Left side head pressure, tender spot, neck issues
Posted , 85 users are following.
Hello, I am new here but I am a little concerned. I am a healthy 35yr old male however I have been dealing with left side head pressure for the last 5 weeks. I don't get a real bad headache but its mostly just pressure and its pretty much with me 24/7. I have noticed when I lay down or go to the gym with my headphones on it is not as bad but always there, I seem to feel it more when standing but again its always there even when sitting at my desk at work. I will list a few of my symptoms below in a moment but I did want to mention the last 2 years have been rough after going through a tough separation with my fiancée and only seeing my son a couple days a week instead of daily so my stress and anxiety was really bad for a while however I am dealing with that better now so I have a hard time believing this is stress related. I am a very anxious person and do not do well at the doctors, my blood pressure and heart rate go through the roof even just at a check up.
The last few months I have not felt like myself, I have had a bad stomach my whole life but it got worse around November 2015 and I was having chest pains and tightness, long story short I saw my doctor multiple times and was diagnosed with GERD and I also had an EKG and Stress Test Echo on my heart which all came out fine thank god. Now a couple months later I was finally feeling a little better, chest issues and stomach still kind of there but no where near as bad and then randomly get hit with this head pressure one Sunday night after just laying on my couch. I went to the doctor after 2 weeks of the head pressure and he tried 2 weeks of muscle relaxers thinking it was my neck, my neck is super tight especially left side where the head pressure is and he told me to stop going to the chiropractor. I was going to the chiropractor for just a couple months before all this happened because my neck and left shoulder always hurt (I work out in the gym and think part of it is from that, I used to lift very heavy but I don't as much anymore). The funny thing is a week before this head pressure started my chiropractor did his usual neck crack on both sides and I remember it almost hurting, feeling different then normal and sent pain through my head. I honestly wonder if he did something to me and if this is from my neck however almost 6 weeks and still feel the same? Advil doesn't do much, muscle relaxers didn't work. I am doing neck stretches and just bought a hand held massager this past week for my neck and head. My doctor did not think brain tumor at my visit based of my symptoms and said my reflexes were good. Sorry for the long post but hoping for some help, my doctor is now referring me to a neurologist but I am trying to hard to push it off a little more hoping it gets better, I have enough medical bills and I am trying to tell myself this has to be from my neck or something that will heal eventually. I know brain tumors are pretty rare but of course I am having anxiety over that.
Symptoms:
-left side head pressure 24/7.
-some pressure in left eye and ear but not terrible.
-neck issues, especially left side, recently got a massage and the massage therapist said my upper back and neck were extremely tight. Chiropractor although I haven't been in a few weeks doctors orders said my C-1 or 2 joint cant remember which one was out of place. I have been doing neck stretches and using a tennis ball.
-some lightheadedness and fatigue, nothing crazy and could be stress since I think about this and worry all day.
-just noticed this week I have a tender spot on the bone top left back side of head.
-no weight loss, no fever, appetite ok for the most part, stomach ache some days but no vomiting.
I do get a little bit of facial tingles in the left side of my cheek and especially my chin, it is not constant and comes and goes. This did start a couple months before this and I went to the dentist because I still have 3 of my wisdom teeth. He did say they could come out and my bottom right one was coming in a little crooked and could be causing some pressure. He did I could hold off for a bit and it wasnt an emergency and that could be causing some of my chin numbness and tingles. Also I am constantly popping my ears because they feel a little blocked and my nose feels a little congested but this has been going on for a while and is not something new, maybe allergies
Hopefully some suggestions and feedback will help, I will see neurologist if this doesn't improve but again I am trying to wait just a little longer on that.
7 likes, 265 replies
kathleen53214 kg81
Posted
The symptoms you are having are the same as me my see I had whiplash from a car accident and when I get stressed or hold my neck down for to long I get tightness in the base of my skull radiating to the side of my head causing headaches so severe and the pain goes up to the top of my skull causing a sore spot area that I can't touch you need not to stress don't hold your head down for to long it causes strain on your neck put hot packs on your neck have remedial massages that will loosen your muscles around your neck i take muscle relaxers norflex and lyrica to relax muscles you will feel a difference and use a good pillow try this hopefully this helps kathy
kim27383 kathleen53214
Posted
Kshamu kg81
Posted
kim27383 Kshamu
Posted
adan_50174 kim27383
Posted
adan_50174 kg81
Posted
I'd like to share my story. I was was rear ended on the freeway 4 months ago and luckily I did not have any serious injuries. I was okay for like 2 months, I was able to move couches and do little house work. However, I was experiencing a little bit of back pain so I went to a chiropractor. I told the chiropractor I did not want anything done to my neck but he did it anyway. He did what was called "steps" and as soon as he did this it changed everything for me. The night of the chiropractor visit I started feeling extreme pain on the left side of my neck. I also had head aches on both sides of my head. I could barely lift my head while in bed. The symptoms went away for about a week but then one day I got vertigo after another neck exercise by the chiropractor. I was ok again but things took a turn when I did some light door work at my house where I needed to be looking down most of the time. I got neck and head aches the next day and this time the pain lasted about a week but then the pressure stayed. I'm afraid it is permanent because it feels weird and it will not go away unlike the previous times. I wake up with it and go to sleep with it. It gets worse with stress and anxiety and if I think about it too much. I guess I'm now one of those "it's all in your head" types but I do not think it is all in my head. It gets bad when I take long drives and it gets bad when I spend time walking, which I get tingling on my left side. The only thing that helps me sleep is smoking marijuana but that just masks it and when I wake up in the morning I wake up with this pressure in my head. Unlike some of the people in this forum it does not interfere with my daily activities, like cooking and daily chores. It does interfere with my work since stress triggers it and it is awful living with this condition. I hope I do not get worse as this nightmare has lasted for a month now. What is funny is that the pressure is not there when I have conversations with people, when I listen to music or when I keep myself busy. Then again maybe it is not there because I'm not focusing on it, for me it is not pain but more of pressure that my "mind" feels.
