Question
Hi - - to start,, I believe I have a neck issue,, 38 year old female, and I have been suffering for four weeks now with a very sharp pain in the right side of my head. It started after an evening of throwing up with the stomach flu. The next day and every day since I have had terrible headaches. After two weeks, I went to the doctor and he ordered a full work up, EKG, blood work, Urinalysis, and even an x-ray of my neck. I have been on several different pain meds and muscle relaxers, but I get very little relief. The x-ray showed a "narrowing" and I think he said "degeneration" at c3-4. I honestly have a hard time paying attention due to the pain. I did have an MRI of my brain which came back normal. He did not do an MRI of my neck. I am now scheduled to see a neurologist, in the mean time, I manage the pain with BUTALBITAL and KETOROLAC. I have tried chiropractic care and massage, both made the headaches worse.
Now I also have sores at the base of my skull, which may just be stress, but really, this has been a very upsetting ordeal. I am not one to take pills and of course working is almost impossible.
Is there anything you can offer that I can ask my doctor or the neurologist?  Could it be as simple as c3-4 pinching a nerve? I am just reaching out because I am frustrated. Thanks for any input you can offer.
Milo

Answer
Hi, Milo,

Pain in the temples usually indicates either tight jaws or tight muscles at the base of the cranium, or both.  Headaches usually indicate contracted neck muscles, as do disc problems.

By "sores," do you mean skin eruptions?  or soreness?

What doctors typically miss are muscular contractures; they typically miss their significance or consider them meaningless, rather than as directly related to the types of problems you are describing.

May I suggest you read the brief pieces I have written on the subject of medical terms applied by back pain, on whiplash injuries and headaches, at somatics.com/page4b.htm.

The perspective of somatics simplifies matters, considerably.

I don't think you will turn out to need a neurologist, but a somatic educator.

with regard,
Lawrence Gold