neck and head pain

[Raffyandme]

I am a 73 year old woman. I have a lot of osteoarthritis and following a fall 2 years ago when I fractured both pubic rami bones in my hip I was diagnosed with osteoporosis. I already have ongoing issues with my lumbar spine and have been on pain meds for that for years. Since August last year I have been experiencing debilitating neck and head pain. I have a permanent head ache on the right hand side which come up and over the top of my head and is so severe it is like I have been hit over the head. This is 24/7. Sleep is done in snatches during the night. I can no longer concentrate long enough to read, knit or do any general house hold chores. I am now very depressed and don’t like going out or joining in with activities. I’ve had an MRI which shows osteoarthritis in my neck and nerve impingement in C1/2 of my spine. Physio has not helped, in fact the exercises are so painful that it makes the head pain worse. I take the same pain meds that I’ve always taken and they help for about an hour. I don’t know what else to do. My GP is referring me up to the next level at MSK. I’m not sure what this will do. What other help is out there. I am in the UK.

[Fruitandnutcase]

Welcome to the group Raffyandme, things sound really miserable for you at the moment and it is all really affecting your quality of life.

It doesn’t sound as if your physio exercises are helping at all, you shouldn’t be in such pain with them and while I am a great believer in physiotherapy and keeping moving it sounds like maybe you need to take a little rest from them at the moment. Have you been told to stop them until your doctor refers you to wherever he is intending to refer you to?

Has anyone suggested a pain clinic to you, some hospitals have them and hopefully they could get your pain under control and at least let you get some sleep which would hopefully let you start to get your life back more to how it used to be.

The best I can suggest is that you contact someone at the ROS theros.org.uk - they would possibly be able to explain the next steps and give you some ideas about what you could do next.

[ROSModerator Partner]

Hi Raffyandme ,

We just wanted to take this opportunity to welcome you to our community and thank you for joining us here

It sounds like an extremely difficult time for you at the moment with constant severe pain, and it makes sense how you've noticed that you've been feeling low as the pain is stopping you from doing things you used to enjoy.

As you asked about any support available, we just wanted to highlight the UK charity versusarthritis, who have lots of information and also a helpline for people with arthritis: versusarthritis.org/

We also have information about pain management on our ROS website that may feel useful: theros.org.uk/information-a...

Really hoping you find some relief soon,

Lulu

ROS Moderator

[Thanksnhs]

Hi, I am sorry to hear that you are in so much pain all the time it must be so debilitating. I hurt my neck over 20 years and I still get the severe headache exactly as you describe although thankfully it is not there all the time, when I do get it I have to take painkillers and lie in bed it is agony and can last a few days, I honestly don't know what I would do if it was permanent.I have osteoporosis and arthritis, I am 66.

+four years ago I paid to go to an osteopath who told me that my shoulder and neck muscles are terrible, the treatment was a bit painful but it did work, unfortunately It seems to be getting quite bad again, especially after doing things like cleaning the shower doors that can bring the dreaded headache on. I am thinking about going back to the osteopath. It might be worth contacting one to see if they could help you they are very knowledgeable about the body. Take care char x

[Posy-White]

Hello Raffyandme,

Very Sorry to read about the issues you are having. Neck and headaches issues do needing exploring in case it isn’t osteo related which is good, but I found it did seem to stop another support until other areas had been explored. The months of wait being very painful and lack of sleep debilitating, my heart goes out to you.

I have neck pain and therefore headaches with osteoporosis. In my case it is due to the damage to my spine after fractures, leaving my heads new natural angle looking down at the floor. So first thing that was pointed out to me by the spinal unit physio was every time I look up, e.g. in every day conversation it's like someone else without spinal damage looking at the sky the whole time! I have exercises to do every day and at first these where to advanced. The easier ones I started with involved very small movements ( Wonder if yours are too difficult at the present?)

Other things that help me and if you haven’t tried already you may consider?

- getting the pain managed, would be a first if I had a magic wand, then you can start to think! Local pain clinic wasn't helpful for me, others have been helped. Consultant at anosteoporosis appointment sorted me out, when she saw how bad I was. I’m on Butec 10micrograms/hour transdermal patches, that are changed weekly. Is it an idea to go back to the GP and explain again how bad the pain is at present and how this is affecting all areas of life?

- heat pads (tried cold pads and that did nothing / made it worse) I sleep with a heat pad on and have one that I can use in a chair. I use a silk scarf to keep the heat in and no drafts.

For me non of the heat or cold gel rubs didn’t worked, but others report they are helped.

- Using a Magnesium oil spray, helped the cramp I get down my arms and legs, nerves are trapped. (Someone on the site recommended the brand ‘Better You’ – this brand I also found helped me)

- Using pillows so I sleep more upright and a travel neck pillow. I have a house full of pillows until I found ones which suited me.

- Going to a McTimney practitioner with the approval of the physio (they release and manipulate muscles NOT bones). I get a lot of relief after this therapy – sometimes I think it’s about finding the right people and I have been so lucky to have the on going support of this practitioner and a skilled physio.

I hope you are able to get some good support very soon. Post again with news, we do all care about each other.

With all good wishes

Posy White

[paingoneforlife]

Hi Raffyandme

I have experienced the same pain for over 30 yrs diagnosed as Occipital Neuralgia due to arthritis in neck I have had many different treatments from physio acupuncture, radio frequency to sever nerves in head with very little relief nothing permanent I have had private nerve blocks for yrs to cope with pain I am under a pain clinic now with lvly specialist the nerve block in the occipital nerves does help relieve pain ask your specialist to refer u to NHS for them if u can’t afford private,pain meds such as Pregabalin and Gabapentin are supposed to help unfortunately I can’t take them as get bad side effect maybe get ur Doctor to prescribe them to try

Good luck Irene

[Raffyandme in reply to paingoneforlife]

Many thanks for your reply. I am just back from physio which is as far as my treatment has got. I am finding the exercises very hard. I am already on gabapentin and cocodamol so unable to take anything else. I have been referred back to MSK for some other treatment. The pathways you have described have already experienced for treatment to my lumbar spine! So onwards and upwards I hope.