Hello--I am a 62 year old female. I fell down a flight of stairs over 12 years ago-and have never really felt the same since. At the time, I landed squarely on my tailbone and the pain clicked its way up the length of my spine---I felt it, vertebrae by vertebrae---like a domino effect. There was a moment's pause and then the top of my head EXPLODED! with pain. I cannot over-emphasize the feeling---like an anvil landing---but from the inside. I suppose the dominoing pressure got to the point where there was no exit so it rammed my brain against my skull...? I spent most of the next 4 months in bed. My primary care physician said there was no point in xraying as the cocyx heals on its own. She seemed unconcerned with my report of the "anvil strike" and with the weakness, fuzziness, pain and general sleepiness I experienced following the fall. Over time, I have developed tinnitus, hearing loss and osteo-arthritis (runs in my family) but particularly in my cervical spine. Imaging (xrays and MRI) have shown some disc compression and vertebral erosion and I did experience some reduction in pain (from C3 to C7) due to an RF ablation, preformed 2 months ago. BUT, the pain at the base of my skull, on the lower right side is intense. My neck and throat also hurt and it is hard to tell if it is referred pain from the arthritis, myofascial pain and facet arthropathy already identified or if it is an additional primary problem. My quality of life is nil---I spend my waking hours managing the pain and when I seek further counsel am told that C1-C2 problems are so rare that they are not suspect at all. I finally INSISTED I have xrays of that part of my spine and was told last week they are entirely normal. I don't think anything so dramatic as skull settling is occuring but I DO think there is reason to do further imaging ---a CT scan???----as there is a high rate of false negative readings on C1-C2 radiographs alone, is there not? I have seen two spine specialists, an otolaryngologist, a rheumatologist, my primary and a pain management specialist. I have had three rounds of physical therapy. The pain is worse all the time. My dentist ruled out TMD, just by having me open and close my mouth and noting there was no problem accomplishing a wide-angle. It seems to me that TMD can be more varied than that....should I consult a dentist with cranio-fascial expertise? I have noted that I tend to chew only on the right side of my mouth for the last couple of years. A particular manifestation of my problem is that it feels like my head is not on straight and the muscles and ligaments on the right side of my neck are noticeably bigger and stronger (tighter! more painful!) than on the left. In general, it feels as if I am carrying a bowling ball on a splintered chopstick! I am exhausted much of the time and do not want to end up addicted to hydrocodone! Please help!