pain in neck awaiting ultrasound

[hopeful1]

I am so fed up. My latest 'illness' is I have a pain behind my carotid artery left side of neck. I am awaiting a scan on wednesday but am beside myself with worry as this has been ongoing for weeks. I asked the gp what he was looking for and he said signs of a stroke. Not the best thing an anxiety sufferer wants to hear. I wish he hadnt told me as now Dr Google has added more worry and i am going nuts. I do have sinus problems and ear pain and my sensible head thinks it is more to do with that... but.. you never know. It could be suspicious...Last year I was investigated for gallstones, pancreatic cancer, an innocent cyst on my kidney - found whilst looking at othet stuff and various minor viruses of which i seem to have a lot of. I wish so much not to be like this but am so afraid i might miss that all important symptom. I so want to be normal. I have just read this back and now look like a complete mad woman but have to let off steam somewhere.

[Goosenufc]

That sounds like a right paint in the neck!

Seriously though, you have probably either trapped a nerve or tweaked a muscle. Your neck is full of them!

It's way easier said then done, but try and put it to the back of your mind until the appointment. Thinking about what is is or isn't wont change the reality of what it is.

Look at it from the worst case scenario if you like - it could say you've had a stroke.

If that's your worst case, then the fact you won't have realised it even happened would in itself prove it to be minor. Therfor it wouldn't be the end of the world in any case. So even the worse wouldn't be a total disaster!

I wish you all the best in levelling your emotions until your ultrasound. I've been there numerous times before waiting for scans and it's horrible.

[hopeful1]

Yes you do make sense, no point in worrying what I cant change i think you are saying. Sometimes just speaking out can relieve a little bit of anxiety. I have been reading others problems and cant believe, though feel reassured, that perhaps i am not the only one going through this. I just want a magic answer Thank you for a bit of plain speaking. I will try and keep a level head.

[cerridwen]

I have exactly the same pain. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) my GP knows me and has concluded it is poor posture and stress - 'neck tension syndrome' (NO - don't GOOGLE). I have been to an osteopath, taken painkillers and corrected my posture and its 90% gone.

I am not saying your cause is the same, just to keep it in perspective. I once had veins standing out on my left temple. GP did a blood test to test for temporal arteritis (no - don't GOOGLE) but it turned out to be tension related.

Go with the flow, reed in the wind, etc. Have the scan, though. I bet it doesn't show a reason for the pain.

[sl1nky]

I had something like this once, i had a sharp pain in the back of my neck to the side slightly. I noticed I was sleeping on too many pillows, or the pillow was too thick, causing me to arch my neck at an awkward angle the entire time through the night. But again being stressed and anxious can cause your muscles to tense up, everyday i feel a sense of either back ache, chests ache, neck aches, shoulder aches, sometimes i even get aches in my cheeks.

[artist12]

Hi hun, I have this exact same thing but on the right side (I know the artery is only on the left) BUT I had myself thoroughly convinced I had neck or throat cancer, because the pain was there touch and go for about six months. I know it is easy to fear the worst when a pain lasts so long, but I was finally able to get some relief by religiously treating my neck with a heating pad, massages, trigger point therapy, etc.

My pain was very deep, achy and almost burning. I could pinpoint exactly where I felt it and pressing on it felt like knives stabbing me. It was so hard to imagine it was just nerve/muscle related but once the pain started responding to some of the stretching, massaging, etc, my anxiety went down and got me out of the vicious cycle. Anxiety will keep this kind of pain going because you tense your neck without even realizing it.

Hope things get better! Try not to fret too much, as many others have reassured me here on my similar posts, this sounds very nerve/posture/anxiety related.