Cervicogenic Headache
Posted , 11 users are following.
Hi
I am new here and hoping to talk to others who suffer like me. I have had chronic almost daily headaches for the past 6/7 years. I have been to my GP and was referred to a neurologist who mainly just tried to medicate me. I have had amitriptyline, propananol and topamax none of which eased the headaches but just gave me awful side effects. I was prescribed sumitriptan for pain relief and it's the only thing that relieves the headaches but I am becoming more and more reliant on them. I tried to help myself and after attending chiropractors and an osteopath who confirmed my neck muscles are really tight and I realised I always have a tender/sore neck I then connected this to my office job where I have spent years slumped over a desk.
I then to my joy discovered a headache clinic here in Belfast where I live who specialise in headaches. I seen a therapist here who confirmed I suffer cervicogenic headaches which are coming from my neck she described the muscles in my neck as being like a rope they are so tight. The therapist performs manoeuvres on the neck vertebrae to loosen up and help. Unfortunately this treatment takes months to help and isn't cheap. I started off having 1/2 sessions a week but still don't have a big amount of relief. I am now in a situation where I can only afford one session once a month and this isn't enough to help. I am suffering badly at the minute I have had headaches every day for past week I feel my neck so stiff and tight. I have had to take sumitriptan every day which isn't good at all.
I am so worried what to do now, who to turn to what next. I seem to have exhausted most things and feel I no longer have any quality of life as I am in constant pain and always exhausted.
Does anyone else out there suffer these? And can offer any hope/ advice/help??
I am really at the end of my tether.
Thanks
Joanne
0 likes, 17 replies
joanneb46
Posted
No one able to help? 😢
StevenRose joanneb46
Posted
Yes, I can identfy with you, that I suffer from headaches almost everyday and again, I have to take a lot of Sumatriptan. You really have to nag the drs as they dont always take us seriously. I have Pregabalin also to help prevent the headaches and Verapamil too. I may even have to have an operation to control the headaches called Occipital Nerve Stimulation, not really looking forward to it, but if it stops the headaches then thats got to be good.
Have you had an MRI yet? If not nag your dr for one and get a referal to a Neurologist too.
Hope this helps,
Keep in touch and take care
joanneb46 StevenRose
Posted
I am at GP next week so am going to push for MRI and another neurology referral.
Thanks
Craiger5000 joanneb46
Posted
Joanne - YOU ARE NOT ALONE. What you describe is EXACTLY what I experience. Ever since I began spanding (at least) 8 hours per day sitting at a desk, I've experienced the tight, tension-type hedaches that torture me 24 hours a day. This has gone on for 18 years sadly and I've not been able to find any form of sustainable relief. HOWEVER, what I have found is that my neck and shoulder muscles have become very weak and tight which has caused spasming, brutal headaches etc.. and that the best way I can treat them without racking up endless chiro bills is through excercises which target the affected area - completed EVERY DAY. The most positive thing I can say is that if you do it every day - it works. Some days there is a little bit of relief, others a lot, and others - absolutely none. But, my issue is so deeply ingrained that it's going to take a while to get my biomechanics back in order due to letting them get screwed up for so long. Hopefully your biomechanics aren't as bad as mine have become. The most important thing I want you take from this is that you're condition sounds extremely familiar and that I can honestly say (after countless avenues travelled for a cure) I believe i've found the doorway to recovery. I suggest speaking to your chiro about some home exercises with a thera-band and stick with it daily....as in EVERY DAY. So much of our day pulls our head and shoulders forward (computer, phone, driving, even sleeping!) - we need to push back in the opposite direction to gain balance. You can also google "exercises to prevent tension headaches" and you'll find plenty. I know how you're feeling and I can sympathize with the hopelessness. Good luck to you and feel free to message me anytime if you find something that works or just for an ear to listen!
Mike
joanneb46 Craiger5000
Posted
Thankyou Mike for your reply, yes I agree it's our life styles that have caused this I too believe. I didn't take headaches years ago before I was constantly on a phone and computer. You don't realise how much it's effecting the neck. The next generation will notice it a lot I think. Thankyou for mentioning a theraband have had a google and am going to start regular stretches/exercise.
Do you take magnesium? It seems to be mentioned a lot.
