I've been lurking out here for weeks, but this is my first time to post. I really appreciate all the information and support that is available here! I'm sure what I am about to ask has been discussed before, but there is so much information here to search through...
Can you tell me what you use to manage your Chiari headache pressure and pain? I've tried just about every OTC medicine, but nothing seems to really help. I don't have pain as bad as some of you have described - I'm lucky that I can still get out of bed everyday and go to work - but the pain makes concentrating at work more and more difficult. Any suggestions on a medicine or combo of medicines that will help me get through my day?
Thank you!
Heather
P.S. FYI about my status - I was diagnosed back in August with a 5mm herniation. Last month, my CINE-MRI revealed a almost complete block of CSF. Surgery is definitely in my future, but it hasn't been scheduled yet.
I am interested in everyone's responses too! My symptoms seem similar to yours! Last week I ended up in bed 3 times because of my headaches and the only thing that helped them was a combination of sleep and time.... I often feel like if I just crack my neck it would relieve all of the pressure, but I think that would be a very bad idea. Does your neck pressure feel like that?
I was diagnosed in July with 9-10 mm herniation and had decompression surgery Tuesday October 15th, I didn;t realize how much my Excedrine Migraine medication was working until I was told to quit taking it a week before surgery. It was doing much more than I thought it was.
Hi Edwin - Exedrin Migraine helped me too, but it says on the bottle only two pills per day. That barely gets me to midday. I haven't had a chance to ask my doctor if it is okay to take more. What did your doctor say?
Hayperk - Yes, my neck does feel that way! Aleve (naproxen) helps my neck though. Nothing so far helps with the pressure feeling in my skull. Sometimes it feels like someone has their hands on either side of my head pushing as hard as they can. Other times, it feels like my brain is trying to kick my eyeballs out of the way so it can escape. I agree that sleep and time are the best remedies, but I don't have either on M-F! I'm hoping someone will have a suggestion.
Massage therapy and cranial sacral therapy got me through before surgery, during recovery and I still get massage therapy on a monthly basis. Best thing I do and did - meds, physical therapy were not helping!
Laying on a flexible cold pack for about twenty minutes often made the pain milder. Mainly I lived on a LOT of Aleve until it stopped helping. Once the pain was to that point was about when I was scheduled for surgery.
Post op I also get massage on a regular basis to keep me from getting to tense.
Nothing medicine wise helped me before surgery, unfortunately, so I can’t advise in that respect Before my op I just focused on looking after myself and trying to avoid activities which would exacerbate things. Take the time for rests that you need, be ok about saying ‘no’ whenever you need to. I hope you find a balance soon!
Similar to you, I'm able to get up and out of bed on most days but the days that I'm sidelined and in bed are becoming more frequent and closer together. I'm headed to my first NS appt. on the 31st. The neurologist originally diagnosed me with migraines and prescribed Sumatriptan 100 mg. That helps with the pressure aspect of it and brings it back down to just the sharp pain at the base of my skull. I take vicodin to help with that pain. Nothing makes it go away, but this combo for me at least helps me get out of bed and care for my 2 boys. Hope this helps and good luck to you.
Heather,
I found a number of things that helped sooth the pain a bit. I found that ice on the neck like nancy said is a great help. I also found hot showers with the water hitting my neck/occipital area would help occasionally as well. OTC pills caused ulcers for me so I would suggest going lite on those. Also, in my support group last week, I was told that peppermint or eucalyptus oil, when inhaled from the bottle also helps vasodilation. And if all else failed, I would just suffer until the migraine went away. Unfortunately I’ve been living for roughly 18 years on and off of migrains with out knowing why I hurt.
I wish you free of your pain!
Lyndsay
The ONLY relief for me is Imitrex, which is a migraine medication. And a hot washcloth while waiting for that to work. Post op I’m getting about 2 per week, where I was @4-5/wk before.
Amytriptyline 75mg before bed, it reduces neck pain which reduces intercranial pressure for everyday headaches. It turned my 6,7/10 headaches into a 4,5/10. Which might appear as not much but for the constant migraine its the differrence between being fonctional. Doc also tried , propalanol, which was originaly a blood pressure med, it was reducing my intercranial presure by a lot ( unfortunately i personaly had a bad reaction to it) however doc said that would be a good safe everyday med to control everyday head pain. When i suffer what i call Brain attack s i take Rizatriptan. This is the Only medication that makes me be able to spend almost 24hrs completely symptome free however this medication cannot be taken daily as it increases daily headaches. For daily pain om on 50mg tramadol, and 500/20 vimovo (naproxen). I sure feel like a pharmecy now lol. On the non med side, i get amasage with no traction of the neck of course ) monthly. Also i try to get underwater for at least 2 half hour during week, something about the waterboyancy seem to help me out a bit more then i initialy realise. Also when neck pain localises to one area, i also use Lakota for back pain, its a roll on that created heat sensation i usualy end up applying it to the back of my head (yes into hair) to the midle of my back along the spine and area. Also i purchased a contour memoryfoam cool gel pillow which i now cant live without. Hope some of this can help, best advice, take care of yourself, go your iwn pace, do not let others ignorance make you feel any less , even doc and med proffesional, only you know what it feels like to go trought your own pain. Most of all, listen to your body if it needs rest, rest sendding lots of love your way, take care
Marie
Thank you all form the suggestions! My heart goes out to you as it is clear you have been dealing with this pain for far too long. Best wishes for pain free days to all of you.
Before my op I just focused on looking after myself and trying to avoid activities which would exacerbate things. Take the time for rests that you need, be ok about saying ‘no’ whenever you need to. I hope you find a balance soon!
sendding lots of love your way, take care