odd scalp pain

[jupiterfat]

Lately I've been experiencing a tight kind of pulled sensation on the left side of my head. This feeling runs from the top of my head, neck to the ear and to the left side of my neck. I also get occasional jabbing sensations on the top of my head! Is anyone else out there with the same symptoms. The only thing that's different is that I've started to lift slightly heavier weights while exercising. I should also mention when I get a real headache it's always on the left side.

[pbschutte]

I have had the same pain in my neck all the way to the top of my head and tenderness to the scalp for over a year.  Finally diagnosed, I have Giant Cell Arteritis, also known as
Temporal Arteritis.  A condition where the amune system attacks and inflames the arteries.  It has caused neck pain, tenderness to the scull, jaw pain, headache, sweating, low grade fever and blurred vision.  If not treated immediately, it can cause permanent blindness.  Go to Giant Cell Arteritis on Google and read Johns Hopkins report.

[jupiterfat]

No, I haven't gone for the massage yet. That would probably make my shoulder area feel less stressed, but I don't know if it would help the left side of my head. I'm still exercising(more aerobics) and not really using free weights at all. I know I'm dwelling on this and it's not helping the situation. What are your symptoms?

[ggreg]

I wonder if my previous advice helped you, since I've experienced the same symptoms as you.  If it just went away and then now it's back, I'd bet you reinjured the same neck muscles, and my advice remains the same.  In fact, I had a rotator cuff injury and to this day I have to leave that part of my body alone as relates to exercise.

[jupiterfat]

So my left side of head, over left ear soreness, tightness,numbness went away for awhile but is now back. I also experience a kind of light headed feeling, especially in the morning. I'm still exercising but not so much with weights anymore. Anyway are there any others with these symptoms and if so, how are you handling them? I'm not a calm person and always imagine the worst, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

[ggreg]

Oh, you very likely pulled a muscle in your left shoulder/neck area, and the resultant muscle spasm is what's pulling on the left side of your head and the headache.  You need to get your whole shoulder and neck carefully massaged out, might be a knot of muscles that a professional massage therapist will locate, and that would be the muscle spasm area.  I get muscle spasms a lot from a wrenched spine, and when husband works them out, he can feel those knots I'm referring to, and he rubs them out, sometimes takes a few times to settle the whole thing down.  Try alternating the heavier weights with a couple times of normal weights, so as to more slowly build and not to rip up that part of your body again, you don't want to injure yourself.  Also, could be your technique might need a review.