Joanne 😊
Craiger5000 joanneb46
Posted
Hi Joanne - yes, I take Magnesium and B2 as per my headache doctor. Can't say I honestly feel a difference though. I'm scheduled for Nerve Blocker injections (neck and shoulders) in 2 weeks in an attempt to get at the source of the issue - I will let you know how effective it is. I think my chiro put it best when I was trying to understand why our 'hunched over' lifestyle causes this when he said - "we basically balance a bowling ball on a stick all day with the ball tipping forward, putting a lot of strain on the back of that stick (our neck)." It makes sense when you think about it. Doesn't fully explain all of my symptoms, however certainly most of them.
joanneb46 Craiger5000
Posted
Hi Mike
Hope you have good luck with the injections I am going to ask my GP about them next week. That's a very good comparison to a bowling ball we don't realise how much forward head posture effects us. I am going to try magnesium also but not getting hopes up too much
Joanne
martin78990 joanneb46
Posted
joanneb46 martin78990
Posted
Yes mine seem to get worse on bending and I have started to get dizzy spells when I bend. My pain is above eye mainly on right hand side. I waken with headaches
belinda09525 martin78990
Posted
hi martin
this is exactly like minesevere pain in neck which radiates to the side of my head temple and forhead and i also get pain coughing sneezing leaning ove excitment i notice this is 2 years ago have you managed to find a cure?
annelibotha joanneb46
Posted
Hi Joanne,
Sorry to hear about the pain you are experiencing. I can relate... I've suffered from permanent chronic headache for almost 4 years now, unfortunately I haven't found anything that helps... yet!
If you are sure it's your neck causing the pain I would recommend you swim often, the movement in the water of your arms and shoulders, will losen up your neck.. maybe worth a try
I've seen quite a few neurologists and I've had procedures done but nothing helps, months of Chyro and Physio - did nothing.
I'm not very strong pain medication that offers no relief - dr I'm seeing now says my body gets used to the medication so quickly that I feel nothing - one of the times I was hospitalised they gave me morphine injection just to check if it will do anything to help - it did nothing, I didn't even get a little high
Some days are really bad and I get nausea as well, but other days are better and I cope with the pain.
No one has been able to diagnose me - some guess and say it's tension headache or cluster migraine, but none of the medication or treatments work.
At the moment I'm seeing a phycologist who is helping me cope with the cronic pain... this is a work in progress so dont know if it works yet.
I'm also going for Reiki - had my second session today... so far no relief.
Hope you find relief and get some help - I know how this can affect your life and job and family. xxx
joanneb46 annelibotha
Posted
Sorry you are having a rough time also. I am not a very good swimmer that's my problem. I know it's very disheartening when you spend all your money on treatments that don't work it's happened to me many times. I haven't tried acupuncture some people seem to have luck with it. Hope you find relief also 🙂
alex04709 joanneb46
Posted
Hi Joaneb,
Am sorry for your constant headache, Did you recover from your headache?
My girlfriend has been facing this type of headache for ten months and we discussed with many neuro doctors but didn't get any solution till now. She takes ibuprofen tablets daily for pain relief.
If you found any way, please let me know.
dan1elle joanneb46
Posted
I too am suffering exactly the same as you... the skull pain is just horrendous, I don't even know how to sleep comfortably anymore, so I hardly do! I'm at my wits end as I feel osteopath visits have made it worse.
Do you feel any better, have you found any relief?
david8888 joanneb46
Posted
Hi Joanne,
I would like to share my experience in hope that it may help, I am 53 years old an for the past 3-years I been having headaches that sound similar to what you described ,
Chronic pain in the back of my head that radiated down to the back of the neck. Resting or sleeping made the pain worse.
I had MRI for head and neck, the neuro doctor kept prescribing pain Med that only numbed it temporarely .
During my annual check-up the doctor recommended me to get the shingles Vaccine which I did, This made me pretty sick, my headaches got 20 times worse for 3-days, I contacted my doctor the same day I got ill from the vaccine, he recommended pain med, this was not helping , I went to the emergency room and they send me back home and told me to take more pain Med.
I struggle with chronic pain for 3-days .
I remember my mother had a 30 pill bottle of
Shingles med. I picked it up and started taking it. (2) days later I started feeling better,.
To my surprise when I was half way done with the medication the chronic head neck pain went away. I been living with that pain for 3 years . its been two weeks now and the pain had not return , I been sleeping good , I can comfortable watch a movie without any pain .
The shingle virus was triggering the pain,
I am happy and surprised that the pain is gone .
I am upset with my doctors because they only go for the pain meds, and do not try different options, I told my doctor I was desperate and willing to try any or different treatments .
I hope this helps and that you can find help.
Best of luck !