this is really getting on my nerves. several years ago i was told i had hormonal migraines. had a cat scan...all was well. i'm way past menopause and i'm still (more than ever i think) getting these headaches. they are ALWAYS the same. always on the right side, always in the morning, always starting in my shoulder, going up my neck and then sore spots in the back of my head and in the temple. i'm on maxalt and if i can take a pill when i first start feeling the "stiffness" in my shoulder, i usually can lick it.....however, if i don't get the maxalt in me rather quickly, i have a full blown headache that can last sometimes 2 days. when i have the "stiffness and tightness" in my neck, if i lean my head to the opposite side i can feel "pulling" all the way up my neck. i've even bought a new mattress thinking that might be the problem. as long as i have my maxalt i can get through them, but gosh i wish they would stop.

anyone have ANYTHING similar?

Yes, the morning headaches have nothing to do with my hormonal migraines. They are because I clench my teeth at night. A dentist has given me a splint to help with this problem and I am in the process of recovering from it. I very rarely wake up with those headaches now. It is wonderful. I was very skeptical at first, until I started getting results. Where are you located (generally).

It could be any number of things, but based on your other symptoms I would suspect it has something to do with your sleeping position, pillow or mattress (even though you have a new one). Have you thought about seeing a chiropractor, even if just for an evaluation?
Do they just occur during a certain time of year or have they just started recently? The reason I ask is that I wake up with them almost every morning, but only in the summer, when its hot and humid and we have a lot of thunderstorms, so it could also be caused by something like that.
Good luck!
Nancy

Lucy: Get an MRI of the cervical spine to rule out off-alignment or a spine
bulge. I did hm-traction for 4 weeks after MRI showed disk compression in
upper neck. I also have a rt-shoulder drop that pulls from carrying things.
I sleep curled & chin tucked. That position causes neck swelling/stiffness.
That travels inflammation from vagus-nerve up to temple. I also wore a soft
collar to retrain `me'. Most folks have 1 shoulder dwn more than other. Start
carrying things w/ other side & continue to stretch neck. If C-spine is perfect
then it could be vascular inflammation. Get a good neck-support pillow & don't use more than one. It will curve neck more. If it's only in A.M., it can
be fixed. Many bad headaches actually are from neck inflammation & travel.

:confused: i've never been to a chiropractor. i have disc problems in my back, and have had 3 epidural injections for that. had am mri before my first epidural, but i think that was just of my back (not my neck). i've been a waitress for 13 years and i carry plenty of heavy trays. seasons don't seem to matter - they come any time at all.

i live in georgia - originally from pennsylvania.

thanks for the replys.

lucybooz

I'm in northwest metro Atlanta...I see a really good neurologist for cervical disc problems, headaches, etc. I also sleep in a soft neck brace to keep from straining the neck joints in my sleep, I guess that could cause the sore spot and eventually cause the headache to develop as the morning went on, especially since you lift so much during the day (I am not allowed to lift because of the disc degeneration). Because you mentioned the temple region, it reminded me more of my clenching headaches and the way they feel than the ones that stem from my neck. My neurologist was able to figure both out though. I was able to tell the difference when a nerve block to the neck did not relieve the morning headaches. If it is stemming from the neck, the nerve block will take care of it for a while, if it is from clenching, it will be back in the morning. It is confusing and frustrating because there are several possibilities, and in my case, several different types of headaches going on. Mine used to happen all of the time too, whereas my migraines are more weather related (these aren't migraines for me anyway). I hope that helps some.

i live in carrollton, georgia. we are neighbors!

the epidural shots i've gotten are really worthless for the pain in my back (actually it's my leg, from the butt on down...awful burning pain). the shots MAY last a couple of months, but that's TOPS!!!!! you can only have 3/year. i can't tell you how much i hurt after a really busy night at the restaurant.

perhaps there is a disc problem in my neck as well.

any chance you could give me your neurologist's name? would be appreciated.

I don't think my neurologist takes new patients anymore, but it's Dr. Peter Re'. I know that Dr. Holtz in his group is really good too, some of my friends use him and like him. Both of them are headache specialists, which is good, and they can look at the disc/neck/back problems. Good luck! Let me know if you need anything.