Anyone have pressure in your neck back and front or lower back of head

@rnlorena I can understand your position of not wanting surgery, and there has to be enough benefit in taking on the risks associated with surgery. Seeing your family members experiences with spine surgery also gives you a perspective that I didn't have when I became a spine patient. My spine problem was caused by a traffic accident from a reckless driver many years earlier. I wanted to think I would be OK, and I was for a lot of years until I wasn't because of adding the years of an aging spine after an injury like that. I looked at my disabled parents who were wheelchair bound and I didn't want that in my future if I could help it. I knew that I would be disabled and was already loosing the coordination in my arms which was troubling since I am an artist. That made surgery an easier choice.

@jenniferhunter I am not opposed to surgery. I would just like some answers to what is going on. Instead of seeing a neurologist I saw an ARNP. Under the impression it stated there was no definite abnormal cord signal. So based on that I should not be worried according to her. I am not by any means finished with that. Under the impression they put History: Pressure, head pressure and headaches. I don't know where they got headaches from. I don't get those. I have lost some of my trust in Doctors based on what I have been seeing and hearing lately. I am gonna talk to my new Dr. and see about getting a referral. My main thought is this. If I have severe stenosis do I have to wait for something to happen? Impression from my MRI: 1. Posterior disc bulge at C6-7 slightly flattens the ventral cord with moderate canal stenosis. There is severe bilateral foraminal stenosis. 2. Posterior disc bulge at C 5-6 slightly flattens the ventral cord with mild central canal stenosis. Mild bilateral foraminal stenosis. 3. Bulging disc at C3-4 without canal stenosis. Right-sided uncovertebral spurring and facet arthropathy results in severe right foraminal stenosis. I can see from the cervical MRI's that I have had a definite deterioration in my neck. That is to be expected when we age I do know that.

Thanks for the reply I really appreciate it. I can always tell if my Blood pressure is high or low. I don't get headaches but I get a feeling in the back of my head or if low I feel weak. But I started having an issue with my Blood pressure going up. When it did I felt the pressure in the back of my head. But I also noticed it in my neck mostly in the back. But then I had it in the front which was very unusual to me. I asked my cardiologist if she had complaints of people having pressure versus headaches with high blood pressure and she said yes. Some of my BP meds were changed and I had a new one added. I noticed my BP coming down nicely. But I also noticed that I was having pressure in my neck and the lower back of my head again. So I took my BP and it was normal. I am seeing a new Dr. next week. I am taking my MRI results and asking him for a referral to a neurosurgeon. I am not looking to have anything done. But I do know that you can have stenosis and not have issues or you can have serious issues. I have noticed some muscle spasms in my back in a weird place. I wasn't doing anything to cause them either. So I want to see what they think about the pressure in my neck related to the stenosis. I do know as we age our spine has many changes. I have the results on paper from tests I have had over the years to see the decline of my spine. My father had stenosis in his spinal cord in three areas and he had back issues I remember when I was younger. My brother has had neck surgery and back surgery twice. Once through the front and once through the back. He had two fusions. He walks with a cane. My sister has DISH and all of her discs are fused in her neck. If I do get to see someone I will take the CD and ask them their opinion and that's really all I want.

@rnlorena You do not have to wait for something to happen before getting decompression surgery. I also had a normal signal through my spinal cord along with symptoms that were caused by spinal cord compression. My surgeon said mild myelopahy does not always show up on an MRI. When you see an MRI that shows cord compression with whitish areas inside the spinal cord, that shows nerve axons that have died and dissolved. Obviously, you don't want that to happen. I also had bone spurs. If your discs have not herniated yet, that is good. When they herniate and spill the jelly like stuff, that causes inflammation which causes bone spurs to grow in that area. I suggest keep a journal with dated entries so you know what your symptoms are, and if there is pain, etc. You will know how fast something changes by looking back. You do have a significant amount of foraminal stenosis and I suspect you may have pain or weakness from that. A spine surgeon would also clean out those areas where nerve roots exit the spinal cord.

According to my physical therapist, aging does cause stenosis in the spine in nearly everyone eventually.

Yes, you need answers. It is likely your decision if and when you have any surgery. I am not sure what an ARNP is?

Hi Jennifer. I’m interested in what you will hear from the neurologist. I’ve got many spine issues, many surgeries including fusions and just recently had cortisone injections in my upper neck. My question is similar to yours- why do I have pressure aches all around my head. It’s almost like a halo inside my skull. But instead of feeling angelic, it hurts. Nothing seems to help. I’ve never had this issue before. Pls let me know if you learn something new re your pressure headaches. Thanks. Joyce