Neck Pain
Just joined today already feel like I have learned a lot from all of your comments....I get the usual migraines which are easy to identify and good relief with imitrex...however I also get the worse pain in the back of my neck either right or left side it feels as if I have been hit in the back of the head with a two by four.. it remains in the neck and only relief is a imitrex. I have seen posts where others get neck pain just wondering if others also suffer from this type of pain thanks
Hi billyjodi,
Welcome to Migraine.com - we're thrilled you've joined us!!
Neck pain can be tricky - it can be a symptom of a migraine attack and/or a trigger. I have lots of issues with my neck which stem from a fall over 20 years ago. When I have bad neck pain, it usually means I'm going to get a nasty migraine attack. Let me share this information about neck and migraine with you; https://migraine.com/blog/neck-pain-and-migraine/.
You're not alone in this. Some people with migraine disease find PT and/or heat/cold helpful to relieve some of the discomfort. I'm a heat person, cold and I don't get along!!
I hope this helps,
NancyI have temporal migraines (feels like vertigo) and neck pain that sometimes results in a migraine.
My insurance allows me to self refer for PT.
I didn't realise how much tension was in my neck!...
Lots of manipulation and exercises but i finally feel that i am getting somewhere.
I also prefer heat to give relief.Neck tightness and pain is my only constant (every single one woot) prodrome symptoms. So anytime it tightens up (like right now, just started 10 minutes ago) I am guaranteed a migraine without an hour or two ... so even on glorious sunny days and zero wind, there is a system coming that will change the weather and I'll be down for the count.
Yin and restoration yoga help me greatly - they are done with many props and you hold position for 1-10 minutes. This allows muscles to relax (which are horribly tight on me) and move the tight connective tissue which allows your body to heal and move properly. It is also done in a warm room which I need to ge tthe relaxation to happen (tried classes in the unheated room and I get no benefit or actually end up hurting myself or greater muscle tension at the end.
I also find a lot of comfort in using muscle relaxants on top of the triptans, once in a blue moon they actually are enough to stop a milder migraine. Now if only I could find one that I can use everyday (baclofen and cyto something I've used fall under the "no more than 15 days a month"😉.
I also use a heating pad everytime the neck acts up ... sometimes I end up with an ice pack on my forehead or back of the neck and a heat pack on the shoulders. I use the reuseable ones that you put in boiling water to reset - find they last at the prefect temperature for close to an hour or two instead of the 15 minutes a rice bag).
Tiger balm and rescue remedy cream are also my best friend if I'm somewhere without my heat pack .... they both relax the muscles and give a bit of pain relief. Even peppermint oil helps a bit. Trigger point injections are a god sent for me, get them twice a week.
Look into prolotherapy or PRP (protein rich platelet therapy) .... triggers the healing pathways in your body to create scar tissue and hopefully tightening the ligaments. Worth looking into to see if you ligaments are loose like mine. I tried it and got a small benefit but mine are beyond repair.
Oh and yes my issue is most likely stemming from my very very loose ligaments from a botched jaw surgery and then made much worse from a car accident resulting in severe whiplash.Hahaha .... maybe trying a few different muscle relaxants - see if you can find one that doesn't give you a headache side effect? Cytobenzaprine I tried worked alright but it interacts with 3 of my meds so I got wicked side effects if I took it with imitrex. But baclofen has no side effects for me (unfortunately I wanted a med to knock me out so I could sleep but no worky for that).
Coming from someone who has 10 pillows in my closet from the last 3 year trials .... and I use a squished up throw blanket under my head 😉.I get stiff & I mean a stiff neck on the right side of every Migraine, if it moves to the left it is almost a sure sign of a Cluster headache on top of a migraine!
Hi, this is my 1st time posting. I haven't seen a neurologist for my migraines, my GP doesn't think I need it. I get pain on my left side and it throbs in the back of my head and feels like drilling in my left nasal cavity. My left eye goes blurry. I usually get 1-2 per month that last 3 days each.
I take Sumatriptan on the outset (I get them with an aura). It works, but then my headache comes roaring back a few hours later when the med wears off. Today is day 2. Desperate, I took Aleve, Benadryl and Flexeryl muscle relaxer and this is helping so far.
I also get the severe neck pain that goes all the way down to my waist and down my left arm. I also have extremely tight muscles and was wondering if massage therapy might help. PT hasn't helped me (other than they told me I have really tight muscles). Also, do trigger point injections work? I don't have chronic migraines, so my dr thought a preventive prescription wouldn't work.I feel your pain...literally. I tried trigger point injection I think it helped a bit by releasing the tight muscle (knot) in my neck. For me if I can relieve the neck pain or keep it at about a level 5 it will not progress to a migraine? I had the injections about six weeks ago and the knot is starting to return. I did a massage today it also helps but too expensive to have frequently it is very important that the person doing the massage works the areas very gently. If they don’t know how to work with your condition it can cause even more pain. You will find what works best for you thru trial and error. Sometimes I feel my life is consumed with either preventing a headach having a headache or the hangover after the headache subsided. It really can consume you. I think seeing a neurologist is a good idea Not sure that treatment would be any different but I have found it is best to follow your gut when it comes to your health. I did not have any luck with preventive medication s for me they caused too many side effects. Good luck to you I hope you find relief soon.
