Grasping for clues...

[mrproblemface]

About a month ago I woke up with an obnoxious pain around my neck that lasted a few days. Not like the pain of pulling a muscle, more like the feeling after having a tooth pulled, like a dull, aching pain. It's been aching ever since, on and off throughout the day, and mostly under my jaw and around the left and right sides of my neck. I saw two ENTs and two doctors and a dentist here's what I've got so far:

- CBC totally normal
- Liver and kidney function normal
- High blood pressure (160 I think it was?)
- High cholesterol (over 200 I think)
- Thyroid totally normal
- Rhematoid Factor negative
- Mycoplasma negative
- Lymph nodes not visibly swollen(I thought maybe I had an infection, but the docs say that it would be obvious and the lymph nodes would be swollen and easy to find and feel)
- Everything in my neck and mouth look normal
- No CT or Xray scans done
- Not TMJ
- No cavities

It comes and goes the pain, it's like a pulsing. Pain killers help a little, but don't do much. Doctors think I should wait a few months and if it's not gone then pursue a CT scan. I'm in my early 30's, so they don't think I have any kind of serious problem,... but it's really distracting. Since there are no visible signs and my CBC is normal along with the other tests, I have no clue what the heck is my problem... :(

One of my doctors suggested it could be because of the bad plastic chair I sit on most of the day for work. However, the pain came suddenly, and if it were from the chair, I would imagine that it would gradually get more painful over time, not suddenly beat me over the head for a few days, then leave me in pain for weeks.

Anyone ever had this? How did it resolve for you?

[Alderica]

Yes, an internist is the only way to go. Good luck, and feel better soon :-)

[Buffy1970]

You should also know what your ck is.  If insurance will cover it go ahead and get MRA also.  

[Londres70]

Hey, keep me posted on your outcome with all this.  Please get your health sorted out.  

[mrproblemface]

Definitely scheduling a meeting with an internist. I guess it's time for that diet I've been planning for a while and time to get back to the gym, haven't been to one in over a year... have also been eating way too much junk food for too long I guess... Hopefully I can get an appointment with an internist this week, thanks for your advice!! This has been driving me crazy trying to guess where this pain has been coming from, I hope I can get it sorted soon so I can get on with my life, this pain is just so distracting... :(

[Londres70]

OMG, your bp is WAY too high and your lipid panel is of concern.  You need a good INTERNIST to sort this and refer you out to a specialty. You don't NEED an Oral Surgeon.  I would start with the Internist and go from there.  A General Practitioner or a Primary Care Physician is USELESS in your case.  

Thyroid panel was done?  I am not talking about just a TSH but a FULL panel.  

[mrproblemface]

Thanks for the quick response! Here are some more details that might help:

BP: 160 / 100 mmHg

Cholesterol Total: 242
HDL: 49
LDL: 178
Ratio: 4.9
Triglycerides: 76
Glucose: 82
Uric Acid: 5.8

I've been getting aches in my joints as well, but it's been more concentrated in my neck and under my chin which is why I thought maybe an oral surgeon might be the one to see. I'll find an internist and see if they have any open slots this week.

[Londres70]

Oral surgeon?  For the symptoms you are having?  Oh No.  I wouldn't recommend that.  I think you will be wasting your time.  Are you having any problems with your teeth/in your mouth?  Don't understand the need for a dentist or Oral surgeon.

I would ideally suggest seeing an INTERNIST and NOT A GENERAL PRACTITIONER OR A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN.  What were the two regular physicians that you saw already?  You NEED more work-up before going to a specialty, i.e. a CT, more extensive labs and your bp rechecked, OR if you feel you need to see a specialist straight away I would recommend a Vascular Specialist.  

Do you KNOW your bp numbers and cholesterol numbers exactly or are you guessing?  I mean, I don't want to advise you based on guessed numbers.  Have you been told or have you had high bp numbers or high cholesterol before all this?  

Sounds like a possible vascular issue or musculoskeletal based on the way the pain is presenting.  

You need that CT like NOW.   Try to find someone who WILL order it.    

[mrproblemface]

Thank you both for you kind comments, I really appreciate it. Would you know what kind of specialist I should see next? I made an appointment with an oral surgeon for later this week, but I can cancel that and choose someone else. I am nervous about all of this, I was so healthy and happy last year, and this year I've been miserable, sick all the time, and then finally I stopped getting sick and then a week later this neck pain happened and it's not going away. I hope I can get better soon...

[Londres70]

I would agree with Alderica.  

Youth doesn't guarantee "nothing seriously" wrong.  I have taken care of a patient who had a stroke at 25.  The mindset young=no serious medical issues is SERIOUSLY careless to take.  

Definitely need imaging done, i.e. CT of your neck.  I would be pushing this.  

The other possibility is something vascular going on.  Your cholesterol number and your bp number are of HIGH concern.  In this case, a carotid US should be done, a full lipid panel done, the bp monitored closely and probably treated.

ENT Specialists and a dentist are TOTALLY in the wrong direction.  Plus, the two regular physicians.....hmmmmm..........obviously are putting this off.  

BTW:  you need your bp and cholesterol followed-up ASAP and sorted out ASAP.    

[Alderica]

Sounds familiar to me - I too get bouts of pain where it feels like someone has put a noose around my neck and pulled it tight. It does get worse from long hours sitting in front of the computer with poor posture, that's true. At 160 your blood pressure is quite high (do you know what the diastolic - lower - figure was?), this could be one source of the pain; did they suggest treatment for it? Cutting out salt would help, and garlic is proven to reduce blood pressure :-))
Just a few thoughts that occur to me off-hand, certainly not exhaustive. Frankly I'm a bit appalled that they say to wait a few months (!) to see what happens. Neither is being young a safeguard against disease, unfortunately... if I were you, I'd chase it up.