srgallan,

I used to get random headaches all the time prior to the amitriptyline. Different parts of my head. Sharp pains, dull pains, randomness! Being at a party or around crowds would magnify headaches as well. I still get headaches sometimes for no reason or in crowds but no where near as frequently. I have been on amitriptyline for a few months so it's hard to tell if it's just the drug masking things or if I'm making progress. I did have a major setback recently where I was exercising and went too hard. Regressed but after a few weeks I'm starting to gain confidence to start back up with light aerobic activity and yoga.

My Samsung 2033SW home monitors definitely give me more strain than my Dells at work. I have the brightness down very low on both. 60Hz or 75Hz refresh doesn't seem to make a difference. I think f.lux helps but I can't get it working on my Ubuntu machine at home. On Windows 7 it works great. I've thought about trying a display with 120Hz capabilities, but then again this has been my new hobby for the last 7 months. Spending money on all sorts of different things to make computer use more comfortable for me. Lots of trial and mostly error.

Mark in Idaho mentioned the ice. Also try putting the ice pack on forehead/temples when you get a headache during your breaks or before you go home from work. This will dull them out a little bit.

baultista,

Good advice. I'm pushing my monitors back right now!

Just wanted to throw this out there in case anyone has experiences with this. My wife, parents and myself have been discussing my situation, incident and symptoms.

Is it possible that I had a mild form of PCS and what is remaining is a neck injury causing some similar issues?

The reason I ask is that my first blow to the head was on the top left side of my head while it was tilted on an angle. I was moving forward as the object came strait down, could it of caused an issue/compressed disk in my neck?

I noticed my symptoms seem to mostly come with neck pain and go away when focussing on my neck. I get pain and cracking in my upper right neck area, jaw cracks and then the locations of tension are around my sinus cavity, temples and back of the head. The headaches I get at this point seem to be on the exterior of my head if that makes sense? My left ear pops/cracks now which I can't explain.....I just hear a snap a few times a day which I never had before.

I feel like I get quite a bit of eye strain and my optometrist had said I must of taken quite a blow as a portion of my vision was drastically affected which he explained that visual system went into the neck.....? Today was a pretty crappy day for me but something hot on my neck alternating with some cold on those sensitive areas seems to help.

My previous headaches felt like internal pressure in the head, balance, concentration and thought were affected.

Just wondering if anyone had some suggestions that may help me determine if it is a neck injury and if so some suggested treatments. Unfortunately, in the north it can take a long time before I can see specialists of any kind.

Drifting, baultista and Mark thanks for your info and comments....

It is not uncommon for PCS and upper neck injuries to overlap greatly. Some have found good help from NUCCA.org upper cervical chiropractors.

Be careful with generic chiropractors who use a twist and pop type of neck treatment. That may be too aggressive.

Sometimes, a physiatrist (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation) may be able to help diagnose neck injuries that are complicating the PCS symptoms.

Some Physical Therapy, MD and chiro based multi-discipiline spine clinics can help with the upper neck.

I routinely suggest icing the upper neck at the base of the skull. The muscles, tendons and ligaments can become inflamed as well as the Atlas (C-1) to occipital condyle joint.

It is well worth investigating.

My best to you.

Thanks Mark.

Got a referral to a neurologist so now I have to wait. Got an X-Ray of my neck but for an MRI or anything else it has to be requested by the neuro. Will have a review with my doc next week and hopefully have X-ray results by then.

As for the physiatrist, I received a referral almost 4 months ago but am told it's another 3 month wait before I get an appointment as a minimum.

On another note, I am off work again. Starting later Friday afternoon I started feeling terrible. By Sunday I was slurring a bit (B's, V's and M's..?)and had some temporary vision issues.

I am starting to get better again after some Chiro and Accupuncture but a new symptom is very heavy eyelids that I can't figure out nor had previously. I am not tired yet when it comes I can barely keep my eyes open and they feel strained...? The computer screen is irratating now more than before, completely exhausting my eyes in a very short period fo time, cognitively at the moment I seem well but I did have a period of short term memory affected again.

So unfortunately another small setback, guess I was a bit too eager to return to work. I suspect a small drive on Friday did me in, it's pothole season here and that's the only thing I can think off that was different in my routine that day.

Oooooh, Potholes can be miserable. I have to be very careful about them.

I know the heavy eyelids very well. I get it at my computer in the morning. I usually will take a nap to resolve it. I have found myself asleep at my desk from this symptom. I wish I had a solution to it.

Too bad the physiatrist visit will take so long. With my previous health care system, we called this the routine system for healing and reducing costs. Make the patient wait and hopefully, while they wait, they will either get better or get frustrated and stop asking for help.

Sounds like government managed health care.

My best to you.