How Can Recurrent Neck Pain And Headache Be Managed?

Posted on Thu, 7 Mar 2019

Question: I am getting pain on my neck and regular headache from last few days. It comes suddenly for 8-10 hours and disappear. Please suggest.

Answered by Dr. Ishu Bishnoi (59 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Cause of neck, occipital pain.

Detailed Answer:

Hi XXXXXXX,

You are having pain in neck and occiput (back of the head). Such kind of pain can be due to

- Cervical spondylosis or cervical disc disease

- Neck muscle spasm especially trapezius and rhomboids

- Occipital neuralgia

- Stress or a tension headache

- Mass lesion in the cervical spine

Now to confirm the diagnosis, you need to provide me with more information and consult a neurosurgeon for history and examination

- What is the type of pain? Sharp shooting type or dull aching type or current like sensations going till both upper limbs

- Is there any tenderness over neck (more pain on pressing neck muscles)

- What is your occupation? Do you work on the computer for long hours with the neck in flexed posture?

- Do you use a pillow?

- Is there any tingling in hands or feet?

- If any radiological investigation was done, please provide me with the report.

After getting these answers, I will guide you on how to approach and what to do.

Hope you will understand my point.

Regards,
Dr. Ishu Bishnoi, Neurologist, Surgical

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj