Pain at the base of neck on right side, thinking the worst

[Deepseathree]

I woke up last night with a pain at the base of my neck slightly to the right side off center. Hurt bad enough that I took an extra xanax to get back to sleep. All yesterday it hurt. It’s a constant pain. But it doesn’t increase with movement so it not muscular. The only thing that increases the pain is when straining. Like doing the valsava maneuve. Think trying to force a poop. Other than that, nothing really increases it. Nothing alleviates it as well. I can’t get the thought out of my head that it’s an arterial tear or something of that nature and it’s just waiting to fully tear.

[AMomentofClarity]

But it doesn’t increase with movement so it not muscular.

Great, you’re narrowing down the possibilities!.....and where did you get your medical degree?

[lofwyr]

Well as a guy with an aneurysm, there is no pain unless it tears, and if it tears you will know it. You would be facing a medical emergency right now that would be very obvious. And as an aside, of it really were your aorta, carotid, or another major artery, the last thing in the world you would want to do is the valsalva, just saying.

We can't help you, if you think it is a medical emergency then you need to get medical attention. If it isn't a medical emergency, then there is nothing to worry about, is there?

[megan91]

You probably just slept on it wrong. Especially since you woke up with it. Go to bed with no pain, wake up with pain. Sounds pretty logical.

[Careful1]

It sounds like you perhaps slept in a weird way and that is whats causing the pain...

I am assuming you googled your symptoms to arrive at the conclusion that you did which I am sure you know is just not a good idea.

No one here can tell you one way or the other whats causing your pain but I am sure if you had something like a ruptured aneurysm, an arterial tear or anything of the sort, you would certainly know you were in the mist of a medical emergency. Also, the above comment about the Valsalva Maneuver is certainly correct. In any of those situations that would be a very bad idea.

Hope you get to feeling better soon.