Migranes caused by neck problems

I'm just wondering if anyone has a problem with their neck causing migraines like I do. I regularly visit the chiropractor for my neck being out of alignment. It causes severe migraines. In return, I suffer from blurred vision, dizziness, lightheadedness, vomiting, and severe head and neck pains. Most times I get a large lump at the base of my skull that develops. It usually takes a couple of days for the swelling to go down with icing. My chiropractor and I believe that it's due to tension. I haven't followed up with the doctor wanting me to get some advanced testing done on my neck. I have been a migraine sufferer for over 17 years. Any suggestions?

I saw a chiropractor for a long time..."supposedly" my c-spine was straightened (loss of natural curvature) and that was the cause of my head pain.

After MULTIPLE treatments there (I was going up to 4x a week for several weeks) I didnt have any improvement and as a result I don't believe this was the 'reason' for my head pain. I wont say that it doesn't contribute to it

What exactly is your doctor looking for, did s/he say?

Im sorry! I always felt like with chiropractic care it was very much different from one to the next. Again, that is just my experience-I'm not by any means bashing ALL chiro's

I would definitey go ahead with the MRI and see what it says, I dont feel like there's anything for you to lose at this point and a possibility of learning something new.

Please let us know what the MRI says

Hara- According to my chiropractor, pillows that we buy at home or discount stores are pushing our skulls and up and forward, "breaking" the natural backwards curvature of our neck. I have purchased the chiropractors choice of pillow, which most sell right in their offices. They have a large amount of neck support, but have a dip in the middle where your head lays. This causes me to be dizzy, so I haven't been faithful to this pillow! He says that it takes a month or so to get used to them, but I can't make it that long without going back to my old pillow!

Maybe trying one of these pillows would be helpful to you. They generally cost between $25 and $35. I would like to share that I have found a good amount of relief with those soft "bean" filled pillows. They are usually made in the form of animals or such for children. When I have a HA, I put one of those under my neck, and ice pack my head for 15 minutes. Those "bean bags" conform so nicely to your head and neck!

I switched back to my old pillows I have a soft one that my kitty likes to sleep on at my head and then I put another pillow on a slant like on top of the other one. My headache is gone. I think that was my son's problem to.

Hara

Hi alwayssomething!

For about 10 years ago i started to have problems with my neck so i went to a chiropractor, after every time i visit him i was in

the beginning ok for 2 weeks, but then it got worse so i went to him every week, after some week he said to me that i have

to go to a doctor and have some kind of x-ray beacuse he thought that there was some thing wrong and that he too needed to

see what was causing my neck problem ( and the headache i got from it )

 

A doctor sent me to MRI and the result was that my neck was in very bad condition and that i had nervedamage from level 2-7

and my regular doctor said that it was out of the question for me to se a chiro, beacuse it could be dangerous for me with the

bad neck i have, so..........yes do an x-ray so that it wont get worse for you.

The headaches that comes from neck and shouders is always tension related, they learned me when i was 17 month in a neck

clinic.

 

But i also have FHM, but my migraine doesnt feel the same as my tension related headache there is a big different!!!

 

OK hope you will check up your neck!!!    Bye/ Sweden

Botox? How is that used, and what exactly does it do for neck issues? Thanks!

Always something, when I just read your initial post, I thought you were describing me. I too have suffered from migraines for many years & just in the past 2 years they have become increasingly worse. I have the blurred vision, lightheaded ness, nausea & vomiting etc. I also get stabbing pains behind my eyes. I have limited range/movement of my neck. And just like you, when I get a severe migraine, I got a lump on the back on my neck. I was so happy to hear that I was not the only one to have these symptoms. I have been through every form of medical therapy. Chiropractor, neurologist, pain management & a movement disorders neurologist. None of which can tell me what is wrong. However, I have also had cortisone injections in my head, facet injections in my C-2, C-3, nerve blocks, 3 MRI's, Botox & RF. I have an appt next week w a spine disorders doctor. I won't hold my breath bc I'm sure he won't have answers for me either. I am also going to the Cleveland Clinic in Sept. I hope you get some tests done & have more luck then I do. I will keep you posted if I find out anything if you will do the same. One other thing is that I found that heat works better than ice on the lump. 😉