Just wanted to throw a question out there, not sure if the protocol was to keep going in the same thread.

I just finished week 14th of PCS and started working again on Monday as an easy back strategy from home. Taking small breaks 5-10 minutes every hour and resting at lunchtime for 30 minutes. Although I had come a long way and was able to watch TV, read/focus, did my tax returns and surf the computer (video games still a big no no and TV/Movies with action). I found this week somewhat difficult.

I work in IT so avoiding the computer is somewhat difficult, I have been approved for disability if required but I would much rather get my salary and I like my job.

This week I noticed feeling pressure/tension around the temples, back of the head/top of neck and my rear teeth on the top half of my jaw. Also I noticed some fogginess and sudden loss of thought. I had to go to bed at 8pm a few nights and even today on my day off the symptoms are not going away. Now I can still mostly function however but unfomfortable.

1. Is this a sign that I could be making things worst?

2. With all the time I have spent on the computer and no symptoms I am trying to determine the trigger if it was concentration, visual stimulation of a screen. The other which is different while I work is access remote systems, when done remotely the screen refresh/display behaves a bit slower and may affect the refresh rate.....thoughts?

Any advice?

I am still trying to figure out what the optimal rest, lighting and work scenario might be for me. Currently I am trying an LCD screen filter to see if it helps, but even now I feel the back of my head tightening as I type. Driving is also another issue, I started driving not too long ago again and although fine I noticed with all thawing in the spring these rough roads seem to irratate me a bit.

Another theory is the possibility of a neck injury, I have alot of neck pain or strain and have been getting chiropractic treatments that have been helping but they don't know for certain.

There is a physio therapy clinic about 400kms away that specializes in balance, dizzyness and PCS. I called them up and they said they have dealt with quite a few people with PCS, been thinking about checking them out.

Otherwise still optimistic.....spring is almost here!

SG

I work in IT as well and experience the same problem with "computer headaches" as you. Pressure and tension starting in my right temple and can get pretty bad if I don't back off in time. They can last for up to 5 hours I've noticed. Mine started about a month into my PCS(7 months now). At first, I tried different refresh rates, dimming the contrast/brightness, and even tried Gunnar glasses. Nothing worked very..very frustrating.

It wasn't until I started taking Amitriptyline that the headaches became more manageable. Provided I get good quality REM sleep the night before which can still be a challenge, my headaches are now limited to end of the day. Some days, usually if I leave early and have low stress, I can escape without one. When I get home I try to stay away from the computer as much as possible(being on-call sucks!). I still dim my monitors quite a bit, take frequent breaks(about 1 or 2 an hour), and take a 20-30 minute walk during my lunch break. Also, f.lux works pretty well to alter the colors to darker comfortable level. Good on Windows, doesn't work on Ubuntu http://stereopsis.com/flux/ (Giving a holla, to MrSmith1984 for this one, thanks Dude!)

Your Neurologist should be able to prescribe you Amitriptyline or something similar to help with this. He says the Amitriptyline helps with sleep and the more the quality sleep you get the less likely you are to get these headaches. So it's not the monitor, it's stress level and lack of good sleep. Amitriptyline is not without it's difficulties and side effects(I just started a new thread about my issues with it), but overall works for me.

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7 months PCS. Headaches, tinnitus, anxiety, depression, easily aggravated. Did this to myself. One too many bourbon shots. Did a face plant on the sidewalk. Sustained concussions from this(embarassed) before, but first time from PCS. Been alcohol-free since this happened, found Jesus, and have done a personal and spiritual 180.

srgallon,

Drifting has some good points but you may also be aggravating your neck. I wear tri-focal lens glasses and the head movement to find the correct lense area is problematic.

You may want to try icing your upper neck at the base of your skull during your breaks. A soft cold pack works great or you can make one with a seal-able/zip-lock plastic bag and water with 30 to 50% rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol. It prevents the water from freezing hard. Wrap the ice pack in a towel and ice for 10 minutes or so during each break.

I often will lean back in my chair so my 22 inch monitor is about a yard/meter or further away and I don't have to tilt my head to see.

Hope this helps.

My best to you.

I also work in IT and have found extended time in front of the computer to be challenging. My desk is also near a window, and on sunny days I can feel completely drained by 5pm. I'm actually sitting here waiting to do some after-hours work right now.

I found that sitting further away helps tremendously. What I've done on occasion is use my laptop as my keyboard/mouse, then keep my monitor plugged in but from a further distance (approx 4 feet for a 24" monitor). Something about the dim background seems to keep my eyes from feeling so strained.

Drifting, thanks for the tips. I still have yet to see a neuro and have been told it will be another 12 months before I can (Canada). True or not I will talk to my doc Tuesday.

So any progress to indicate your symptoms are fading away? My home pc was fine (I think k), seems to be just work????

As for ice, started tonight and it helps slot.

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.