Lnodes adan_50174
Posted
actually i feel the same. when i'm busy or my mind is occupied i just feel it less but that's simply because your brain is distracted from the pain. it comes right back when things "quiet" down lol . My friend i can promise you it's not just in your head and the pain is as real as it gets. what's causing it is still a mystery for all of us. hopefully someone figures it out soon.
adan_50174 Lnodes
Posted
Yeah I know it is real pain, for me it gets bad if I get distracted and sit too much looking at my laptop or tv. So that is why I try to stay ahead of it. If I sense it coming then I simply get up and take a walk around the house. For me the worse part is not being able to do the things I used to, like take long bike rides or going hiking. Even taking a walk around the mall drains me and I feel the pressure after a long day. I've been doing research and it has to do with the stress one puts on the neck muscles that hold up the head. I've been trying to figure it out little by little but it is all about trying to manage the pain and live with it. The best thing to do is accept it and keep the pain in check. I drink green tea now and try to relax more than I used to. This helps much, massaging the neck muscles does wonders too. Even if these things are permanent then oh well, what can you do. That is life, it is a relief knowing that you are not the only one and that other people have this, which is normal and that it is nothing that serious.
k355 kg81
Posted
Hello brother any update you have ? Also you really should see a dentist and take your wisdom teeth if you have and see your oral health ??
Kshamu k355
Posted
k355 Kshamu
Posted
You should see maybe all this syptoms is just from your wisdom teeth 👍
Bpgoros kg81
Edited
After reading this discussion I wanted to add to it with my symptoms and progress with the situation so far.
Symtoms (started a little over a month ago)
- Felt lower abdominal pain, minor, but its stressed me out a lot for some reason.
- Thought it was testicular cancer (I know I’m a hypochondriac)
- Went to GP and got a sonar scan of my groin. Nothing to report, all clear.
- Symultaniously, be it stress or anxiety, my face started tingling on the left side. Mostly on the cheek and a little on the forehead, but fairly constant. No numbness, just tingling.
- I mentioned it to my GP, he said “sounds like TMJ”, and prescribed me Cyclobenzaprine, a muscle relaxer usually prescribed for TMJ.
- I for some reason didn’t feel this was enough so I searched ZocDoc for a neurologist. (Perhaps another crazy over the top move by me)
- Neurologist ordered an MRI (with contrast) of the head and one for TMJ.
- Results came in and she saw the scans and radiologist report. It’s read:
* slight enlargement of left trigimenal nerve.
* Mild polypoid maxillary sinus mucosal thickening.
* Slightly prominent pineal cyst with mass effect on the texture but no suspicious enhancement. (Neuro said this is a common find in most people, its what makes it possible to sleep. She asked if I had trouble sleeping, I said no.)
- They had a second MRI done, same findings.
- Neuro saw the scans and decided the brain looked great. The nerve swelling was barely noticeable. (I was on the muscle relaxers which may have subdued it.)
- During this time I was also getting random headaches and migraines, some slight burning sensations on my forehead as well.
- After a week or so the tingling disappeared completely. Headaches remained.
- Read online about muscle tension, tension headaches, mild tingling, all due to muscle twisting the nerves. I decided it was time to stretch my neck, work out and swim.
- After a few days of this, my upper left shoulder and neck started to feel pretty tight and painful. I also experienced some subtle tingling and pain on my left arm from this.
- After some swimming (to my luck with this) I started to get pain in my ear.
- I went to my GP for continuing stomach issues (subtle burn feel after eating) and he prescribed antibiotics.
- Later I went to him for the ear and muscle pain. He said my left ear was slightly infected. He then checked my neck and shoulder. He said “wow, you are completely tight and swollen, your shoulders are unbalanced, one sit higher than the other, and your neck is incredibly tight and swollen. He suggested to see a PT and a Chiro immodestly and at the same time prescribed me Methocarbamol. Another muscle relaxer (I stopped the other one after my Neuro said I was pretty much clear)
- I move to LA from NY after this doc visit (to add to everything of course).
