Because you say that... have you talked to your doctor about Occipital Neuralgia it can be a total pain to diagnose properly. I have it and it took them a very long time to figure it out... read up on it *edit*

Good luck and keep seeking answers don't let the doctors brush you off eventually

I brought it up yeah - he was mildly receptive to it.

To be honest the neck has really cleared up this week. But the arm is giving me trouble - mostly the forearm's neurological fatigue feeling, some fasics at times.. muscles not 'gliding' right maybe 3 times out of 10. Obviously this has me worried about a motor neuron disease! I'm assuming it's some mild neuropathy from a pinched spot somewhere.. I guess it'll have to get worse or better before changing my mind on it.

aandd the arm feels better now, but that was after my neck flared up again. Back to the old dull pain, vise feeling and muscle tightness. Often Feels like I have something in my throat sometimes due to muscle spasms.. very irritating! I also had a spell of vertigo yesterday, but it resolved after a while. What on earth is this

Also sorry for spamming the board with my symptomatology, but I hate when people disappear after listing their problems.

robledo35, you definitely need an MRI of your cervical spine whether or not it is occipital neuralgia. It could also be cervicogenic headaches. In me, the C3/C4 referred pain up the back of my head and yes I had non stop vertigo. C5, C6, C7 will normally refer pain down your arm. Bottom line is...anything going on in your neck can refer pain in all the areas you spoke of. A radiology report will show the arthritis. But the MRI will show the soft tissue i.e., nerve compression. You may even need some trigger point injections or other types. But I would definitely insist on an MRI.

Pt and chiropracter is a good idea, however I always play safe. In my case doctor recommended I do some PT etc. and it was not the right thing to do. See a good neruologist. Get a physical. MRI of the brain, and MRI of the spine are two different things. The neruologist has all kinds of test to do right in the office, and from your responces can make a better judgement. Log everything down to bring with you. You may just have pulled something doing all the heavy work. Better be safe before the PT. The primary care had me pulling up and stretching a neck that was fully herniated. Not good. ginnie

Did you ever figure out the cause or did it just go away? I'm experiencing the same thing.

Did either of you ever receive a definitive diagnosis? I have similar symptoms. I was holding up my neck doing sit-ups for an extended period of time, and my life hasn't been the same since.

The room feels like it's bobbing on the ocean, I have pain in the occipital nerve area, stabbing ear pain, tinnitus and a full sensation in my ear.

My upper cervical MRI is essentially clear. I responded really well to a c2 cervical facet and occipital nerve block, but the occipital pain and dizziness came back 5 times as bad three months later. Not sure what my options are for a long-term fix...

Robledo35,

I too have issues with neck flare ups, cervical pain, pain at the base of the skull, tinnitus in my right ear, vertigo that the neuro said wasn't true vertigo but he dx the ear just the same. I also have had Optic Neuritis and visionand color loss in the right eye. My throat goes into spasms and there are times I can't swallow, food gets stuck. Muscle tightness in the neck and shoulders are never ending. Sleeping is hit and miss to say the least.

They, the doctors, have given me a dx of multiple sclerosis considering my other symptoms and lesions in time and space. But I wonder if it was and is my neck that is the culprit.

Neuro just dx me with nystagmus in the right eye. New Brain and Cervical MRI for this year will show what they have found in the past nothing. They did see lesions on the thoracic spine. But I feel my issues are from the neck.

I have recently in the past two weeks seen an Upper Cervical Chiropractor. He did some amazing xrays and has looked at my old MRI's from the past two years. He feels that with some time, and some adjustments to the Atlas and Axis (C1 and C2) that my symptoms might be helped without drugs.

God Bless you and everyone else who have cervical problems. It is not fun to say the least being in pain most of our daily lives. But with perseverance we will find what is wrong, find someone who can help or be able to help ourselves to live a good quality of life, almost pain free.

i personally think I have found where my problems have all started. Just wish I would have found out sooner, I might have been further along, lol.



Since 1999 I have had issues with my atlas and axis not staying in place. The regular chiropractor couldn't understand why. (I have had 2 whiplashes and two falls down stairs) I also have degenerative changes in the neck also.

The combination of these have given me one painful life for the past year.
But with a little luck, this man might just have what is wrong with me and maybe with patience, he can give me the relief I need.