Charliebubs,

Oh boy, I can relate to family and friends since my own ON or rather cervicogenic headaches (same difference to me) lasted 3 years 24/7! It was a LONG HAUL! But what your friends and family need to realize is that headaches are invisble except for the kind that MIGHT show up on some kind of scan. Everyone ALWAYS thought I had migraines. I would try to tell them, no, I KNOW what a migraine feels like and these aren't it! Actually, I had both going on..the two types. Anyway, it will just take some time educating them. Just print off some literature about ON or Cervicogenic headaches and give it to them. That's what I did and they eventually got the picture. I also had my mother and at times my husband go with me since I would need a driver for any injections in the neck. And thank goodness the PM's told them that this kind of pain is severe and debilitating. I also had people tell me there is no way it could rate a 10 on the pain scale. Uh, uh, I beg to differ! Sooo...I asked my PM (since he specializes in this) what levels do his other patients rate this kind of pain. And he said by the time they reach him for treatment they are at a 9+ but that it will FEEL like a 10. And he knows this because he has it himself...plus has had two fusions. So, he can and does definitely relate to what we go through.

Anyway, no, ON can take a LONG time to diagnose and I think it is because they have to find precisely where the pain generator is. And in my case, I think the reason it lasted so long is because the first NS I saw said I had to have neurological deficits in my arms before they would do any surgery. I TRIED to tell him it was all up the back of my head. Fast forward to my second NS and he was the one that was aghast...said surgery immediately and pointed out just how bad that level was.

Hang in there and give it more time and just know there is usually an increase in pain before it kicks in. If they don't work, you can try it again or maybe your doctor will have to look further. I am just relaying my own experience since it was coming from the C3/C4 and at times C2/C3 (facets).