pain in the head

[QAGS]

anyone had experience of Neuralgia? I am going crazy with stabbing pain , RHS of my skull , behind my ear. Spoke to GP on phone, she prescribe Amitriptyline 10 mgm. All this has done is make me lethargic, but not taken the pain away. It is exacerbated by eating on that side, also yawning. I am desperate...Thanks

[medway-lady]

No I'm sorry I don't but did have Shingles really badly a couple of years ago and pregabalin worked really well.

[Gingwah]

Have you seen a dentist about this? Just a thought - it may be jaw related. Hope you find some help hun x

[LoneEra]

Apply heat to the affected area. Pop a hot water bottle on there and leave it there for at least 20 mins...even if you have to lie very weirdly to do it. Do this several times a day. Or as often as you can/need to.

Also, stock up on foods with Vitamin B12 in, or get some tablets.

If you are into homeopathic remedies, you can apply diluted chamomile oil to the area.

Sometimes wearing earplugs seems to help?!!! Who knows what the logic is there 😂

My Dad suffered from this terribly. I still have vivid memories of him sat in an armchair clutching his head and utterly desperate. Fortunately, his did get better - and I hope yours goes quickly xx

[QAGS in reply to LoneEra]

thank you LoneERa

[AgedCrone]

Did this develop after your Covid vaccination? It sounds similar to one of the symptoms I had after my first injection....hopefully it will settle ...... it’s 12 weeks since I had the jab & it is less troublesome...but I still have it.

[QAGS in reply to AgedCrone]

No this pain began the day before my 2nd Covid jab. I had no probs with my first, but lethargy after the second. I don't think the 2 episodes are related, unless it was tension related, thank you

[AgedCrone in reply to QAGS]

On my doctor’s advice I am not having the second vaccination.Having tests...but doubt any new info will be forthcoming.

So as usual.....just soldiering on.

[Knit12]

You are not alone. I frequently suffer from neuralgia with my RA meds. I think because some of the drugs affect our sinuses and eyes. I take paracetamol and also go for heat with a hot water bottle at the side that bothers me. If it really gets bad I take tramadol with the hot water bottle and go to bed.

I take it you are on drugs with similar side effects to mine. Horrible though it is there is nothing a doctor or a dentist can do. Speak to your Rheumatologist if it continues you may need your meds changed. Good luck xx

[QAGS in reply to Knit12]

thank you Knit12

[dotell in reply to Knit12]

I agree. The best i found was to take sleeping tab and sleep it out-the head pain i mean. I get these really really bad when under extreme stress/almost burn-out phase from the stress of full time caregiver. I also found ear plugs great before i started feeling a pain coming on and drank water two cups straight down. This helped the pain subside but only if i caught the pain early enough. If you are in throws of full on head pain little sips of water is better as i found i would vomit water straight up during this phase. I truely believe though my body was happy to use this action in order to actually reduce cranial pressure. Weird to try and explain that. But i felt so much better after i did. Do not recommend drinking water though for that to happen. It just seemed to happen to me on a few occasions that when i did it came straight back up-projectile! when nothing worked and i mean nowt worked and i thought the pressure in my head would blow my skull off i have never felt more great full for my body using a vomitting action via the water to reduce pressure, thus, reduced pain almost within 30-40 minutes.Always check with doctor if that bad

[jacobite33]

Could it possibly be due to your trapezius muscle and neck tension? That’s what they have been telling me.Totally sympathise with you QAGS and hope you can resolve it very soon!

Stay strong and take care!

[QAGS in reply to jacobite33]

Thank you jacobite33, will be making an apt with my Physio asap

[Snoofy]

I had searing pain in the back of my head and behind my ears for months but it's gone now. Are you bending your head for a long time? Using a laptop, sewing, reading, or doing something that means your neck is in the same position for a long time? I've put my laptop up on the kitchen unit and restricted the amount of time. Also I try to move my neck from right to left looking over each shoulder into the distance, rotating it and moving it up and down as an exercise when I'm walking. I find that when I move my neck and head it crackles loudly but it relieves the pressure. I always take 1 amitriptyline at night sometimes 2 it takes a while to build up in your system. I also rely on paracetamol during the day and sometimes at night for pain. Have you had your eyes checked by a good optician?

[QAGS in reply to Snoofy]

so helpful, thank you Snoofy. I have been reading in bed for over an hour each night since lockdown, neck in same position, am going to ring my Physio ,she is excellent for so many of my RA & other conditions. will also get my eyes checked,

[Angels54]

Since starting a biological drug I am experiencing similar, pain in left side of neck and ear , definitely neauropathic can be very painful.

[Choccy23]

Sorry to hear you are experiencing this pain! It can be excruciating and unfortunately I don't have any solutions apart from what has been suggested.Years ago before RA was diagnosed I used to have really bad pain. It would start with my teeth feeling sensitive, then it would radiate to my whole mouth, face, head and neck. It would feel like I was being stabbed with pins and needles everywhere. I even ended up in tears on the road and had to be picked up by my then partner, as I was in too much pain to even get home. I would need to take really strong painkillers and sleep it off.

Eventually, it disappeared. I know that's not much help but also to let you know you're not alone.

[QAGS in reply to Choccy23]

Thank you Choccy23 x

[keen_walker]

Hi, I had similar pains recently. I was also rather blocked up. My GP put me on beconase an an anti-histamine which cleared the tubes and relieved the ear ache

[tazman3]

I suffer with this quite regularly, always on my right side. Down my head, around my ear and along the jaw. Also in my temple and eyes. Sometimes I cannot bear to touch my ear so there is nothing going in it! I am on methotrexate jabs and started imraldi jabs around 5 months ago. Nothing seems to be working. I was diagnosed 2 years ago but was told it was a very late diagnosis.

I have experienced this kind of pain before/during all the meds I've taken so far. I've been told it is most likely TMD/TMS - best if you google it. It is a very miserable condition and, in my experience, worse when stressed.

I do have very sensitive teeth and have just changed from electronic to sonic toothbrush. It seems to be much more gentle, although at first it felt like a bee in my mouth! My teeth and gums were feeling tender and have improved since the change. No TMD symptoms up to now, but that could be coincidence. If you have a good dentist they might suggest a bite guard, which I use when I get a bout of this problem. Ibuprofen takes the edge off, but nothing takes the pain away. Not surprised you felt drowsy on Amitriptylene, I take it to help me sleep.

I believe its all part of RA. I'm still waiting for remission (and flares) and wonder what that is like! I just have flares every day and more swelling.

Hope you get some relief soon, I know how you feel.

[QAGS in reply to tazman3]

thank you taxman3, your symptoms almost exactly mirror mine. I have rung my Physio to get an apt, she is good with Acupuncture. I do agree re Stress...lost my beloved Brother recently with Covid, and I cry a little every day for him,

[sueathome]

Sounds a bit like trigeminal neuralgia, if you look up the symptoms of that. I was recently suspected to have that, but I only have an ache and pins & needles that go from the side of my neck, through my ear and along my jaw. Now think I have a trapped nerve somewhere in my neck, so going for physio. GP wasn't much help, so having to pay for this. Hope you get some relief soon x

[QAGS in reply to sueathome]

yes sueathome, I am going to see my Phsio,as soon as Holiday is over, I am pinning all my hopes on her, thank you