Help me

[Bam08]

I was In a Head on rollover MVA ( motor vehicle accident) 6 months ago, and ever since than i have been experiencing terrible headaches. I have seen doctors after doctors and nobodys seems to be able to figure out what is wrong with my head. I am 21 years old. Before my car accident, i was a perfectly healthy 21 year old girl and now I live with a constant pressure headache. I feel like my head is going to explode. I have had MRIs and they all say normal but the doctors keep putting me on new medicines. Ive tried all the meds for migraines and tension headaches and nothing helped. I now take topamax, naproxen, flexeril, percocet, toradol, and one other that im not sure of the name. Doctors jeep putting me on medicines for certain things but nothing helps. When i take my meds i walk around like a zombie, i think the doctors just dope me up so ill leave them alojne but these medicines arent taking my headaches away they're just masking the issue. I want to live my life not walk around in a daze. I really wish there was an answer, i wish somebody could help me.

[selmaS]

Hi, I am not sure what is going on with u either, but wonder was ur MRI w/wo contrast?

Also, it has been known when someone is in an accident such as urs that u can agrivate a condition u didn't know u had.If the drs and radiologists r not looking for it, could miss it completely.

The condition is chiari malformation. Ask ur dr to review ur MRI.....there is a classification for chiari 0- which means there is a crowding of tissue in the skull, no herniation...chiari I - is crowding with a herniation it can measure from 3mm on up.
also being in a MVA can also cause a syrinx at the point of the truma.A MRI w/wo contrast on the rest of the spine, or area of injury would help detect if u had something like this. Ask to be sure u do not have a CSF block due to swelling.

I hope this is of some help!!

We do have a chiari forum here on med help....stop by and read some of the threads if u think this could be an issue for u.

Good luck
Godspeed
"selma"

[ggreg]

Well, since MRI was normal, perhaps you have headaches from your muscles in your neck and shoulders getting wrenched from the impact of the car wreck.  This means you should visit a professional massage therapist, find one who has the right touch or tell them exactly how much pressure you want them to rub your back and shoulders and neck.  You should go three times a week at first, then once a week, try this for a couple months.  This may give you relief.  Muscle tension in the shoulders and neck will give you headaches.  Also, sometimes drinking some coffee every morning will help a headache.  

If you don't want to take all that heavy-duty medicine, could be you could keep one or two, and VERY SLOWLY cut back on the others, taking at least a month to do it.  If your headaches still don't go away, then perhaps a CAT scan (cheaper than an MRI) should be done of your spine, particularly the neck and shoulder area.  If they see something out-of-place, or pulled or torn ligaments or muscles, they can prescribe physical therapy for you, or if it's real bad, operations are the last resort.

I was in a car wreck, broke my back, and the spine was compressed into a distinct curvature, wrenching all my muscles out of place.  That was 35 years ago.  To this day, I have trouble with those muscles and of course the misalignment of my spine.  But I was taught some very helpful therapeutic exercises that I still do.  So, I CAN tell you one trick I learned that might give you a little relief.  

Lay on the floor, flat on your back with your legs up on the couch or in a chair.  Scoot up close to the couch or chair, and use your hands to slowly lower your head down flat, which it may pop and crackle a little.  Then let your arms fall out to the side.  This takes all the weight off your spine and, for me, it stops the pain, so it might help your headaches.

Those would be my ideas.  I hope you get relief soon.  And if nothing else, visiting a professional masseuse should really help in general, after such a jolt from the unfortunate collision you experienced.  If that doesn't help, get a CAT scan of your spine and maybe physical therapy.