Question
Hello.  My symptoms come and go but started back in April 2008. While sitting at my desk at work, I noticed tingling originating from my upper back area, and moving up my neck and the back of my head. I sit in front of a computer most of the day. But since the aforementioned episode, I have periodic mild burning sensations at the back of my head, brief head rush (light-headedness, dizziness), and noticeable aches at the back of my neck. My ears and throat sometime itch. The current episodes are pretty brief (lasting about 5 - 10 minutes at the most).

I am a 39 year old male, diagnosed with borderline hypertension, and mild concentric left ventricular hypertrophy back in April. I currently take 10mg Ramipril daily. Since then, I've lost 30+ pounds (exercise and diet). I now weight 196 at a height of 6"0. During my medical evaluation back in April, I also received an MRI, chest x-rays, and blood testing along with the stress and echocardiogram  tests.  With exception to the mild LVH, all other results were negative.

Also, I should mention that I have issues with my sinuses from time to time.  Could my symptoms be a result of some muscle tension in my neck? Allergies? Or some other issue?

P.S., I have never had any surgeries or have been in an accident.

Answer
"Could my symptoms be a result of some muscle tension in my neck?"

Bingo.

Arthur, the symptoms you describe sound like neck tension -- including the sinus problems (tension at the back of the throat).  (See my article on headaches at somatics.com/page4.htm.)

The question is what to do about it.

Neck tension is acquired through conditioning -- long-term working position, injury, stress.  It's relieved through conditioning -- movement training that overcomes the conditioning by retraining the brain-muscle connection.

That's my field -- somatic education.

However, to rule out a more serious medical condition, I'd recommend a visit to your physician.  If tests come out negative, visit hannasomatics.com/practitioners to locate a practitioner or somatics.com/page7.htm to select a self-help program.

with regard,
Lawrence Gold