I have chronic pain in my neck and shoulders all the time and I have consent headaches every day they even turn in to migrains. My doc thinks spinal fusion is the answer.but Im very scared.
121367
Side effects can include severe loss of motion, an actual increase in the perceived pain level and, as a worst case scenario, paralysis. Spinal fusion surgeries are very rarely considered successful.\n\nThe neck is extremely delicate. Unless your pain is debilitating, I would exhaust all options before pursuing surgical intervention. Have you tried injections, chiropractic, acupuncture? \n\nBottom line, if you do decide to pursue the fusion surgery, do your research and go with the most experienced, highly regarded surgeon covered by your insurance plan. Beyond that, before allowing him/her to cut on  you, ask to speak to past surgical patients and specifically ask if the quality of their lives has actually improved following the surgery.  \n\nBest of luck to you.
657461
I have had the same problem, started about 3rd grade for me. I don't know what caused them then, but I do know what was a big factor later. Caffeine. Addiction to caffeine is a huge issue for some people, but it's rarely discussed as a cause of headaches because it's such a good "cure" for them. Why do you think you were hooked on excedrine? Ingredients are aspirin, tylenol and caffeine to speed the effects. I discovered it when I was 17 and was ordered off of caffeine by my doctor as a result of cysts in my breasts. I found myself constantly craving caffeine, and got terrible headaches for about 6 months, then they subsided gradually. When I started drinking caffeine again, I stopped once more and the headaches resumed. I did find excedrin far superior in treating my headaches, but I stopped when I got pregnant 2 years ago and haven't started again due to breastfeeding. Ibuprofen (advil) may work better for you if they are tension headaches, because it is a muscle relaxant.\n\nAnother source of my headaches which you may or may not connect with was back/neck pain. I am a very busty woman, especially while nursing, and about 3 years ago was able to start getting special order support bras in my size. I also started seeing a chiropractor once every month or two. The neck strain went away and the headaches decreased dramatically.\n\nYou should try seeing an alternative or homeopathic doctor. They may be able to track your specific source of pain since they use different methods of detecting the sources of problems, with the goal of FIXING them and not just treating the symptoms. My mother in law and aunt have both had wonderful results with all of their medical problems that doctors were either baffled by or told them that the problems couldn't be fixed, just treat the symptoms. Good luck.
620982
go as soon as you can i hurt my neck exerciseing and waited 20 years to go because i was so afraid then one day i finely had enough pain so i went and it went great yours might not be as bad as mine was but you never know that one you really should get looked at even if its nothing when you get done the pain i went through was awful and im still not done wishing you lots of luck but please get it looked at and sometime they might not find anything that happened with me so i kept on going and after alot of trips to specialist i found out i had a pinched nerve "shigh" its been a long hall for me so all im saying is make sure your ok if it keeps hurting keep going back until they find it because if there is a pain there is something wrong always rememebr that hope i helped u somehow ....
258624
Odds are good you are under a lot of stress. Many people carry their tension in their upper shoulders and neck. I would suggest that you should see a chiropractor or massage therapist.
413751
Sounds like it could be serious and you should go to the doctor.  For the mean time, take Excedrin Migraine when you feel the migraine coming on, be prepared ahead of time, so you can take it before it turns into a migraine or it won't work.  If relief items such as Midol don't work, have you tried taking it before your pain comes on like you would the Migraine meds?  Sometimes taking birth control pills can help as well as anti-inflammatory, and muscle relaxors (but be careful, can be addictive).  Also eating right can factor in and maybe regular stretching could help.  You can try going to a sports medicine shop and buying a hard foam roll; you lay down on it and just breath, real easy; it stretches the area in between your shoulder blades and works great for upper back pain/tightness.  Ask them how to use it and the various ways it can be used and it's also inexpensive.  Sometimes lying down on your back and having somthing underneath your knees (and ankles equally) about the same height as your thigh can releive pain and pressure.  \nTips on controlling PMS (if that's what you have):\n~Eat complex carbohydrates (such as whole grain breads, pasta and cereals), fiber and protein. \n~Cut back on sugar and fat. \n~Avoid salt for the last few days before your period to reduce bloating and fluid retention. \n~Cut back on caffeine to feel less tense and irritable and to ease breast soreness. \n~Cut out alcohol. Drinking it before your period can make you feel more depressed. \n~Try eating up to 6 small meals a day instead of 3 larger ones. \nGet aerobic exercise. Work up to 30 minutes, 4 to 6 times a week. \n~Get plenty of sleep--about 8 hours a night. \n~Keep to a regular schedule of meals, bedtime and exercise. \n~Try to schedule stressful events for the week after your period. \n~Taking calcium pills may reduce symptoms of water retention, cramps and back pain. Taking about 1,000 mg of calcium a day probably won't be harmful, especially because calcium has so many other benefits, such as being good for your bones, but note that the body can only absorb 500 mg of calcium at a time so take it at separate times in the day.
562833
I have suffered migrains since I was 12 now 35. I know what you are dealing with. My mother has never had a headache. She when i was younger, thought I was trying to get out of going to school, etc. She never took it seriously. Now, I think she feels bad. Good Luck to you.
