Really worried - Headaches & Migraines Message Board

kelly88 · 01-03-2007, 08:43 AM

For about a year and a half now I've been experiencing loads of pain in my head, neck and with my teeth (I'm not sure if it's all related though).

It started in August 2005 when I started learning to drive. It stressed me out and I thought maybe it was just tension headaches. Also not long after I injured my neck on a theme park ride and things haven't been right ever since. I really don't think it's stress because the pain comes on even when I'm really calm.

I've had problems with my wisdom teeth (well, I thought it was). I went back to the dentists so many times who changed my fillings, did loads of xrays etc. and she said there's nothing she can see that could be causing the pain. She's now refured me to someone at the hospital to work out where the pain is coming from exactly.

But the pain is getting worse and it's making me worry sooo much I'm actually making myself ill. I've looked up everything I can think of on the internet from sinus problems to brain tumours but can't find nothing that sound the same as what I'm experiencing. The closest I've found is trigeminal neuralgia but I'm still extremely concerned I've got a brain tumour. It's getting so bad now I'm waking up in the night and not being able to get back to sleep because I'm worrying so much about what's making me get this pain.

The pain is on the right side of my head, at the back sort of at the bottom of my skull. It's usually a dull nagging kind of ache but sometimes it's a kind of stabbing pain. I've also had stabbing pains sort of where my eye brow is too. I'm also getting pain in my neck just below my ear and in my cheek. It's sometimes hard to work out where the pain is coming from exactly.

I haven't felt sick, unwell and it rarely wakes me up in the night and I hardly ever get it in the morning. It's just usually when I've been walking around a lot or sitting up. I've noticed too that when I'm driving I keep my head tilted to the side because it relieves the pain. To me it seems like some kind of tension or strain but surely I shouldn't be in this much pain?

I was hoping I'd get this appointment my dentist has made soon but I rang the hospital and the waiting list is long so I suppose I should really go see my GP which I'm planning on doing in the next week or so if things don't change.

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced something simular and any ideas to what it might be? The pain and the worry is driving me nuts.

Sorry to have waffled on, just needed to get that out and hopefully someone can give me some ideas.

Thanks so much to anyone who replies

TribeGuy09 · 01-03-2007, 09:22 AM

I sounds like TMJ. have you had any jaw discomfort? even if you've haven't all those symptoms definitely sound like TMJ. I would look into that.

ihaveaheadache · 01-03-2007, 09:59 AM

The trigeminal nerve runs through certain areas and can cause neck pain, sinus pressure, ear pain, tooth pain etc... It can all be part of migraine disease. If you go to a headache center they might be able to recommend something or at least recognize what it is. Maybe the neck injury is causing referred nerve pain for example and then they will discuss treatment like botox or whatever. I know it's painful but I wouldn't worry too much about serious causes. Brain tumors would cause vomiting, dizziness, visual disturbances. I have a lot of neck and shoulder pain and feel pain in my upper molars sometimes with my headaches. It all started when I contracted Lyme Disease but they do say this pain goes along with migraines as well.

kelly88 · 01-03-2007, 10:20 AM

Sounds silly but I'm not really sure if I've got pain in my jaw because it's sometimes hard to tell exactly where the pain is coming from. I have had some pain sort of around my cheek bone when I eat and a sort of crunching feeling when I eat. That doesn't really happen very often though and doesn't hurt at all. I don't really have any other symptoms other than the neck and head pain. Like I said, no sickness, it doesn't get worse or change when I stand up, bend down or whatever, my eye sight is a bit rubbish but my optitian didn't seem concerned last time I saw him and my eye sight has been a bit rubbish for a long time anyway so what doesn't concern me. I've always been really healthy. I can't even remember when the last time I saw my doctor was so can't see why I've got this pain.

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to look up TMJ now.

Dark Stranger · 01-03-2007, 01:55 PM

I've been feeling somewhat similar things and my doctor suggested the possibility of migraines or cluster headaches. I also thought I had TMJ because I had so many of the symptoms, but cluster headaches can cause one-sided pain in the head in many areas (which is what I have - the whole right side of my head aches). And I must concur that if you were having a problem with your brain, your symptoms would be much different and more significant. I have the same anxiety as you about head pain in thinking that a headache means a tumor.

It could also be possible that you sustained nerve damage after the injury to your neck. I don't know if you'd go to a chiropractor or a neurologist for this, but it's a possibility, I'm sure. A slightly misaligned disc in the spine or neck can cause you all sorts of pain.