I have chronic headaches. I also have muscle spasms in my neck and shoulders, and dizziness and confusion, but the main issue is the headache that won't go away.
It's been four long months, and the doctor's conclusion is that I simply suffer from chronic pain due to over-active nerve tension, probably caused by Occipital Neuralgia.
He says that treating the ON will not get rid of my chronic pain, but make it possible to take me off some of the medication that is probably making the dizziness worse. I just had my first facet injection!

In short, I have symptoms seen in trauma or whiplash patients or elderly people, but no cause or trigger.
I'm looking for anyone else with this problem, or something simpler. I don't want to be in pain for the rest of my life, but it appears it may be that way. Help or thoughts?

Good morning, and welcome to the community! I'm not very fast at this, so by the time I get this posted, you might have duplicate links, but here are a couple of our forums where you might find someone with input:

Here is the Headache forum:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum32.html

This one is for Chronic Pain: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum10.html

This is our Multiple Sclerosis forum (that would be me) and Optic Neuritis is sometimes one of the symptoms:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum17.html

I also suggest you click on "search" at the top of the page and type in ON, Optical Neuralgia, or Optic Neuritis. Browsing some of the forums might help you also.

Hopefully someone will be along (awake?) soon who can be of more help, but I wish you the best!

I attended a headache/pain conference this May. One of the example cases of hard to diagnose was chronic headache, in a woman over 40.

It was given as an example to doctors there to have a chest X-ray done with the workup FIRST. In some cases a problem in the chest can refer up the vagus nerve and give severe long lasting headache. So if you haven't had a chest X-ray, I'd get one. They are not expensive, or complex.

Another cause can be Medication Overuse Headache.
http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/full/66/12/E43

http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/full/60/10/E8

Basically I learned that a chronic headache should be evaluated by a neurologist with imaging and other tests.

Headache is one of the most complex and frustrating things to diagnose.

Best of luck.

First its according to what kind of doctor you went to.

Next I would go to a neurologist that specializes in Migraines or headaches.

I would also see about going to a pain management doctor. They would
be of use with the treatments that are being suggested.

I have been seeing both. And now my migraines are doing well most of
the time. Till my neck and shoulders have extensive pain.

I also have fibromyalgia that sets of my headaches.

Donna

Gluten sensitivity has been linked to chronic headache for some people, and can be associated with chronic pain and many other neurological symptoms.

http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com/migraineheadache

Thank you everyone! I apologize if I sounded irritable in my first post- I was still in a lot of pain from my facet injections

MrsD, I have not had a chest x-ray... I'm still a little confused by what you mean, and how that can cause headaches?

Dmom3005, I was actually seeing a neurologist who specializes in migraines and head pain, and he just referred me to a pain doctor. Dr. Pain is the one who issued the facet injections, and I'm hoping to see some improvement by this weekend!
Also, if you don't mind me asking, how were you tested/diagnosed with fibromyalgia? It's something the doctors' have mentioned to me, but never pursued.

jccglutenfree, I'm definitely going to look into gluten sensitivity. I appreciate all of your help so much!

Hello firefly, and welcome to NeuroTalk! This is such a great place with lots of friendly, caring, and helpful people.

We're so glad you found us!

Believe me when I say that we all get a little irritable at times. This is a place where you can be yourself, and everybody is okay with it because we've all been there for one reason or another.

the facet inj, would be in your neck, yes? this makes it sound like cericogenic h/a such as might be found in whiplash etc.....the vagus nerve, mentioned by mrsd....inervates(enervates, never remember which) the diaphram...and other things, but can "feed back" and produce h/a....good luck

Do you have any hand or arm pain or symptoms along with the headaches and neck/shoulder pain?

If so, you might want to read on our thoracic outlet forum {TOS}.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum24.html

If you do desk work, repetitive, any whiplash or car accident, head forward or rolled forward shoulders......??? any of those could be a factor with the neck/shoulder pain.

i had simular problems,,mine were caused by aspartame,,i was drinking alot of diet sodas,for a few years,,then i started getting headaches,,i stoped drinking aspartame,and the headaches got worse,,read up on it ,,google withdrawel symptoms of it,,it was a nitemare,,im not saying this is your problem,,,but i know it was for me and alot of others,,,even my neuro found nothing,,,if your on aspartame,,quit,,,the headaches will get worse but it will detox out of the system,,it took me 2 and one half months to get it all out,,if your lucky,,maybe a week or too,,,google it,,,,,bober