I have been suffering from pain in the left carotid artery for around five months now. It is incredibly painful. It started when I used to check my pulse constantly due to health paranoia. One day as I was checking my pulse I noticed a fullness where my pulse is in my neck. I ignore it for six weeks before eventually going to the doctors. I didn't touch it again in that time. They felt it, although I didn't want them to, they agreed there was a swelling there and referred me to ent. Anyway, it got worse immediately after they touched it, and I had numerous doctors feeling it making it more tender each time, until after an excruciating ultrasound, which found nothing, the pain became constant and destroyed my life. I can't turn my neck, talk loudly or breathe in deeply.
Like a previous poster, ivehad pain during flights, the worst pain I've ever had. I also have ear pain and my eye is painful, it looks like it's sinking slowly into my face, and I get pain on the back left of my tongue.
Mri found nothing, but I can see that the artery is sort of more prominent. I don't think a scan is going to pick that up. It throbs when I stand up/my heart beats harder, and I can hear it in my left ear. I get migraines also and even car rides make me dizzy.
The doctors now think it's anxiety because I've had a history of that, but I am one thousand percentmsure it is not that. I feel like I'm in a nightmare. How do people walk around pain free and not realise how lucky they are. I feel such an idiot also because I brought this on myself.
I am scared that my artery is always going to be swollen or sore, I can't feel it getting better, I used to touch it a lot and I don't know what to do. I am going to beg the doctor for steroids first off, then possibly some other meds mentioned on here. Thanks for these posts, they have helped me a lot.