Headache with Occipital bone pain??

Posted , 7 users are following.

I was wondering if anyone could help me figure this out..

Four days ago I woke up with pretty bad pain on my Occipital bone one the right side.It felt bruised and hurt to touch.Then the pain was constant and throbbing.Now,four days later my neck on that side is tight and sore and have had a constant headache. Before this I was having pain on the same side in my face right near my ear as well as ear pain.I am SUPER dizzy too.I do have menieres disease as well so I think this problem is aggravating the menieres and dizziness.

I saw my ENT for the ear and face pain and she noticed I had fluid in my ear and treated it,but said it did not look like an infection.My nose has been super stuffy as well.

Having menieres I tend to hold my head stiff in fear of dizziness and I sleep propped on 4 pillows due to dizziness.After researching all I keep seeing is OCCITAL NEURALGIA 😳.I read it can be from neck issues or sometimes infection and the lymph nodes in the Occipital swell.I plan on calling the Dr tomorrow but does anyone have thoughts or similar symptoms? The pain is pretty bad.It feels just like I bumped my head.....Anyone?

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • Posted

    Hello and sorry to hear you're in pain! I'm not familiar with menieres so it would seem worth it to explore that connection but I wanted to tell you about my similar experience. Headaches progressed to earaches on right side and first doc thought it was fluid in my ear and prescribed Allegra D to dry it out. Three days later the pain escalated so badly I had to go to the ER thinking I would beg them to drain my ear as it felt my head would explode. The ear looked fine and I was told symptoms were similar to Mastoiditis

    ( bone infection) and had a CT scan. 

    This is is what I suggest you have done if possible. A CT or MRI can quickly point to the true cause and when you're in so much pain you really can't run from doc to dentist to assorted specialists without being in agony. 

    An aside...my scan looked normal to the attending doc that night but when another looked at it later that day, as well as my regular doc the next day they both saw I had an benign arachnoid cyst and referred me to a neurosurgeon who will take it out next week. 

    Wish you well....try not to worry about worse case scenarios but please do try to get a scan and get to the bottom of it and rule out what you can. Remember that scan will be yours to releases to other doctors and specialists you see so you may need to only have one! 

    All my best!

    • Posted

      Thank you for your response and advice!!

      Where exactly is your cyst?sorry you are going through this.I do see an ENT regularly and she did see fluid,she showed me on the camera.i have an appointment monday.My hubby massaged my neck last night which is always tight and this morning I woke and the occitible bone pain is not there anymore.my neck and shoulders are still tight but not as bad but the bone does not hurt to the touch anymore so we'll see.I do still have the frontal headache a little but it feels like sinus.My sinuses are crap too

      I will definitely ask about an MRI though.I had one years ago for the menieres.

    • Posted

      Glad to hear you have a little relief and an apt. Coming up soon!

      my cyst is in right temporal region, evidently there and growing for 50 years pressing on all kinds of things and causing fluctuating symptoms....the headache was the last straw. Basically a big sac of cerebrospinal fluid showing as dark region. My neurosurgeon is going for the max treatment, a temporal craniotomy to drain it and try to remove most of the membrane as its stopping the normal flow of the fluid around my brain too. A little daunting but at this point I'm ready to have it removed and see down the line which symptoms it alleviates.....any amount would be a plus. Research says many people have these and don't know, usually found accidentally on scans and just monitored, but when it's symptomatic it's recommended to treat.

      i don't necessarily think this is what you have but am glad you'll be getting a fresh map of that amazing brain and move to a solution! Hug that Hubby, don't know what I'd do without my patient one : )

    • Posted

      Awww,your the sweetest.The pain is worse when I turn my head and move my neck so I am learning it may be a muscle,,tendon etc.Maybe a massage will help 😊.

      I wish you the best with your surgery and will say a prayer for you..GOOD LUCK!!!

  • Posted

    I too suffer occipital bone pain on both sides of my head.  I put it down to neck problems, as whenever the bones are tender to touch, my neck is stiff too.  Massage is probably the best relief.  I don't think this problem is serious.

  • Posted

    Hi Kelly,

    I hope you are feeling better.

    I have very similar symptoms - ear ache with fluid in my ear, head aching, occiput pain.

    What was your diagnosis and treatment?

     

  • Posted

    Hello Kelly,  I too suffer occipital pain on both sides of my head.  Those bones either side at the bottom of my head get extremely painful and tender to touch quite a lot.  I suffer really bad sinus issues and occational eustachian tube dysfunction, where the fluid sits in the ears making them feel very blocked....also I get bad neck pain from time to time.  I've suffered all this for many years, so obviously nothing serious !!  I imagine the menieres disease is the wore to suffer with.  I hate feeling dizzy and your condition to suffer all the time must be terrible.  No answer from me for your problem except to gain help from your doctor.  I put up with the occipital bones pain until it eases.  Try massaging the bones and squeeze the bone too...sometimes I feel this helps.  Even pain killers don't help with the pain.

    I do hope you feel better soon.

    Regards

    Anne

    from England

    • Posted

      Anne.. how long have u been gettin them pains? Are u feeling better? I sent u a private mail
    • Posted

      Hi Sally,  I haven't received a private message from you.  Did you send it via facebook ?  Also have you message the right Anne, I think there are two of us on this ETD site.

      I don't suffer pain, just pretty much permanently blocked ears, sinus issues and congestion.

      I've had a few days of relief since my ENT consultant microsuctioned my left ear last week, this morning all blocked again.  I've taken an antihistamine, put Flixonase Nasules up nose and waiting to see what happens.  I will probably result in having to use the Steroid Prednisolone tablets to sort this out.

      Anne

    • Posted

      Hi again Sally,  just realised that you're not referring to ETD but Occipital bone pain.  , I haven't had that in a while, thank goodness.  The tenderness when I do is awful and can't get my head comfortable on my pillow at night.  Again, I think this complaint is quite common and nothing to worry about.

      Anne

  • Posted

    I would try ophthalmic drops for swimmers ear first. See if it dries up any fluid. I had the exact same problem for weeks. I was becoming the household grouch. It started working almost immediately. I put a cotton ball piece in my ear to hold medicine in. I was a new person in 24 hours. Do it as often as needed.

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