine but it seems to be triggered after winter is over. I live in south Florida and think the heat might have something to do with triggering inflammation??

[kmccraney1]

Hello...sorry I was not a member at the time of your post regarding your physical symptoms.  I did however feel compelled to respond to you, as there was no advice given to your complaint.

After reading much of (well almost all that I have had to live with) I wanted to help direct you in finding your proper--yes, "proper" diagnosis.

As for the swelling of your neck, obviously there is an autoimmune response actively attacking that lymph node.
Regarding the pressure and popping of your cervical spine...the pressure build-up is most likely coming from stenosis along with some inflammation. After long periods of inflammation, the joints begin to break down, thus causing a loss of cushion known as cartiledge disc between these vertebrae. The popping your hearing is just that. Osteoarthritis induced hypermobility. This can also happen when one with active osteoarthritis seeks chiropractic adjustments over several periods of time.  The treatment is spinal fusion with removal of arthritic tissue/scarring.

Now, to move on to your sensation of pressure behind the eye and within the ear, this can also be coming from that stubborn and worn out cervical spine. Addtionally, a jaw condition known as TMJ can cause similar symptoms.

At this point you're probably wondering how in the world can all of this be happening to me? Well, to make it simple, these are all symptoms of just one or two related conditions that commonly cause the symptoms your described.

Where there is joint, lymph node, pressure, muscle spasms; the screening for autoimmune disease must be ruled out. Commonly, patients are seen with more than one autoimmune disease, or a pre-existing disease aggravated by the immune system reacting to it excessively as in autoimmune.

I am no doctor, but based on your complete symptoms, here is what I recommend:
1. MRI C-spine
2. Referral to Rheumatologist (Run a CBC, ANA, Anti-DNA) to diagnose/rule-out an immune system cause.
3. Begin treatment for Fibromyalgia--your muscle spasms, and pressure behind eyes can be caused by muscular spasm of the TMJ, commonly seen with Fibromyalgia.
4. Finally, find a GOOD TMJ specialist and begin treatment.

Regardless of whether there is an autoimmune component, your symptoms sound to be that of Fibromyalgia with severe TMJ (commonly seen with this condition) Fibromyalgia loves to attack the jaw and cause alot of facial pain, exhaustion, and pressure around the front muscles of the neck.

Lastly, get the node in your neck biopsied to r/o another problem/confirm autoimmune disease.

I hope this helps.  Unfortunately, none of these recommendations are quick solutions and require many
months of follow-up and persistence to get under control. Manage your stress and get therapy if your
having trouble coping. Any long term illness is very wearing to the sufferer--no matter how strong they are!

Take care,

Kimberly

[misha84]

Have any of your doctors have a clue what it is?  I have the same symptoms and I feel like I am loosing my mind.  I have so much pressure, my chest is starting to hurt from the pressure and I feel most of the pressure in my ears.

[inverness50]

i have the same problem, same symptoms  as you along with triedness sorry have'nt found anything that really helps.

[silvermoon38]

Oh I forgot to add ,feels like someone is choking me when my neck flares up!