HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

Migraine And Short Term Memory Loss. X-ray Showed Slight Loss Of Curvature In Spine. Serious?

Posted on Wed, 16 Jan 2013

Question: I have been a migraine sufferer since the age of 19 (I am currently 33 yrs old). For a few years (between 2006-2009) I did not have a migraine during that time period. In Oct 2009 I suffered my fourth concussion. I had not had a concussion since 1997. My last concussion, in 2009, was my worst. I spent approx 3 days in the hospital with a mild concussion, head and neck trauma, and some short term memory loss. After this concussion my migrained re-surfaced and I currently take Fiorocet. I also had scans and x-rays on my brain and neck and I was told I had a slight loss of curvature in my spine, but nothing serious. The medication normally works for me, until recently. I'm having constant pain in my neck, the back of my head, the top of my head and the right side of my head. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being high my pain scale is at an 8. I don't know what to do at this point because my medication is not helping, nor is a heating pad. Is this something serious?

Answered by Dr. Vineet Saggar (2 hours later)

Hi ,
Thanks for writing to us.
Firstly, head injuries themselves increase the risk of post traumatic head and neck pains. Secondly at times, migraine also becomes resistant to prophylactic medications. So you can visit your practitioner for a change in the medication. This is not something serious but you will need a CT scan of the head if the pain persists even after that.
Hope that helps
Let me know if you have any more questions
Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Aparna Kohli

Follow up: Dr. Vineet Saggar (4 hours later)

I can only assume by knowing my own body that Post traumatic head and neck pains has been very common throughout the past 3 years since my last concussion. What should I be doing to try and lessen the frequency of pain that I am having? Is there something else that I should be taking for just the neck pain? It seems as if the pain radiates from my neck and works its way up through my head.

Answered by Dr. Vineet Saggar (28 hours later)

Dear,

Your neck pain appears to part of your migrainous headache. I think if we can treat/prevent migraine, we can be able to sort out the neck pains too.

Fioricet is helpful in treating acute headaches; however since your have very frequent remissions you would need to be started on good prophylactic drugs. We have various prophylactic medications like amitriptyline or propranolol which are well tolerated and used widely and effective. Discuss about these prophylactic drugs with your current treating doctor during the next review. You should be able to have a pain free life with it.

Hope this answers your query. Let me know if you need further assistance.

Regards

Note: Get 1 to 1 help with your critical health concerns.Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad