New symptoms

[Greg M]

Hi everyone, I feel like I have a lot of pressure on my AN side right outside my mastoid bone in the back of the head. I feel it more when I turn to the left, my AN is on the left. It's been sore back there. My neck has been sore also. I hope i don't have one of the AN's that grow fast. I feel like in the last two months my symptoms have increased a lot, more hearing loss, louder tinitus and now this soreness. It's kinda wierd that I am having these symptoms in the last two months, thats how long I have known about my dis-ease. I feel like I need to get it treated, but how, where and by whom? Does anyone here symptoms cease after treatment (CK,GK or surgery)? Can anyone chime in on this pressure thing? Thanks, blessings Greg

[TP]

Greg, I am sorry you are having pain in your neck. However, that was my sympton. For about a year I was having severe neck pain, had neck mri's, was treated by a chiropractor, massage therapist and a pain dr. Finally after I realized my hearing was gone, my pain Dr suggested a brain MRI, and bingo there was my tumor sitting on my brain stem. I had neck issues like normal arthritis but they didn't realize that my pain was coming from another area of my body, about two inches above my neck....Hang in there.

p.s. Once I had my surgery, neck pain was gone!

[Greg M]

Hi TP, glad your pain is gone. All the doctors said my AN was not near my brain stem, well as of two months ago. Maybe it has grown closer to my brain stem since then. But the odds of it growing that fast is pretty rare. My neck pain is very mild and not all the time. The preasure in the back of head behind the ear is more irritaing. I wonder if i would feel a little neck pain just because having this thing is a pain in the neck!! It could be worse. Thanks TP Greg

[Mickey]

Hi Greg! I think your doing the right thing with as much investigation as possible. I also think you may be much more aware of your symptoms because you have a diognosis. Stay on top of things nowadays with the small size of you AN especially good results are right there with most choices. Best Wishes, Mickey

[Jim Scott]

Greg:

I recall feeling the same kind of pressure on my mastoid bone prior to my diagnosis, although I did not experience neck pain even though my AN was quite large and definitely pressing on my brainstem.  I concur with Mickey that having knowledge of the AN can often make us hyper-aware of any change or increase in pain, etc.  That doesn't mean the pain isn't real, just that what we might have once shrugged off and/or taken a OTC medication and tried to ignore as we went about our business, is now far more noticeable and generates concerns that may well be valid.  I would mention this new pain to my doctor for his input.  A fast-growing AN is not out of the question, no matter how we might wish it were otherwise.  I hope this works out for you, Greg.

Jim

[tenai98]

Greg,
I have the same sympton...my AN is on the left but I feel this pressure on the right side.  I dont think my tumor is pressing agaisnt the brain stem, as the ENT never mentioned it.  At first I thought maybe it was just muscle ache. Maybe it is, maybe not..From what I understand, neck and back aches are common when one loses their balance on one side...I know believe and my doc confimed this that when in Sept the doc thought I had shingles (severe back pain on right side with burning sensation) that it was most likely the final transition of my right side taking over from the left.
JO

[Crazycat]

Yup. That's what I had: neck aches rather than headaches. Before my diagnosis, that prompted me to to seek chiropractic adjustments for a possible neck subluxation.

I also had double vision. When I told the chiropractor about the double vision he asked in a very concerned way, "Have you seen a medical doctor about this?"

I still have double vision. It was at its worst just after surgery when I had to wear an eye patch for the first four months. I'm about four years out from my surgery now.


Paul