question-icon

What Causes Stiff Neck,muscle Pain And Occipital Headaches?

default
Posted on Fri, 24 Jan 2014
Twitter Fri, 24 Jan 2014 Answered on
Twitter Thu, 13 Feb 2014 Last reviewed on
Question : Can you help me put it together? I am in the process of having some troubling health issues and am going through a full work up. I am finding healthcare magic helpful during this time. I am 45 and 6 months ago had an onset of "pressure headaches" in my head, earaches and lots of body aches- mainly palm and sole pain. It has now taken up permanent residence as a stiff neck, burning muscle pain in the trapezius and occipital headaches. Lots of assorted various facial pain too and some tingling and neuro type symptoms (cognitive, muscle jumping). I have had brain mri's, full body CT, lumbar puncture, etc. Have seen a neurologist too and he is uncertain. I have a very interesting history that suggests some sort of rheum issue but no one can pin it down. I have had open heart surgery for degenerative mitral valve prolapse; I have some hypermobility of the arms; I have a high arched narrow palate and long face; I have anticardiolipin antibodies; I have raynauds syndrome, I have unexplained severe cervical neck disc stenosis and herniations; the margins of my optic nerve in my left eye are starting to blur. I also have a very weak positive Anti nuclear antibody and a persistent elevated IGM. I also have Lymes and a calcified mediastinal lymph node and very very low blood pressure. Whenever I take doxcycliine I tend to "flare" and get lots of joint pains, neuro issues, etc. I feel that there is something in my system or the way I am wired which reacts this way. I have been to a rheumatologist who says that I have some type of collagen vascular or connective tissue issue but nothing that can be identified as a diagnosis. I doubt I have Ehlers Danlos because I do not have skin issues. Could it be Marfans? Fibromyalgia? Sarcodosis? Lupus? I am so certain that these headaches are caused by factors that I have. I feel like I am falling apart and have no diagnosis. My cardiologist thinks that possibly from the collagen disorder my arteries have stretched dilated and thus the low blood pressure problem. I honestly do not know where do go from here but I am in a lot of pain.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Shruti Rijhwani (15 hours later)
Brief Answer: Follows. Detailed Answer: Dear Madam, Thank you for posting your query on XXXXXXX Well looking into your query I will like to tell you that your rheumatologist is right in saying that it is difficult to link all of them together. But still I will like to know your ANA , ENA profile , Anti dsDNA antibody , complement levels , CRP, ESR , RF , S. ACE levels and your anti cardiolipin antibody profile . Even your Lymes disease can also give rise to all these features after the acute phase has settled . I will need all your test reports to figure out something . Take care. Dr. Shruti
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Dr. Shruti Rijhwani

Rheumatologist

Practicing since :2008

Answered : 2366 Questions

premium_optimized

The User accepted the expert's answer

Share on

Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties

159 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM Blog Questions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction
What Causes Stiff Neck,muscle Pain And Occipital Headaches?

Brief Answer: Follows. Detailed Answer: Dear Madam, Thank you for posting your query on XXXXXXX Well looking into your query I will like to tell you that your rheumatologist is right in saying that it is difficult to link all of them together. But still I will like to know your ANA , ENA profile , Anti dsDNA antibody , complement levels , CRP, ESR , RF , S. ACE levels and your anti cardiolipin antibody profile . Even your Lymes disease can also give rise to all these features after the acute phase has settled . I will need all your test reports to figure out something . Take care. Dr. Shruti