neck pain + aneurysm = nervous guy

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Duff Man

Duff Man

VR.org Supporter
Supporting Member
Joined
May 1, 2008
Messages
1,334
Location
Springfield
Hey folks, I've been having neck pain on and off for months now... probably since August. It's usually on the right side, but I've also had it on the left. I had a ct scan of my neck back in October to rule out big problems with the arteries and nothing showed up.

The pain is relieved right away with Ibuprofen or steroids. I have bad GERD, so I'm using the ibuprofen when it gets intolerable only. It gets worse when I touch my neck as if I'm taking my pulse, or when I turn to look at things. The pain runs from my ear just next to my jaw and in to my shoulder and arm, and maybe some in to my right chest. Sometimes I get headaches, but I'm not sure if they're related.

From what I've read, the obvious things could be just skeletal/muscular, some kind of migraine like irritation of the neck vessels, carotidynia, or arteritis. Being that I know a little something about anatomy of the blood vessels, it creeps me out because of the right brachiocephalic's proximity to my aneurysm... and the implication that an artery that's attached to an aneurysm may be giving pain signals. Who knows, maybe it's just my muscle(s), I don't know... it's not completely obvious.

I saw a hematologist (for the first time ever) yesterday that seemed to be creeped out about it too, but he said he was going to talk to the surgeon that's "Watching" me. I've already told the "watching" surgeon... and every other doctor that will listen.

Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts to share? Maybe this is just something that I have to learn to deal with??
 
I too have been having neck pain for about 7 months now. I started noticing it right after I got out of the hospital after having an appendectomy.

When it first hit me, I had cramps on both sides of my neck...felt just like a charley horse! It was horrific. I could not turn my head either way, couldn't drive, stiff as a board. I took Extra Strength Tylenol to take the edge off but it would never go away. Headaches would follow too. I went to a chiropractor for 5 sessions but the pain persisted.

I saw my PCP for it and they did a CT-scan and it showed nothing. They took X-rays and also nothing. Fortunately the pain is not as bad nowadays and it's mainly on the left-side of my neck in the soft tissue. I do notice that if I spend too much time on the PC or watching TV, it will aggravate it. I was Rx'd some muscle relaxants too and I will take one occasionally but don't like the way it makes me feel after so I just grin and bear it!

I'm even hoping that when I arrive in Houston and if they order an MRI, to ask them to include the neck area because I want to be convinced that there's nothing there that's causing the pain.

I wish you luck in getting to the bottom of what is causing your pain too. Keep us posted!

Note: I even asked my PCP if high pulmonary pressures could cause neck pain and he said no, so..... :rolleyes2:
 
njean said:
I too have been having neck pain for about 7 months now. I started noticing it right after I got out of the hospital after having an appendectomy.

When it first hit me, I had cramps on both sides of my neck...felt just like a charley horse! It was horrific. I could not turn my head either way, couldn't drive, stiff as a board. I took Extra Strength Tylenol to take the edge off but it would never go away. Headaches would follow too. I went to a chiropractor for 5 sessions but the pain persisted.

I saw my PCP for it and they did a CT-scan and it showed nothing. They took X-rays and also nothing. Fortunately the pain is not as bad nowadays and it's mainly on the left-side of my neck in the soft tissue. I do notice that if I spend too much time on the PC or watching TV, it will aggravate it. I was Rx'd some muscle relaxants too and I will take one occasionally but don't like the way it makes me feel after so I just grin and bear it!

I'm even hoping that when I arrive in Houston and if they order an MRI, to ask them to include the neck area because I want to be convinced that there's nothing there that's causing the pain.

I wish you luck in getting to the bottom of what is causing your pain too. Keep us posted!

Note: I even asked my PCP if high pulmonary pressures could cause neck pain and he said no, so..... :rolleyes2:
Click to expand...

Very interesting, thanks for the reply! Maybe we just have toomuchcomputeritis!?

Re: the neck vein thing, I kinda wonder if he's not right about that. I could swear I read where people had pulmonary embolisms and had a bulging neck vein from it, but I'm not sure if pulmonary hypertension is the same mechanism as a pulmonary embolism. I know that it's possible with superior vena cava syndrome, though.

I would definitely ask them to scan my neck too if I were up to bat for surgery. In fact, if I ever do have surgery and this pain is still there, I'd like them to somehow get eyes on the vessel to make sure it's normal looking... that's just me though.
 
Duff Man said:
Very interesting, thanks for the reply! Maybe we just have toomuchcomputeritis!?

Re: the neck vein thing, I kinda wonder if he's not right about that. I could swear I read where people had pulmonary embolisms and had a bulging neck vein from it, but I'm not sure if pulmonary hypertension is the same mechanism as a pulmonary embolism. I know that it's possible with superior vena cava syndrome, though.

I would definitely ask them to scan my neck too if I were up to bat for surgery. In fact, if I ever do have surgery and this pain is still there, I'd like them to somehow get eyes on the vessel to make sure it's normal looking... that's just me though.
Click to expand...

I hear ya! I have a very strong suspicion that the pain is directly related to my heart situation right now!!!
 
Pre-valve replacement, upon exertion/exercise, I had sick achey pains that went up between my shoulder blades and up both sides of my neck. Didn't realize at the time but the cardio later diagnosed it as angina. Upon retrospect, I'm sure he was correct.
 
Sorry you are suffering from neck pains, DM and NJ. Thoughts/prayers coming to both of you.....



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"Sometimes solutions aren't so simple" __ Linkin Park __ 'Shadow Of The Day'
 
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