Does anyone else suffer with OA in neck which causes headaches daily?

Libby20

Hi I’m currently awaiting second knee replacement so in a lot of pain but also have OA in back, neck and shoulders. The neck pain is causing severe headaches. I’m doing neck rotations in spite of stiffness and taking painkillers but just wondered if anyone else is in the same situation and can offer any help?

jeddison1985

Hi @Libby20 firstly let me welcome you to the forum I hope you find the information and support you are after from our wonderful community.

I can see from your post that you have are having issues with pain in your back, neck and shoulders and wondering if this could be causing severe neck pain.

The site is full of information and I wanted to signpost you to some information that could help, particularly neck pain, which makes the link to headaches and help with exercises for managing neck pain.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/neck-pain/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/exercising-with-arthritis/exercises-for-healthy-joints/exercises-for-the-neck/

Please feel free to search the forum for others with similar experiences, and I am sure that some of our community will be able to help offer some useful suggestions.

Take care and I hope you get some relief and answers soon.

Thanks

Joe

Jona

Hi Libby20,

Yes I do I have a small tens machine but I also have a posture brace and use cold cloths on my forehead hope this helps as I know how horrible it is

take care

😊

Libby20

Hello Jona thank you for your tips. Do you wear the posture brace - is that a neck brace daily and for how long? I have started to use capacasin cream which I'm hoping will help. Take care too.

Jona

Hi Libby,

I only wear the posture brace for a couple of hours a day I don’t wear a neck brace I also use the same cream mostly for my knee it’s chilli based I’m told is that the right one, I have noticed that my tinnitus is worse the more I slouch x

Libby20

Hi Jona,

Do you think the posture brace really helps you? I too suffer from tinnitus in both ears but worse on right. Yes chilli based cream - how are you finding it? I've only just started using x

Jona

It helps my posture but as my spine is what they call crumbling it doesn’t stop the pain, I’m hoping when my spine stops pushing on the nerve that maybe is causing my tinnitus it will stop but that’s hoping only a surgeon I think can do that and there’s no chance of me being seen for at least 2 years

the cream is ok bit hot when applied but not bad at all oh the joys of getting on in years eh I smell like ointment and look like a machine soo attractive haha. 🤪

Mike1

My neck problems include OA as well as Degenerative Facet Joint Disease and a detached disc. I do not do any of the exercises mentioned above as I have been told not to; the head tilt results in the sound and feeling of crunching a bag of crisps; doing the head turn I can feel and hear the vertebrae grating against each other; and the chin to chest causes pain at the base of my neck. I get the headaches that you mention but, thankfully, not every day and when I do a couple of paracetamol help (albeit on top of Morphine!). I wear a cervical collar when my neck is not otherwise supported for more than about 15 minutes, i.e. when not sat in my recliner or on my high back wheelchair or mobility scooter. I would suggest you ask an OT if a cervical collar would be suitable to help you out, the softer ones are either foam or filled with like polystyrene beads and provide gentle support rather than the hard neck brace which is a different bit of kit.

Libby20

Thank you both for sharing. I'm so sorry we're all suffering so much! I too get the crunching noises when I do head tilts but have been told to keep at it as it's freeing things up a bit. So I do find they hurt like mad but long-term hopefully they will help. Keep positive and it's good to know you're out there!

Grace111

Hi @Libby20

after years of arthritis I actually have a fused neck that doesn’t move at all. I had years of crunchy joints and severe pain. I also got referred pain up into my neck causing headaches. Nowadays what causes me to get the headaches is tense muscles in my shoulders and neck (even though it doesn’t move) and this radiates up to give me awful headaches. I have learned to notice when I am getting tense and relax and hubby massages my shoulders for me. It is awful, I hope you find something that works for you

gentle hugs

Grace111

Alina

Hi Libby20

I would like to share with you and perhaps other members suffering from similar pains. I use a shakti mat to relax my muscles and it helps to lower my arthritis pain too. Some people joke that I tried to kill one pain with another :) Not true :)

Shakti mat provides good relaxation and as an outcome, it leads to less pain.

Perhaps you can try x

SoniaR

I have arthritis in my neck and the past 8 weeks I’ve had increased neck pain and headaches. I have therefore been seeing an osteopath and the headaches have gone and although my neck is sore, it’s much better than it was. I find looking at my iPad for more than an hour increases the pain. Do you use a iPad a lot? I barely use mine now!

