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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> Stiff Neck
        
(Message started by: buckeyescooter on May 3^rd, 2004, 1:43am)

Title: Stiff Neck
Post by buckeyescooter on May 3^rd, 2004, 1:43am

I was wondering if any of you wise souls out there can offer your expertise in this area.
I have had an a incredibly stiff neck for the last 5 days. My cycle seemed to be winding down until this this happened. I'm not talking about the usual stiff neck that occurs on the side of the clusters, but rather, both sides, sore to the touch almost, and as hard as two by fours. I sometimes wonder if the neck is actually causing the ha....I don't think thats possible, but was wondering if anyone had any guidance in this area.
One more question....the weather out here in LA has been all over the map recently.....This past week the highs were in the low 70's, then this weekend it jumped up to over 100 degrees. My ha's seem to be affected greatly by this.....anyone have any thoughts?

Title: Re: Stiff Neck
Post by renny on May 3^rd, 2004, 4:12am

:)Hiya Scott

this is almost BEGGIN' for one of those Viagra joke replys, I'm not gonna be the one to do it....

In all seriousness. I wish I could help. I get horribly bad pain on the right side of my body, after, before, during.........esp after, feels like I have been hit by a truck....but then the EUPHORIA kicks in, I am as high as a kite...and to me that is the BEST FRIKKIN feeling in the whole world....know not everyone gets this 'high',

Possibly not a good answer, just where I am at......karen 8)

Title: Re: Stiff Neck
Post by Karla on May 3^rd, 2004, 6:13pm

I have had my neck out of alignment and have it cause ha where the chiropractor helped. When the drs where trying to determine what type of ha I was suffering from they noticed that my neck was very tense from taking all the ch hits. They sent me to a physical therapist to rule out posture problems that could cause ha and also rule out tention ha. It was proven the tension was a result of ha not cause of ha. DUH could have told them that. Wait a min. I did tell them that. lol. Anyway, heat is a major trigger for me also. So you have my deepest sympathy.

Title: Re: Stiff Neck
Post by 9erfan on May 3^rd, 2004, 9:19pm

Scott,

I understand what you're going through (I think). I sometimes have excruitiating neck pain during a cycle (not just during the actual headache) but mine seems to stay pretty much on the right side. It's gotten to the point a few times where the pain in my neck has been worse than my head. I've never figured out if the pain in the neck causes the h/a or the tension of the h/a causes the pain in the neck. :-/

Virginia

Title: Re: Stiff Neck
Post by Renee on May 3^rd, 2004, 11:28pm

My neck had got to where it was almost as bad as the ch. I let my doc feel the tightness in my neck and back and he immediately wrote me an rx for flexeril.

The neck and back is MUCH better. The CH is still the same but the neck is MUCH better.

I look at it this way...If I can't kill the beast at least I'll limit what areas the beast can mess with!

hope this helps
renee

Title: Re: Stiff Neck
Post by Stibs on May 4^th, 2004, 12:10am

Hey regarding your weather comment..

I think my cycle is winding down although I'm not sure.. however I was recently reading the effects of barometric pressure on how it effects CH. Last week here in Minneapolis, we had 3 very drastic days in temp.. the highs were: 55 one day, 93 the next, and the day after that back down to 50. Those 3 days I had the worst constant strings of headaches and shadows I can remember having in recent cycles! It was a total nightmare. I am crossing my fingers that the worst of my pain is over for now, but I have little doubt that at least for me, the crazier the weather, the more it just adds to the already unbearable pain. That's my thought anyway. Good Luck to you!

Title: Re: Stiff Neck
Post by buckeyescooter on May 4^th, 2004, 3:02pm

Thanks for all the comments. It really helps.
I saw my doc yesterday and he said that weather and barometric pressure can absolutely affect the ch's. Today is the last day of the really HOT stuff here in LA so hopefully that will help.
On an unrelated note, he put me on Topomax for the first time. I've read a lot about that drug on this site and lucky for me, no horrible side efects so far.
Man, I'm sick of these fucking headaches! >:(

Title: Re: Stiff Neck
Post by 9erfan on May 4^th, 2004, 5:26pm

Scott,

Another thing I forgot to mention...I found that getting neck/shoulder massages 2x a month really helped me with the neck pain. Just a thought.

Virginia

Title: Re: Stiff Neck
Post by Prense on May 4^th, 2004, 6:11pm

on 05/04/04 at 15:02:39, buckeyescooter wrote:

On an unrelated note, he put me on Topomax for the first time. I've read a lot about that drug on this site and lucky for me, no horrible side efects so far.

Brace yourself! ;;D

Title: Re: Stiff Neck
Post by purpleydog on May 10^th, 2004, 11:36pm

I have stiff necks from time to time, usually I wake up with them. I think mine are caused by having a fan blow on me at nite, or I wake up in a weird position orit's cold. I also get a type of tension ha because of it. You haven't really lived until you've had a CH and a migraine and a tension ha all at the same time ;;D
Anyway, heat to your neck (and shoulders) is good (moist heat is better) and muscle relaxers. Take a bath with a hand towel that you have run the hottest water on it and wrap it around your neck and soak, re-warm as necessary. Be careful driving, is it hard to turn your head? Good Luck. :)

purpleydog