Neck or head?

[Jo3016]

I have had headaches on the left side of my head since the end of November!! They are not there al;l the time. In fact, a week or so ago, I went for a whole week without having one!!

They feel like head pains rather than an actual headache!! It feels really tender at the toip of my jaw - hurts when I lean on that side of my head! I think I do have some degree of TMJ as my jaw clicks and feels sore and I also have temple pain and tinnitus. I also feel like my eye aches on that side although 2 very recent eye tests (including the photo of the back of the eye) show no signs of pressure from hypertension, diabetes or anything else! I have also just come off the pill in case it was this that was causing the pain.

I went to a physio last week and he pressed on a part of my neck on the left side and I shot into the air!! He thinks the head pains come from my neck! Is that possible? I feel rubbish again today and ache in my neck and my head. I am just so fed up and worrying about a brain tumor although no-one else has even mentioned it as a possibility!! Help me with words of comfort please!!

[Richiebrum]

Hi Jo,
I am having the same sort of problems myself, aching pain along the right side of my jaw upto my ear and down my neck and my temples are painful to the touch. I would imagine it's all down to tension and feeling worse because you are concentrating too much on the pain. Try giving yourself a nice head massge concentrating on the temples using a dab of lavendar, take a couple of paracetamol and have a lie down in a quiet room for an hour. Are you stressed about anything in particular at the moment?
Take Care
Rich.

[Jayuk]

Heya,

It is possible! Most tension headaches are from the neck. The muscles from your neck run down the side of your head to your eye area and temple so tightness in the neck muscles refer pain from there to the side or front of your head. Try massaging your neck.

I have been there with constant headaches! Still get tension headaches but not as much as I used to!

Mine are and were only one sided too, this isn't often made clear. You normally see a tension headache being associated with pain accross the head or on both sides. This is definately not the case and is completely useless information, especially for anxiety sufferers!

[seekingpeace]

Great post Jayuk! There are lots of simple neck exercises you can do to help relax tight neck muscles. Google Isometric neck exercises or neck stretches for headaches.

Heat always helps your neck muscles too. Try a sock filled with rice (microwave for 1 minute). You can YouTube that and they will show you how to make your own.

Massage and a gentle chiropractor will definitely help you! The TMJ mouth pieces did not help me so I do meditation at night before I go to sleep and a little Lavendar aromatherapy... Good luck!