Expert: Dr. Paul Newhart - 8/23/2008

Question
I started having pounding headaches one morning as I was talking to a student at my desk. Once I straiten up my neck to normal level I started to get a pounding headache that slowly over the next few hours was bad, it went away a little each day for the next several days. Only to come back a week later. This was in the month of MAY, all summer I have had a hangover headaches feeling when I wake up in the morning, some days it is alright but it is always there if I go running or anything that requires my head to move up and down in a bouncing motion it gets extremely worse at the back of the head and radiates to both of my ears, I also have constant pressure in my ears when this happens. In the mean time I have had a CAT scan of the head, MRI of the head, and a MRI of the neck. Everything is fine except I have narrowing of the foramen c5-c6. If I can crack/pop my neck from on one side I get a little relieve that lasts a little while. Please let me know if this can be the cause of my problems. I have a copy of my MRIs if you would like to see them.

Answer
It sounds as if there may be an alignment problem coupled with muscle tension.  When you "pop" you neck, some of the tension is relieved, easing the pain.  I would suggest seeking out a good chiropractor, one that addresses soft tissue as well as alignment issues, and following treatment, get set up in a proper rehab program to strengthen the spine.