Libby20

Thank you Alina I'm going to look into the Shakti mat. It sounds like it's helping you so I'll try anything. Also thanks to you too Sonia I've been thinking about the chiropractor but have never been as I'm worried they can be quite brutal. Again I've heard the manipulation can help. Yes I'm guilty of using iPad too much. A lot of my problems are to do with my posture I'm sure. X

Libby20

Apologies Sonia I realise my mistake you said osteopath not chiropractor! Obviously need a visit to Specsavers too!

SoniaR

Libby my osteopath is not brutal. He does electrical pulses (tingly no pain), then he massages the neck which is just divine, not painful. Then he does a little traction followed by a gentle twist. None of it hurts at the time but you will be a little sore the next day. He is amazing!

Russell8

Hi libby20. I unfortunately also suffer awful headaches daily due to osteoarthritis. I have a heated neck collar which I purchased from Amazon which helps. I also have been prescribed amytriptyline tablets to take at night to help with the headaches there helping. I saw spinal surgeon last week as I have rheumatoid arthritis, and he said it was clear from mri scan and X-ray that I have arthritis in my neck, but there was basically nothing that can be done that there is no surgery that will help. He said until I develop any sort of paralysis, due to the damage in my neck then no surgery will be available. He had referred me for pain injections, I am just hoping they work. Maybe you could ask for them for yourself.

Tom

Greetings @Russell8 and welcome to the forum.

I understand that you suffer greatly from headaches as a result of OA. You get some relief from a heated neck collar that you purchased from Amazon. We normally discourage mention of a specific supplier, but as you do not mention the brand of the collar there is no problem.

Here are some links that may help you:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/neck-pain/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/managing-your-pain/

Good luck and please keep posting to let the forum know how you are getting on.

Tom

Libby20

Hi Russell thank you for your feedback. I have a wheatie bag which I warm in microwave so that's similar. Yes warmth is comforting. I'm sorry you're suffering too. I guess we just try what works for us. Thank you for sharing x

EmBayliss83

Hi Libby, I have the same areas of OA, my neck k being my most recently diagnosed and most painful. Things I’ve found help me are taking my pain meds and anti-inflammatories regularly, my heat pad, tens machine, acupressure mat, gentle exercises when not too painful, less screen time (phone/laptop where you’re looking down), supporting my neck lying down for periods of time throughout the day, trapezius muscle massage, epsom salt baths, and I see an acupuncturist who does heat therapy, needling, gua sha and cupping. All really interesting! Have a google 😊 Hope you find some relief soon xx

Aria

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/683816#Comment_683816

Hi the mat sounds really effective for what I'm looking to decrease pain and muscle aches. I have been to a chiropractitioner and had an xray and a 3D digital one showing arthritis in my neck, lumbar and sacral (lower back) plus exercises to do. Now in many of my joints including hands and hips. I take turmeric, calcuim and vit. D. I have a mini massager that I use as it has heat mode as well. Hope anything here can support members or guests.

Libby20

Hi Em and Aria

Thanks to both for your tips. I intend to try and help myself with all the advice you've both given. I've been taking turmeric in hot milk as I can't take naproxen it makes my asthma very bad. It's sad were all suffering but also wonderful to be able to share experiences and advice. I'm very grateful. x

Mike1

Thanks for the heads up about the Shakti mat, I have ordered one from Amazon which was half the price of the original. It has loads of good write ups so look forward to trying it tomorrow and have my fingers crossed (theoretically anyway), don't know how I will get off the floor afterwards though 😊

KazandNoo

Hi Mike1

Just wondering hiw you're getting on with your mat? My husband has ordered us both one after I'd mentioned seeing about them on forum (but I'm a little worried as my skin is quite sensitive after so much prednisolone) thanks

Mike1

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/684013#Comment_684013

The mat arrived the day before yesterday and I have used it once for about 20 minutes. My back got used to the spikes quite quickly but my neck took about 15 minutes, I managed to relax into it but it is too early to say whether it has helped a lot as I gave it a miss yesterday. The worst thing was trying to get off the floor! I have trouble getting up and down anyway, because I was trying to roll onto my side to then squirm my way over to my chair to drag myself up the spikes dug into places that had not previously experienced them! Ouch!! I will try it again today but have decided to put it on my recliner to negate the floor issue.

KazandNoo

Thanks for your reply Mike,sorry I didn't really wait long enough before asking,it must take time for the body to get used to these things. And the practicalities of getting on and off it! But I hope you find your way with it and it helps you,keep us posted.