vertigo followed by neck pain/pressure - indicative?
 

Hi i had a two night spells of vertigo in late february that resolved to chronic dizziness that lasted until mid may. Around the beginning of march, I felt very strange pressure 'nervy' sensations in the base of my skull when i put it against a pillow or couch armrest, etc.
The dizziness has mostly gone away, and I now feel deep dull aching and pressure that seems to exist in the base of skull, but I also get aching that seems to be referred from C4. I've had an MRI of my brain I believe, and it has come back 'negative', but I have no idea if anything was discounted - like a low level chiari malformation for instance. If I 'stand on my head' I will get a strong pressure ache akin to an exertion headache. Yesterday it seemed to last for the rest of the night.

I don't get any headache spells if I yawn or cough, but it does sometimes affect the neck ache..

Another thing to mention is that I've worn a respirator while renovating a house, and around the time in february I pulled the straps very tight, one of which went around the c4-ish area.. I'm wondering if did some sort of damage in that area.

hope this is clear enough to understand !

Hello,
If you did a lot of renovating & heavy lifting & reaching, you may have irritated something in the neck area.

Possibly some good PT or even an expert chiropractor can alleviate those symptoms.

incidentally the pain thusfar has been relatively mild, but is very deep, dull and annoying - i would say maybe 4 out of 10 at its worst.. maybe 5.. it also comes and goes - seems like trying to correct my posture always makes it worse..

I also get pressure that goes up behind my eyes sometimes, and during the dizziness I had very bad eye strain and eyelid pain in the right eye. It now will sometimes manifest as eyelid twitching, that feels like something is stuck above my eye.

Also the base of my skull feels like a drum when I walk sometimes,
and there are often clicks and pops.. I'm thinking it might be muscle spasms?

Only things i can think of are
vestibular neuritis (or another vestibular problem)that has affected my cervical/ocipital nerves,
chiari maformation
vertebral artery problem
cervical disc compression
occipital neuralgia

Jo*mar that is possible yes.. I noticed early on in 'researching' my symptoms that getting a definitive dx is very difficult. my PCP kind of blew off my issues, but allowed me to get an MRI, so I took the option, although the cost sucked! I suppose he'll refer me to a neurologist next. I'm Hoping it's as simple as you've stated. Thanks

Just a total rough guess, I would say perhaps a vertebral artery issue - the c spine may have gotten misaligned by the work & tight mask.

I had a severe repetitive injury and had some vertebral artery issues & dizziness until the spasms & adjustments by a expert chiro.

FWIW, I think you need to get someone to look at your neck. I'm not a doctor, but I have a lot of cervical spine issues and I also suffer with occipital neuralgia. I get a lot of pain at the base of the skull and the constant throbbing/pulsating there too. My neck muscles stay in a constant state of spasms due to nerve issues and the occipital nerves exit in the area of C2-3, however this varies as to the exact location on each of us. Seeing a neurologist would be a good place to start. Good luck and keep us posted on what they find. ee

Will do - hopefully the MRI encompasses down to C4 or whatever

robledo35, I agree with EE03. I have cervical spine issues as well as two cervical fusions. And it was the C3/C4 causing occipital neuralgia; later diagnosed as cervicogenic headaches. I would definitely get with a spinal pain management doctor, neurologist, whomever. But do NOT have any chiro performed on you at this point. IF it is the C3/C4 just know that the phrenic nerve (controls your breathing) is right there. You do NOT want any adjustments and what not until you get your MRI and/or if a Neurosurgeon recommends chiro. And yes, the cervical MRI would show what is going on at all levels.

I have PCS with whiplash that just doesn't want to heal.

I've been in massage therapy for 6 weeks now and it isn't any better.

I saw a Neurologist who did some palpitation of my skull. When he pressed on the base it shot up a pain towards my brow I reacted and he didn't say anything....

Was he checking for Occipital Neuralgia?

I've done my research and I have all the symptoms of it but I have other symptoms of inner ear trauma that can also fall into that category

If the Neuro truly expected me to have O.N wouldn't he have ordered tests to confirm????

Any suggestions? I'm in chronic pain daily with no meds

SOrry to step over the above post, but I'll give an update here

MRI came back 'perfectly fine' in the radiologists report
PCP Doc follow-up had me get an xray, and I have 'mild arthritis' in my C7/T1. Not sure if I have 'chiari zero' or a syrinx or anything, since the report said absolutely nothing was wrong. He has the opinion that i'm a hypochondriac probably, and offered to allow for spine MRI but didn't expect to find anything, so I passed.

he told me to take advil regularly to decrease inflamation, which kind of helps, but not very much. Continuing to have vice-like pressure in back of skull on some days, but not so much other days.. low level dizziness spells, and a kind of clumsy feeling in my left arm the past few days. I'm on a beta blocker now, and working in an attic and drenching myself with sweat seemed to precede the left side 'clumsy' feeling, which hasn't subsided.
I can do pushups and hold weight however - so no neuro deficit - no sensation loss or pins and needles. side effect of beta blocker? cranian or occipital nerve haywire? syrinx? :eek:

I'm just continuing to have poping in the left side of my neck under my ear, pressure feeling at base of skull that comes and goes, dull pain that comes and goes, occasional back scalp soreness, although dull, now the faint clumsy sensation in left arm or side. :mad::mad::mad::confused:

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 :mad:

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.

Hello robledo
 

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...

Atlas and Axis being the culprit
 

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:hug:. 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.