- When I arrived, I felt an in Shane jaw tightness and dizziness that almost knocked me out.
- The neck day, same thing walking around and later that night my arm burned, my heart was beating fast and my breathing was labored. (A heart attack?! A panic attack?!)
- I called my NY GP and said I cant take the muscle relaxer with antibiotics. This never happened after.
- In LA I set up appointments with a Chiro, a PT and a new GP.
- I see my Chiro, a really great Japanese professional who really got in my bones and muscles. He says “Shoulders are very tight and compressed, neck is very swollen and tight, a swollen lymph node on my left chest I need to massage, TMJ is sore and tight both left and right.” He also found two back ribs out of alignment which he pressed back in as well as some other vertebrae, some upper and a few lower.
- I see my PT and he massages my neck, checks posture, etc. He gives me some exercises to strengthen my neck.
This is where I’m at now everyone!
Since moving to LA a week ago, I have experienced pretty tight face feelings, sore and tight back of my neck. Some subtle ear pain, some subtle tension headaches that come and go. Jaw tightening especially after eating. Subtle tingling on my bottom left jaw, and overall should and neck pain. Occasional some pain on the upper left and right chest close to my shoulder when breathing in deep. Some nose pressure and some muscle soreness on my upper eyes.
Part of me thinks some kind of infection is at play.
Another part of me, in regards to what doctors have been telling me, leans on years of stress, tightening and bad posture. I work in advertising and sit on a computer a lot. I stress and tighten my muscles on my shoulders neck and jaw when I’m working. I slouch bad when I sit and stand. I exercise a good amount, but I did it with little stretching and hard work followed my a lot of drinking almost daily.
Since all this started I cut coffee to just one in the morning. I pretty much don’t drink at all.
As I type the back upper part of my neck is super sore and tight. This morning the left side of my face felt tight and full.
Guys, lets stay strong and get through this. One thing I keep thinking about, is this just a norm of today’s generation, sitting all day, looking down all the time at screen and always stressing about social and work related issues?
Next week I am seeing my new GP, my Chiro again and my PT.
I will keep this thread alive if people are interested.
kathleen53214 Bpgoros
Posted
Yes the tightness is caused with your posture have to learn to keep your head up and not looking down it puts a lot of strain on your neck causing muscles to go into spasms causing headaches and it's called trench neck look it up the soldiers suffered it while in the trenches in the old wars I get severe headaches on the side of my head due to holding my head down to long need to do neck and arm stretches see I have impingement on the nerve the muscle strangulates the nerve stopping the blood flow and this causes tightness to the region
k355 kathleen53214
Posted
Bpgoros k355
Posted
Here is where Im at now.
I got a Chiropractor, a PT and a new GP.
My Chiropractor on the first day mentioned that my shoulders, neck, head, TMJ and lower/upper back muscles were fairly tight. He adjusted a few ribs on my back left shoulder that were unaligned. He corrected a few vertebrae and he also massaged a lot of muscles including my TMJ. Overall he confirmed i was tight, a bit unaligned and that my TMJ muscles were stressed and tight.
My PT mentioned the same tightness and since has given me a series of exercises to strengthen and stretch my neck and shoulder region.
My new GP went over my symptoms. He checked my MRI scans and mentioned that the TMJ scan did in fact find some abnormalities and stress on my left TMJ. Something my Neuro did not mention. He said usually you would be assigned an anti-inflammatory for this...so he prescribed me meloxicam 15g to take daily for a few weeks. He also mentioned my sinus uppon inspection of my left nostril seem congested due to allergies. I just moved to LA and pollen season is in affect. However i have never experienced allergies in NYC.
Since then, i have see my chiropractor 3 times so far and my PT 3 times as well. I have also been taking the Meloxicam for 7 days and have just stopped today. So far since taking the meloxicam i have not had any more TMJ, headaches or tingling. I was afraid to stop taking it because of this. The neck exercises and chiro have greatly improved my neck and shoulder issues.
The GP also prescribed me omega 3, turmeric and b12 as general supplements to have.
Currently im mostly getting better except for a swollen gland under my right jaw and sore throat/muscus which im hoping is due to the meloxicam and allergies.
Im considering a few things now.
- Seeing an allergist.
- If the TMJ continues, seeing an oral doctor.
- Continuing with the chiro and PT and working on posture (got a stand up desk at work).
Its very frustrating after all my MRIs and moving to LA that my NYC Neuro did not point out the TMJ issue sooner.
I will update soon.
Bpgoros
Posted
Jarad Bpgoros
Posted
Hey there! Appreciate you posting a detailed history of what you've been going through.
I'm going through something similar, middle of forehead aches when I press (just below hairline). Usually have headaches, which seem to be worse if I don't get enough sleep but even after decent sleep, there is still a very slight headache.
I was wondering if you had any update on the issue? Thanks!