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Pressure Headaches, Clogged Ears, Stiff Neck 2 years

Posted , 24 users are following.

Anxietyridden
Anxietyridden

Hi Evergone!

As you can see by my name, I have anxiety. It all started 9 years ago when my father commited suicide. I was only 21 at the time. My anxiety didn't hit right away, it slowly crept up on me over the years. I used to smoke a lot of weed growing up. But I had to stop because it only made it worse whereas before it used to be an escape for me. Things were going pretty well until an old childhood friend of mine, my best friend growing up, also commited suicide. That was 2 years ago. And that really hit my anxiety hard. I was super depressed. Had breathing issues. Couldn't sleep for days. And started getting debilitating headaches. I lost my job because I could no longer concentrate because the headaches were so bad. Shortly after the headaches I started to get a weird sensation in my ears like they were ALWAYS full. I got a CT scan, saw an ENT specialist and both told me that I was fine and that it was my anxiety. ... ever since then my ears have NEVER stopped being clogged. I pop them every day. And some days are worse than others. And some days the headhaes are worse than others. Truthfully I just started living with it because I didn't know what else to do. But in the last couple weeks it has gotten so bad. My head hurts so much I can barely think straight. I get up to walk around and I feel just 'off'. Like I need to lay down. And of course my anxiety takes me to the worst places. I'm not on my anti-depressants anymore because they made me feel suicidal and like I was a zombie. And then it's about finding the right ones for me, but I can't lose my job again. I finally have a great career. And now these headaches pop up again. All I can think is that I'm dying. That I have something like a tumor. It's all I think about (along with constantly popping my ears). I went back to the doctors a couple days ago and was prescribed a steroid nasal spray. And also told to use a nedi pot (the sinus flush) before the nasal spray each time to clear anything out and then spray. I know anxiety and depression can create physical sensations that are REAL. But what if I really have ETD? (Eustachian tube dysfunction) which is something to do with the middle ear and the pressure in your head because it is not right. And maybe this anxiety is only making it worse? How do you actually figure this stuff out? Do I go for another CT scan? What if I have something now that I didn't have 2 years ago in the first scan? It's just really scary. And I'm only 30 and I just want to feel normal again. Anyone have a similar story? Or anything at all? Please sad

1 like, 37 replies

37 Replies

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  • hayley4444
    hayley4444 Anxietyridden

    Posted

    hey!

    ​your symptoms sound some what exactly like mine, im 21, female, and last year i started getting dizzy when i would stand up, that lasted about a week and once that was finished a pressure type headache in my temples followed, and it has no left a day since! its been 10 months, CT scan was clear, i have an mri in two days!

    ​my only symptoms are that my ears are constantly blocked and feel full and stuffy, and my temples always have tight pain in them! 10 months, 24.7, go to sleep with it and wake up with it! i want answers

    • james03194
      james03194 hayley4444

      Posted

      Heyy Hayley how are you doing now? Have you found any releif?? I've been having these exact symptoms and really starting to frustrate me!!

  • Warbuttonz
    Warbuttonz Anxietyridden

    Posted

    Hi, I just wanted to suggest, having experienced years of misdiagnosis myself, that you have allergy testing done. The discovery of my excessive food allergies changed my life. I too had headaches, anxiety and my ears feeling weird and full, along with neck pain, digestive issues, migraines and more.

    Best of luck, don't give up hope.

    • justin2181
      justin2181 Warbuttonz

      Posted

      This is amazing to hear. I always feel like I have a food sensitivity and digestive issues. What test did you have done to finally get this solved??? Thanks for your time and help!!
  • andrea04078
    andrea04078 Anxietyridden

    Posted

    Hello I am also experiencing the same clogged ear pressure.

    It's been over 2 months and my life has totally one out of wack.

    CT scan clear, seen 2 different ENT docs everything clear, got told to "deal with it" yesterday by the ENT.

    It's my right ear only.  Was out having dinner with friends and all of a sudden it blocked and never been right since.

    First i was told it was ETD but I had never had a cold or feeling stuffed up but I tried nasil steroid spray for 4 weeks with no result. 2nd ENT suggested muscle relaxant massage, neck stretches and heat treatment to my neck and skull area for 2 weeks also did not help.

    I feel the pressure gets worse working out (I've only tired a few times) or even walking around the mall. Sometimes when I nod my head I can feel a slight flutter at the back of my head or ear almost like a soft wide rubber band was hitting it.

    I also get a tightening feeling up the sides of my neck 

    I've started to have spells of anxiety and I go through stages of not being able to eat due to the anxiety. GP tried to start me on anxiety meds but after my first pill i found myself getting extremely figity and felt like my head was burning.

    I just want to return to my old self 

    • jennifer_65457
      jennifer_65457 andrea04078

      Posted

      Please please please see an upper Cervical specialist. This is my same story oing with more issues. It’s your cervical spine causing these problems. Good luck! Also google atlas Subluxation 
    • santosh55878
      santosh55878 andrea04078

      Posted

      Hello I am having same problem form last 6 months.

      Have you got any solution please reply.

