Hi Betsy,

I seem to have the same problem you have. I believe mine is caused by using the Mouse and Keyboard for 10 to12 hours a day, 5 days a week, for about 10 years at work, without being informed of the danger of developing an RSI. I believe overuse of the Trapezius muscle is causing it to spasm and is pinching a nerve or is causing a muscle in my neck to pinch the occipital nerves.

I usually end up performing some task that require the use of my right arm about once a week and end up with the pain and headache. But I have gone up to two weeks without any pain or headache.

If I use my right arm for a task that lasts for 30 mins or more, I get what feels like a migraine headache, only on the right side of my head. It starts with pain at a spot in my back between my right shoulder blade and spine. I also have burning pain at the top of my shoulder about half way between the tip of my shoulder and my neck.

The first sign that tells me the migraine headache is on the way is pain at the base of my skull, where the neck and skull meet, about 2 inches from behind my ear. (That pain at the base of my skull usually dose not occur until day or two after the right-handed task, that cause the initial shoulder/back pain, was performed.) Then the pain continues on a path up over the top of my head down my forehead and stops at the eyebrow/eye-socket. Not an entire strip of pan, but pain in certain spots along that strip. This headache pain is only on the right side of my head. If left untreated, it will last at least 2 days.

I do not have any tenderness of my skull to the touch and I do not have any pain in the area of my temple or jaw.

I take Relpax, which does make the headache go a way in about an hour or tow after taking the pill and seems to even relieve some of the pain at my back/shoulder. Relpax seems to somehow block pain signals going to the brain. I don't like taking the medication, because it makes me feel strange, like I'm not all there.

I do seem to get some relief from using an ice pack on my shoulders immediately after experiencing any pain in those 2 spots in the back/shoulder.
Also, applying pressure points by laying on the bed with a 1-3/4" hard rubber ball (got a 3-pack at the $1 store) between my back and the mattress, can prevent the headache. I place the ball just to the right of my spine. I start with the ball just under my right shoulder blade, then lay with it in that spot for about 5 mins, then move it down about 1" at a time, laying for about 5 mins each time I move the ball down 1”. I do this until the ball is just above my hip (about 15 1” moves). That will usually make the pain go away and prevent the headache, as long as the pain has not started at the base of my skull. If the pain has started at the base of my skull, the only things that will make it go a way is Relpax or waiting it out for at least 2 days.

Laying down does make the headache worse.

I have had physical therapy, but that made it worse, due to any use of my right arm over 30 mins will cause the pain.

I did see some websites talk about getting Botox shots in the Trapezius muscle and was thinking about looking into that.

Have you tried anything else that has provided relief?

David.