293929
I used to get bad headaches that would start at the base of the neck and wrap right up around to my eye area.  Come to find out it was due to a disc out of alignment.  Sometimes heat or ice would help for a while.  Also one of those neck-alignment pillows while sleeping.  The best thing for me was to go to my doctor who would do some chiropractic manupilation and it would be gone!   I hope you feel better soon.
510820
The inclusion of the menstual cycle with migraine only indicates you are walking a very thin line with your problem. The edema associated with menstruation takes you over that line and brings about the condition of Migraine Syndrome. You have found yourself in a  chronic, sub-acute state.. Having a low grade inflammatory process involving more than one of the cranial nerves. Any increase in body tension or bloat of menses would trigger this chronic condition to go into a full blown acute stage. \n\nPerhaps it is time to have this checked out..You can do some of the evaluation just by turning your head and seeing which side is restricted.. find the notch in the eye brow and see if it is tender to sore... there is also another hole on the inner side of the cheek bone..these are the places where the nerve exits the skull..may also check the base of the skull and will find tender to sore area on one side. You may even have evidence of tender areas on the scalp.\n\nShould you find all these points active, you may want to consider visiting a doctor of Chiropractic for relief. Treat the problem rather than the symptoms.
367756
You should definitely go see a doctor. They sound like migraines. There's a lot of amazing medicine out there to help. Yeah. Go see a doctor. Until then, Advil Migraine (or Excedrin Migraine, supposedly, but that never worked for me) is a good thing to buy.
644971
I'm so sorry that you've had this problem for so many years! Since you've tried so many other options (without success), I would like to recommend seeing a chiropractor. Contrary to popular belief, chiropractic is more than just "neck and back pain."  Chiropractic is founded in the belief that our Central Nervous System (brain, spinal cord, and nerves) controls EVERY bodily function.  A misalignment of the vertebrae (what chiropractic calls a "subluxation") could pinch the nerves running out between them, causing pain, numbness/tingling, or any type of general malfunction of that nerve's corresponding body part. This is why chiropractic has tremendous success in helping people with headaches, numbness in hands and feet, chronic ear infections, and many others.\n\nThere are many different chiropractic techniques out there, so it would be best for you to ask around, visit a few offices and pick the doctor that you are most comfortable with. Taking pain medication is only masking the symptom of pain but is not correcting the problem. No matter what you decide to do, I sincerely hope that things improve for you.
346167
I had a horrible pain there that stayed for 6 weeks. I saw over 20 Dr's. went to several ER's, took tons of pain, relaxers..nothing helped. Then I went to an orthopedic and got a cortisone injection in my L shoulder, it was gone in 24 hours. I had shoulder impingment. I was practically bedridden. Hope that helps...Oh and to the first idiot...you WISH you had a GF to give you head...you are a moron and probably a virgin.
619874
i thank you for your question.. i have had migraines for a long time.. i always thought they were coming from to much head trauma.. but i will ask the doctor about this anyway..but they usually associate everything i say back to all the head trauma i have had by abusive husbands and one of my ex-sister-in-laws...i do not live in that situation at all now.. i never fought them i just  never really knew them well enough...but this is off the subject...but thankyou for your input...hope it works..i wander if they will know the name of the stuff here in missouri.....who knows  i kind of losing faith in doctors and well about anyone anymore...
95579
Yes, see a doctor or a chiropractor.  Numbness is often a sign of nerve problems, and problems with your neck can bother the nerves.
410690
I know these sorts of issues are scary, and when they're happening to your loved on they are.  However, doctors do hundreds of these surgeries every year and know what they're doing.  Personally, I work in surgery and have seen several of these done on the lumbar vertebrae.  Surgical inervention is the solution, I know alternative medicine sounds reat because it's non-invasive and there's no risk, but it is not the absolute fix that surgery is, it's not even close.
280481
well if taht headache is really Migren and bu those things that make u start to haveing the headache it is ...then i think its better if u go to the neurologist..they can help u a lot....and i cant give u any special advice cuz i dunno ur past medical history and if i tell u to use any drugs maybe that has any side effect for u then if u dont wanna do the best to go to a neurologist ..i can help u if u give me any past medical history of urself....just avoid of take those things ur headache starts after that like choclate...coke....\nP.S:dont use the drugs people told u that they are usefull....of ocurse some of them are useful but they didnt know u and ur PMH
187900
Osteopathy.  \n\nI am a massage therapist, not an osteopath - but I frequently refer to osteopaths.\n\nMost of my clients who get migraines have had some kind of birth trauma.  In other words, their crainum (head) was compressed or hurt in some way when they were born.  An osteopath can gently ease up the restrictions in your head and the rest of your body - possibly helping with your migraines.  Do some research about your own birth and about osteopathy.  Check out this web site and take a moment to read the description:
355562
I have tingling in my hands and arms and sometimes it hurts really bad, been doing it for several months. I went to the doctor and he took x-rays. It is a problem with my neck. Have they taken any x-rays? Maybe the next step would be to have some or maybe go see a chiropractor, they are miracle workers if you get a good one.