I was diagnosed at 26. I am now 32 years old. I to suffer from headaches and the pounding behind the eyes if I let it go. I've learned that as soon I a feel the pain at the base of my skull I take a motrin 800. or 4 regular ones. this seems to old it at bay. I saw a neurosurgeon when I was first diagnosed and he said the only option was surgery but, when he told me that the chances of it helping the symptoms were low I said forget it. When it starts affecting my balance and such I would maybe recondsider it. Thank God that the syptoms I have are the headaches. the same thing you said about your shoulders cracking when you stretch I get some buring in my shoulders, ringing in the ears. usually the left. What bothers me the most is the head/neck pain.