    • jerseygirlmay86
      jerseygirlmay86 andrea04078

      Posted

      Have you felt any relief or figured out what was wrong? Experiencing the same symptoms

  • christine41272
    christine41272 Anxietyridden

    Posted

    I’ve been dealing with the same things for about 3 years now . Finally figured out it was LPR ( silent reflux ) it’s from too much pepsin and can cause quite a few problems. 
  • cielo_38336
    cielo_38336 Anxietyridden

    Posted

    A few other things to rule out Menieres, C-spine bulging discs, and/or CSF leak (if you have any drainage from your nose or ears). Sometimes anxiety becomes an additional symptom because it’s induced by everything you’re feeling. Keep getting things ruled out and be your best advocate by doing your own research. Wishing you all the best.
    • cielo_38336
      cielo_38336

      Posted

      Another possibility - fibromyalgia for those posting on here about muscle pain, headaches, anxiety or depression. There’s 18 pressure points to help diagnose it. Do some research and see if the symptoms resonate with you 
  • tiffany34080
    tiffany34080 Anxietyridden

    Posted

    Hello. I have IIH and have these symptoms also. If you are overweight or have experienced a recent significant weight gain, you may want to talk to your dr about. An opthomologist would need to examine your optic nerves, which would more than likely be swollen on both sides if you have it. Hopefully this health issue is already resolved for you since your post is a year old, but I thought I would throw that out there. Stay well!
  • allysun333
    allysun333 Anxietyridden

    Posted

    Finally found a post online with similar symptoms to mine!! At first I thought my brain fog & ear pressure was an ear wax clog or ear infection gone bad, so I went into the local clinic and the doctor looked in my ears... Told me there was no unusual wax maybe slight pressure to the ear drum. Told me to take allergy medicine and sinus relief. Of course it's been about two years now and no improvement. It hasn't gotten any worse, just a steady pressure like I need to constantly pop my ears and I never get that full relief. Brain fog/pressure, migraines, frequent high anxiety. Trying to pop my ears hard makes me feel like passing out and I can definitely say I'm nauseous more often and digestive tract is not working properly. But I've never gone to the doctor because it's definitely bareable/liveable... I'm just miserable and depressed sometimes. Plus going to the clinic I know they will never give me an actual diagnosis, only turn me to the next pharmacy and take my money. That I don't have. LOL. I'll be 20 years old on the 19th of June. After two years I would like to finally figured out this curse!!!!

    How are doing? Anything gotten better? Diagnosis?

    Thank you for reading. smile

    • verytired
      verytired allysun333

      Posted

      It's alarming how alike our symptoms are. I've been dealing with this steadily for 24 years. 1994 I began having panic/anxiety attacks. I thought I was losing my mind. I would get so dizzy it felt like I was standing ont he edge of the world trying not to fall off.  Going to college was miserable.  Along with these attacks I began getting this annoying and definitely not normal pressure in my head. I always thought it was physical. I remember back in the 90's going to a few Dr.s and none of them saw anything wrong with me physically.  I honestly thought I was going insane.  Keep in mind this was and is to this day constant.  It never ever goes away.  Go to bed with it, wake up with it.  Embarrassed to admit this but I always medicated myself with alcohol.  I still do.  It never made me feel better (made me feel way worse for days after) but it would help distract me from my awful secret for a few hours while i was drunk.  Fast forward to July 2005.  13 years ago I woke up and noticed this clicking in my ears. I could move my jaw and throat a certain way and my ears would click, pop, and crunch.  13 years later and they've gotten worse every year. This year 2018 I finally said enough is enough.  I went back to the same ENT I've been to 4 other times in previous years and begged for his help.  He sent me to a neurologist.  The neuro did a bunch of tests I had never had before (I've had the ENT test a million times) and everything came back perfect.  He even sent me for a spinal tap thinking there might be some leakage. Nope. Everything was fine. So here I am 24 and 13 years later with most of the same symptoms I've read on this post.  Oh I've been on zoloft since the 90's.  I've been doing a ton of research on the internet and I am starting to believe this hell I've been living with for 24 years is ALL anxiety related. Every symptom I have from fatigue, to dizziness, to fullness in ears/cracking, to unbarable head pressure 24/7 is due to anxiety.  I  have an appointment with a Psychiatrist.  I am going to print out EVERY bit of literature I've found online and pray I get some answers.  Has what I described familiar to you?

    • santosh55878
      santosh55878 verytired

      Posted

      Did you got any solution... I only feel well when I drink... All day I feel like my head is spinning.... Weekness in my arms... Blury vision... But after taking 2 or 3 drinks everything feels normal..i used to smoke Weed but i don't smoke now because after smoking weed now my symtomps get wrost..

    • verytired
      verytired santosh55878

      Posted

      No my symptoms are there every day. Getting worse the older I get. My vision has become blurry over the past 3 months. I hope to get some answers soon.
    • santosh55878
      santosh55878 verytired

      Posted

      Do you feel any problem in your throat.. Some time i feel problem in my throat like some one is pressing it...
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