Ouch - Horrendous headache and neck pain - help

[noxmasname]

Ouch ouch ouch - I feel soooo ill.

I've had pains up my neck into my head for 3 days now - its weird - initially it feels as though you have a stiff neck from sleeping funny, but then the pains just go up my head and I've had the most awful ringing headache for days. I am a migraine sufferer but I know this isnt one, as mine are different to this.

I've tried every painkiller possible and they dont work. I was in India 3 weeks ago and got a really sore ear while there which wore off, then when i came back, everytime i blew my nose it was blood (sorry TMI), but that has gone now.

Dh reckons I've got a sinus infection, but my face doesnt hurt, just the top of my shoulders and my neck/head.

I'm at the doctors tomorrow but does anyone know what it could be? Do sinus infections get you like this?

Doesn;t sound like sinuses...with me I get throbbing pain at the front of my head / face.

Do you feel fluey? I definitely think you should check with your GP since you've been to India.

My dept have all had a bug that matches your symptoms. Nurofen was the only thing that helped with the neck pain.

Hope you feel better soon.

The headache and stiff neck would concern me regarding meningitis.

However, I am reassured that you have been suffering 3 days (as meningitis normally progresses much more rapidly than that I think).

I think you need to see GP tomorrow

Have you ever had Slapped Cheek? - there's an awful lot of that going around. It gives you a sore throat & stiff neck as well as a temp and a rash (partic on cheeks).

Just a thought.

Thanks for your replies, although I am now freaked about meningitis....eeek.

I am at the doctors later this morning.

Still feel rough as anything, neck is killing me, head is ringing with pain and feel a tad sick too, but i'm sure thats just the headache being so bad.

I havent got a temperature or sore throat - been a tiny bit snotty but nothing like a cold, just convinced its sinus, although now DH has put the fear of god in me cos I got bitten a lot in India and he said it may be something i got from that!

It could be neuraligia
Or referred pain from a trapped nerve or muscle spasm in your neck

Go to chemist and get a heat patch - they are brilliant, like giant plasters that heat up. Watch out as some can only go on clothes and they are useless. Stick it on where your neck hurts and it should help if is muscular

btw a clinically stiff neck (ie for meningitis) is one where you cannot touch your chin to your breastplate. Not just an achey neck!

I've just tried to touch my chin to my breastplate and I can't. And there's nothing wrong with my neck.

Can most people do this?

I think it means I have a short neck and/or a small chin.

phew, thank goodness for that CD! I can touch my breastplate with my chin.

Its the headaches that are killing me - I cant function with them and just want to crawl into my bed.

phew, thank goodness for that CD! I can touch my breastplate with my chin.

Its the headaches that are killing me - I cant function with them and just want to crawl into my bed.

If you are being sick I would go to A&E

I had a headache and sore shoulders and neck for a day or so and then started being sick and was sent by a GP I spoke to (my mum) straight to A&E where they thought it might be a bleed in the brain or a tumour or meningitis. I was CAT scanned and lumbarpunctured and in the end actually it was a viral encephalitis (and the headache lasted for 6 weeks - I couldn't get out of bed for a fortnight) BUT the point is that sudden onset headaches and nausea or vomiting should be taken EXREMELY seriously...

I've noticed that painkillers aren't touching the pain either.

Please will you consider going to A&E?

omg you are scaring me now.

I'm off to the doctors now - will update you when i am back

Oh good (not that I'm scaring you, I don't want to do that, I just want a doctor to see you!)
Good luck

If its any help I'm just recovering from a nasty bug which sounds very similar. Headache (I'm a migraine sufferer too and it was not a migraine headache) Stiff neck and upper back that you can feel with every footstep. Lost my apetite completely. I also had acid indigestion and a temperature. I called the doctor out of hours worried it was serious. She gave me paracetomol for the fever and codeine for the pain which help slightly.

Day three (Thursday) in bed and I threw up on the hour every hour for 9 hours.

Last few days I've had a periodic whoosing severe headache, it was like heavy breathing in my head when lying down. Hopefully this is my last day off work (since Wednesday afternoon). I threw up again today but feel OK for now.

I could look at light but could'nt put my chin on my chest because of the PIN. I think it was a nasty infection but not sure what of.

Hope you recover soon. See the doc and give yourself plenty of time to recover at least a week.

I've got a bug with a SORE NECK at the mo

Bloody annoying and I'm very crabby

CAn't get comfortable

Have got strep throat (swab result came back positive) so am on amoycillin for that, maybe it's related?

Well I've been to the doctors.

She said my ear was a bit red and i may have a sinus problem although she isnt convinced - she has given me anti-bi's anyway just incase.

She reckons its all a neck problem and suggested some Ibugel and heat pads for it and has also given me some Tramadol painkillers as none of mine have touched it. I'm really not convinced though as I feel so rough and cant believe it is all coming from a muscular problem in my neck, but we'll see.

The tramadol will make me very drousy she says, so lets hope i sleep this afternoon.

Get a good sleep. Sounds like it may be more than muscle ache. Hope you dont get what I've had but mine started the same as you.

You could just try some stretches. Sit on a hard-back chair, grab the side of the seat with your hand and lean away from that hand until you are stretched sideways especially your neck. Ttry it both sides. If the neck pain worsens you have found the seat of the tension. Keep stretching until the pain lessens. Or you could try the plough (yoga postion). Lie on your back with your arms by your side. Life your legs upwards and try to touch the floor behind your head. Keep breathing and stay like that for a few moments. It stretches the spine.

I get loads of neck tension headaches and yes, they can be truly horrendous. Problem is the longer the tension remains the more tender the muscles become.

my GP told me my headache and neckache was because I was sleeping wrong

Funny how they he didn't apologise for being useless afterwards when they found out it was encephalitis

He didn't apologise for telling me that my ds had "definitely not broken his wrist" when I got him xrayed and he had, in fact, broken his wrist.

Anyway if you start vomiting or feel worse, GO TO A&E!

I will do PPH thank you - i dont feel any worse but not any better too.

I've had it for a few days now - whatever it is should be on its way out soon surely. I'm sick of it, feel so ill

How are you feeling now? Better I hope...

still feeling rubbish pph - been back to doctors walk in clinic today as pain was so bad - see my other post 'help with sinusitus'