Neck pain and migraine

I agree. A Chiropractor will tell you your neck is out of alignment and an Acupuncturist will tell you your meridian lines are disturbed.

I’m sure if you asked your local mechanic they’d say a Ā£600 service on your car might resolve MAV!

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OMG Another as cynical and suspicious as me. And in one so young. At least I have the excuse I got old and cynical. As my favourite, and much older, brother-in-law always says it’s a result of so many years of relevant experience. Still I’ve yet to meet a meridian line though there’s a first time for everything. I am however a firm believer in a link between migraine/MAV and particularly external vertigo and neck/shoulder tightness and the way the tension self generates snd keeps the cycle going. It’s something I’m currently trialling and will report back on though no promise of a timeline just yet. I wouldn’t want anybody sitting on the edge of their chair poised waiting. Wouldn’t want to be responsible for anybody experiencing a fall. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Keep us updated!

I’m on the side of that we are walking talking chemistry sets and by addressing the imbalance (if doable in our power) will resolve the issue.

Neck problems will be a point of interest for someone somewhere if they were in a car crash or something notable happened prior to getting MAV or symptoms that look like MAV. If this didn’t happen then investigating the neck wouldn’t come up on my radar.

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Plus, I’ve always been cynical :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

Indeed we are individual chemical processing units. Chemical imbalance may well be responsible for many cases of MAV. Chemicals and hormones for instance and the metabolic process are finely intertwined however, after 16 years of MAV, more probably a lifetime either side of a long interval of ā€˜remission’, I’ve never yet found anybody medical and in a position to do so who has even mentioned any intention of seeking out a root cause on my behalf or that of mankind in general. In fact I’ve not come across a consultant or doctor even prepared to speculate as to root cause. Therefore I long ago gave up on that one ever being solved in my lifetime. Not that I would suggest anybody ceased searching in their own behalf if they had even a vague inclination of where might be worth looking because a confirmed root cause would in all probability bring MAV to a faster and more reliable conclusion than the, er, ā€˜system’ we currently use of uneducated trial n error with preventatives. Much could be gained by such action in individual cases I’m sure.

Back specifically to the neck issue. Yes, whiplash or other trauma accounts for some MAV cases. Agreed. Timing often makes this obvious to the afflicted party. However when I was referring to the involvement of the neck I was looking much more to it being the cause of the tensions therein refuelling the ā€˜amplification of normal ā€˜ rather than it in itself being the root cause. Trauma to the neck and there y to the spinal cord can and dies cause severe vertigo. My own brother experienced this some years ago. I suspect had his symptoms occurred this decade he’d probably have been diagnosed with MAV too but, back then, It had yet to be invented.

No, My interest is in either some sort of ā€˜referred’ pain or in the links between the neck tension and the hyper brain sensitivities being involved in some two-way system of communication of false signals fuelling both more pain and signal confusion which results in increased vertigo/dizziness and whether releasing that neck tension would clear/reduce such symptoms which would result in considerably less head pressure, ie more ā€˜crystal clear headache days’. I’ve no neck or ear trauma personally. I never had a permanently tight stiff neck until my MAV turned 24/7 chronic in 2014 prior to which I’d never experienced ā€˜rear head pressure’ or ā€˜ear pressure’ (not unless you count whilst having Mumps as a teenager yonks ago).

The more I think about it, the more I feel my neck may be perpetuating a lot of my remaining symptoms. I used to suspect the result of trying to avoid head movement because of the fear of triggering vertigo was to blame but now think the neck and its position in space plays a much more significant role in balance than most appreciate so having free moving neck muscles is so important for good balance.

Interestingly I also read recently that people who fear falling may also limit their head movement which can limit proper initiation of the vestibulo-ocular reflex to promote gaze stability. Another strong neck/balance connection. Helen

Helen

This is a great discussion about neck pain. I had the suspicion that my neck might have caused Vestibular Migraine. However, I had an x-ray of my neck recently, but everything was fine, apart from some very minor age-related changes. So clearly, it is the VM which causes the neck pain.

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Of course for some people who’ve had some neck trauma the neck pain can be the cause. Neck pains so common with vestibular issues. I’ve a friend who had Labyrinthitis years ago and her neck pain dragged on for years. Trouble is soon as the body goes out of balance all sorts of odd aches and pains occur as we use muscles differently I suppose. When I used to complain about neck ache my husband used to rush to shut windows saying it was the draught and I used to think if only I could turn the VM off as quickly as he could the draught I’d be OK.

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Hi there, would you be willing to share your home exercises that help you? I had went to a chiropractor for over a year thinking that my spine was crooked (think they say that) to keep you coming. I only felt some relief only sometimes from adjustments and other times worse.

Hi Erin,

Not sure if your request was directed at Onandon03 specifically or the forum in general. Assuming the latter, I posted some info last year about some neck exercises I’d found very helpful. Here’s the link A 3 Minute Neck Drill That Will Change Your Life - YouTube

Although the exercises have proved very helpful, I still have reduced mobility and stiffness so am presently looking another approach called the McKenzie method. Will let you know if it makes any difference.

Hope this helps. BTW my original post was under the heading ā€œScalp spasmsā€.

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Thank you for posting the neck exercises @Dizzi-Tired. I have been doing neck exercises as well and four of the ones I have been doing are identical with the ones in the video. I added the other two from the video into my exercise regime.

Glad they’re of some use. I find them very beneficial. Btw and for info, am having very mixed results with the McKenzie method. The Mark Wildman ones seem more effective for my condition.

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