Question
About 1-2 yrs ago I began having very painful sinus headaches accompanied with a stiff neck unrelated to any injury. My Dr. did an MRI of my sinus cavities and everything looked fine. We did a course of antibiotics anyway, but the pain remained. Mr. Dr. also ruled out the possibility of meningitis, encephalitis, etc. The sinus headaches and stiff neck keep coming! Mr. Dr isn't sure what is causing this, but it is very painful. I do not wish to medicate with any narcotics or muscle relaxers, but i wish to correct the underlying problem. have you ever heard of anything like this? Any suggestions?

Answer
Dear Rachael,

Normally when you experience "sinus" type headaches, there really is a problem inside the sinus cavity, and the pressure is what is causing the pain...once you get the infection/mucous/inflammation/pressure under control, the headaches go away.

Now, since you have had all of those issues ruled out, the next place to check is the upper cervical and occipital area of the spine (upper neck and skull).  The reason is that the joints have a specific relationship to the nerves, and if they are not moving properly, they can irritate/inflame the surrounding tissue and nerves.  Specifically, the occipital nerve, the 1st & 2nd cervical nerve, and the trigeminal ganglion can be directly affected. These structures can cause headache pain in the back of the head, sides of the head, and forehead area...it is sometimes confused with sinus headaches.  Moreover, it can even result in facial pain.  Bottom line is that you should have the area examined.

A chiropractic physician is the only logical choice to perform this examination, as we are the experts in musculoskeletal pain, and abnormal spinal motion.  I would suggest that you ask your friends and family for a referral to a chiropractor they have had a good experience with.  If you cannot get a referral, just call a few local offices and schedule a free consult to talk with the doctor.  This way you can get a feel of the office and possible speak with some patients.  

Make sure to find out if the doctor does his own exams, and that orthopedic tests, range of motion, neurological tests, and a complete medical history are part of the initial exam process.  It would also be helpful to go to a chiropractor that takes x-rays so that the actual spine can be visualized to look for any complicating factors or problems.   Good Luck Rachael.

Respectfully,
Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman
www.suncoasthealthcare.net