Neck pain, a warning?

Hi,

This has been on my mind lately. I think it is common with migraine to get neck pain or stiffness before head pain, well it is for me anyway.

Does anyone know if there is a way to alleviate the neck pain and avoid the head pain, in other words see the neck pain as a warning sign of the pending head pain and stop it before it takes hold.

Also do we know what causes this neck pain, mine will follow the side of the head pain if this makes sense, it feels like a stiff muscle in my neck.

Peter

I've often heard that headaches can stem from the neck. It certainly sounds like the case in your situation. I don't have that so I can't give any advise. I wish you good luck though.

peter it has now been stated that neck pain is more of an intrinsic with migraine than nausea..

Peter,

A recent study showed that neck pain is a more common symptom of a Migraine than nausea. Take a look at Neck Pain As a Symptom of Migraine.

Teri

Hi Peter, neck pain is definitely something I listen to when I feel it because I know it means a migraine is to follow shortly. You asked if there was a way to alleviate the neck pain and avoid the head pain. I think for everyone the relief will vary, but what helps for me is taking naproxen sodium (over-the-counter, I take 2 pills) and if I am at home, particularly if it's evening and I'm not working or am home for the night, I might take 1/2 - 1 muscle relaxer that I have a prescription for. Then I go to bed and put an ice bag on the area of the neck where the pain is--something about lying down helps me. If the pain starts at work and I can't do this routine, I apply "Salon Pas" pads on the sore area and take the Aleve until I can get home and ice it. If I ignore it, I inevitably get a full-blown migraine, so I try to do one of those.

I also received a book from my neurologist with different neck stretches to do on a daily basis. If I'm consistent with those, I don't have the neck pain as frequently as when I don't do the stretches.

Good luck and hope this helps,
Amy

I used to have pain in my neck and still do sometimes. I was seeing a chiropractor at the time for my back after a car accident I had been in and mentioned the neck pain to him. He started adjusting my neck and not long after I was able to tell that was getting 2 different types of migraines.

I was getting those caused by my neck being out of alignment and the original still uncontrolled ones. I no longer see the chiropractor but he was able to realign my neck and when I went regularly I didn't get a migraine starting in my neck. I started noticing that those migraines were completely gone at one point and I hadn't had one in several months and asked him and he said they can go away.

May not hurt to check into seeing a chiropractor if you can afford it. I wish I could still afford it and so does my back!

My neck pain is in the side of my neck. I think it comes from the occipital area, and is always on the right.
I feel it right down to my shoulder almost, and it creates pressure in my back teeth.
I have of course checked this out with my dentist, he cant find anything wrong and says it is a nerve problem and exacerbated by sinus congestion.

Not sure what to do about it. It is worsened by physical movement, and hurts a lot.

Pen

Most of my really bad migraines originate from the back of the neck. I'll feel it in my shoulders first, and then it creeps up my neck.
Those 2 spots on each side of your neck behind your ears are so tender to the touch. If a masseuse were to apply any pressure there I would get instant migraines.
I agree, different strokes for different folks. I like heat. Muscle relaxers have been my godsend.

I've often been told by various chiropractors, massage therapists and even family and friends that my upper back and neck is just a bedlum of knots. Ouch.

Take care,
Tea

I have Cervical Spondylosis, which gives me pain in the neck most of the time.

When I have a HA my neck hurts worse, and when my neck hurts worse my head is more painful.

I think that I injured my neck worse than the whiplash that I was dx'd with, when I had a rollover acident in 1989.

When I feel the neck pain coming on I grab my ice wrap out of the freezer (if i'm home). Sometimes it helps sometimes it doesn't though.

I use ice to numb the pain , but it never actually helps it once I remove it.

A man I know, who has been a practicing physical therapist for many years, says that most people have their shoulders and necks all knotted up before they get out of high school! I know that seems incredible, but he has worked on thousands of people over several decades.

He's the kind of person who rather than try to assign causes, reports on what he's observed and works on getting rid of the symptoms. When I pressed him on the issue and asked him to speculate on why people develop such physical soreness and tension so early in life, he said simply, "Modern life.".

I'm thinking that if so called normal people develop neck pain so early, what chance do we have, with our multiple problems?

Chris