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Cervicogenic Headache

Posted , 11 users are following.

joanneb46
joanneb46

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

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  • andrew59158
    andrew59158 joanneb46

    Posted

    Hi,

    i have been suffering very similar issues. I was diagnosed with cervicogenic 9 months ago. This was due to working from home on the computer and not having the correct workstation set up.

    I have been seeing sports doctors and physios but i havent seen any improvement. I am doing certain neck exercises to strengthen the neck muscles but im at a point of giving up. Im not sure what to do. sleeping is fine but when i wake up i do feel the pain immediately. i sleep on my stomach and head changed from right to left during the night, not sure if there is a particular sleeping style that may help.

    my pain is on the right hand side of my head, on the back of my scull. some of the pain is in the back of my neck however the core pain is behind my head. The pain moves around in small areas and feels like a constant bruise when touching. i dont have any pain at the front of my head or eyes.

    two questions please, has anyone experienced similar pain and any ideas what else i can do?

    thanks, from Andrew

  • Hornbeam
    Hornbeam joanneb46

    Posted

    New here as well. Symptoms are pain behind eye, temple and muscle spasm in right occipital.

    Veering to right sometimes when walking. Neck cracks and hurts when looking over r shoulder. Tried usual painkillers,

    Acupuncture, chiropractor, tens machine and neck exercises. GP rang today with X ray results, just said degenerate neck discs.

    I feel fobbed off and will take this further, but its stressful having to fight to get diagnosed properly.

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