Question
Hello, and thank you for taking the time to read and respond to my inquiry.  About two weeks ago I started feeling some dull, cramping pain in my neck - on the right hand side, just behind my ear at the base of my skull.  The pain in my neck radiates up into my head, also on the right side and makes it hard for me to concentrate.  It almost feels like sinus pressure at times.  The strange thing about this pain is that is is very temporary.  It comes and goes frequently, depending on my posture.  I have little or no pain when lying flat on my back.  The pain is not bad when I am standing erect either, but when I am seated, leaning forward, or moving about the symptoms return.  I can also get the pain and other symptoms to subside by shifting in my seat and putting more weight on my left hip.  Reclining also seems to help alleviate the problem.  By other symptoms, I mean to say that in addition to my neck pain and head ache, I also feel tenderness and some pain in other regions along my spine - particularly the lower back area.  In addition, I am also experiencing some dizziness and light-headedness - depending on my posture.  The fact that all of these symptoms come and go so rapidly (almost instantly) depending on whether I am seated or standing, or how I shift my weight, is causing me some concern.

I have had a history of low back problems, but never with neck pain or headaches before.  The only thing I can think of that might have aggravated my spine is some snow shoveling I did recently.  One other thing, and this might sound kind of crazy, but I felt some water trapped in my ear after showering a while back and I was very determined to shake it out - so I aggressive shook my head (and neck) up and down, and side to side, hoping to expel the water.  After doing so, I thought to myself that perhaps I was shaking a little to vigorously - but forgot about it and went on with my day.  I almost wonder if I caused any soft tissue damage in my neck (like whiplash) as a result of my very vigorous shaking.  

At any rate, it seems that I am experiencing from some kind of spinal issue.  I am hoping that someone out there may have heard of something similar or have some experience with my kind of injury/illness.  I do look forward to hearing back from you.  

Thanks,

Brandon

Answer
Hi Brandon,

Sorry I couldn't get to this quicker.  It does sound like some mechanical difficulty that Chiropractic should be able to help with.  Have you seen a Chiropractic doc for your previous back injuries?

The fact that you have had issues with the spine makes the likelihood of neck and head problems more common.  The whole spine works as a unit.  If one area is painful the other areas are stressed and will eventually give you symptoms.

Your theory about the head shaking is quite reasonable, too.  People often hurt themselves and don't know it until later.  This is from swelling and chemical changes from damaged cells leaking contents into the surrounding tissues combined with mechanical compensation after the injury.  It snowballs.

My best advice is to consult with a doctor of Chiropractic.  If the problem is amenable to care they will provide it.  If you need something else, they should help you find who to go to.

The site below will help you find a local doc.