Post-Treatment > Headaches

Headache solution ?

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tony:

I have been thinking about this for a couple of days.
It all started when my wife started to complain of frequent headaches
She has no AN, or OP history – but it was a mystery nonetheless.
Recently a Chiropractitioner(?) has diagnosed that she has a problem with posture.  In other words a poor sitting position, either when driving, or at the desk, or watching television is causing stress or strain on the neck or spine which then leads to headaches. Amazingly the pain seems to be in the head - but is caused elsewhere
She has been taking pain-killers and they work for awhile – but the headaches always return.
In the case of an AN survivor – particularly where the balance nerve has gone – it may be the case that the person is unaware that the body is slightly tilted – which would then cause a posture related headache.
A clue might be if you had massage – and then lost the headache
-or went swimming and did not get the headaches at all
You could take painkillers but since the cause is ongoing, the pain will return
The more long-term solution would involve some quite simple posture related exercises – there are quite easy exercises that would assist both with posture and easier neck movement – we are not talking a Mike Tyson workout – but some simple movements with a broom  handle (or similar) that could be done at home
Just a suggestion
Best Regards
Tony

Patti UT:
Hi Tony,

   I think you are secretly studying to become a Doc. You always have the best posts with the greatest information. Thanks for always coming up with good stuff. Very good point you make here.  As a matter of fact, My headaches are relieved a bit after a massage which I get at my chiropractor's office. A neck adjustment and massage primarily on my neck and shoulders does a world of good, but they do come back.  I have noticed that since my surgery it is habit to sleep on my back with my head dropped over to my non AN side.And  I talk on the phone on my non AN side, sometimes holding the phone with my shoulder (not good for neck/headach problems) And just the surgery alone had my neck over twisted to the non An side for 7 hours. So over all what is happening is the neck muscles on the non AN side are shortened and the An side are streached out, So when trying to keep the head truned to the AN side, It feels like it is pulling the non An side. This can create headaches, although mine are multi symptomatic.  But the massage is helping to try and train the muscles to stay where they are suppose to be.

Patti UT

Captain Deb:
I had an amazing Physical Therapist work on my neck and upper back 3x a week for almost 3 months last year, which is when I started to turn the corner with my post-op headache nightmare. I still struggle with them, but it is much better. The bad ones almost always start out with neck pain and stiffness.  I've been on and off muscle relaxers since surgery--currently on Skelaxin. It's all about those proprioceptors!! Those are the muscles and ligaments that make up the three part balance system of the body--inner ear, visual, and musculo-skeletal. When that inner ear goes, as in the case of an AN, the body has to rely more on the remaining two--at least on the one side--and they become over-stressed.

Working as an artist, my eyes are really busy concentrating on slapping the paint in the right place and aren't helping with the balance at all, the durn things, so it falls to those neck and upper back muscles to keep me from being a bobblehead and from falling over and they get really stressed. Stretching a lot helps.

Capt Deb 8)

tony:
The stretching/massage success is a real giveaway
- I am not saying it doesnt hurt - it clearly does !
But the cause is stress/tension/posture and of course ...balance
Bascially if you/I/we sort out the source then the symptoms
will go away
Happy day
Best regards
Tony
ps not only I am I not a doc - but I gave up biology when I was 13,
...just about 3mths before it gave up on me !

Janet:
Hi Tony,

I think you are right about a relationship between headaches and neck problems. I worked at job for 19 years where I spent a great deal of time looking at fetal monitors with my head tilted far to the left in order to read graft paper read-outs. (12 hour shifts.) I also think the AN caused me to compensate by changing my posture to help with balance. (not in a good way.)  I think the position in surgery aggrevated an existing problem. I get Botox in my neck and shoulders for headaches and this really allows me to correct the position of my neck and stretch the muscles since they are more relaxed. I feel like things are straightening out. I think home neck traction would help but I can't do it since I am in a Botox study and agreed not to use certain treatment while in the study. I use a lot of heat on my neck too. Thanks for your ideas!

Janet

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