About Chronic Headache & Neck Pain

Chronic headache with neck pain should not be ignored, as these could be the signs of a serious illness or injury. According to the American Pain Society, any type of pain condition is considered chronic when it happens daily for one month or more. Even if the cause is diagnosed as "merely" tension-type headache, the pain can be quite debilitating.

Causes

• The causes of headache with neck pain can be tension-type headaches, cervical strain (whiplash), injury, tumors or other growths in the neck or spine that could be pressing against nerves, head or neck cancer, treatments for the cancer, arthritis, fibromyalgia, clinical depression or temporomandibular joint syndrome (TMJ). However, it is possible for causes never to be found for some people with chronic pain.

Complications

• People with chronic pain are likely to also have clinical depression (also called major depression). A Wayne University Study published in June 2009 edition of The Journal of Pain recommends that any patient suffering from any chronic pain condition--particularly middle-aged women or African Americans of either gender--should also ask their doctors to screen them for depression. This screening process is done by answering a series of questions.

Other Symptoms

• Since there are so many causes for chronic head and neck pain, it is vitally important that the doctor is informed about other symptoms such as emotional difficulties, coordination problems, persistent fever, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, joint stiffness, problems eating, problems swallowing, swellings or sensitivity to light.

Diagnosis

• According to the Cleveland Clinic, diagnosis of the cause of chronic head and neck pain often include physical examination of the patient, X-rays, EMG or MRI scans of the head and neck, and studies centering on the nerves (especially the trigeminal nerve that runs from the neck to the back of the head) that may involve nerve block injections to see if that nerve is the cause of the pain. In cases of suspected TMJ, the patient may need to go to the dentist to see if the patient shows any characteristic tooth damage.

Treatment

• Treatment depends entirely on the cause of the chronic head and neck pain. People with TMJ sometimes improve with a dental implant. Tension-type headaches respond to painkillers as well as relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and gentle self-massage. Arthritis patients may improve with a combination of medication and regular exercise to keep the joints supple. Surgery for TMJ, cancer or arthritis is done only as a last resort.