Swollen Lymphs at base of skull

[natrfrk]

I have what I assume is swollen lymphs. At the base of my skull on the right side. It feels achey. But sometimes it shoots pain into my head. The pains in my head move around, but sometimes the whole right half hurts. I feel pressure at the base of my skull and behind my ear. And I can't tell if that's a burning feeling or freezing. Sometimes it feels like it's either freezing or burning on the inside. The outside is not hot or cold to touch. I am hoping that when I get that feeling that it is draining. But I don't know. I've never had this happen before. I have had swelling back there before. But it usually is just kind of like having a stiff neck and after doing PBS or bouncing on my mini trampoline and taking a hot bath, after a day or so, it gets much better. But this time, this is getting worse. And I can't even do PBS. I can't turn my head much at all, especially not upward. It hurts to open my mouth, or to move my tongue around to eat. I don't know what caused this. I had a cold or a sinus infection, maybe it settled in this lymph??? Anyway, has anyone else had a lymph press on the brain or nerves at the base of the brain? This has moved beyond uncomfortable. It is painful now and it starting to scare me. Only because I've never had swollen lymphs make my head hurt before. But there is no comfortable position for me anymore. I cannot feel the swelling on the outside. I am assuming because I have had swollen lymphs before and that is how this feels, only magnified. I do get sharp pains when I feel around back there. I can feel the lymphs I think. The right side feels like the left side to the touch on the outside, but the right side is extemely sensitive and touching it shoots pains into my head. I cannot get comfortable sitting, or laying. But sometimes I have to lay down because I get light headed. Is there anything I can do to relieve some of this pressure? A way to make this drain faster?
I hate to take drugs, but would ibuprofen help this at all?

[tammyk]

I'm so sorry you feel bad. I'm wondering if there is any way it can be pinched nerves or muscle spasms in your neck? About five years ago I experienced a lot of the same symptoms you described--I was in a car accident. I too though it was lymph node swelling and went to an ENT. My journey led me to a TMJ doctor and neurologist where I was diagnosed with whiplash/muscle spams/TMJ. It's my understanding that sometimes too tight muscles can actually press on nerves and can even cause light headedness. The anxiety and stress of not knowing what is happening only makes the muscles tense more. Just a thought. I wish you well.

Please consider seeing your doctor to find the cause and relieve your symptoms and your worries.

Tammy

[natrfrk]

Thanks Tammy. Well, I haven't been in any accidents or done anything to cause whiplash. But I had been clenching my jaw a lot more lately. I suppose it could be tight muscles. What can I do for that? How long does it take for them to release and relax? What can I do to help it along?

[gillmings]

I've had a painful knot at the base of my skull on one side before (more than once, actually) and it was the result of my head not sitting straight on my neck. My chiro adjusted it and it resolved very quickly. Just sleeping on it wrong can cause it. If I remember correctly, it's bunched muscle on one side because the other side is stretched; something like that. Anyway, it hurts like heck but is easily fixed with a chiro adjustment, so I hope that's what you've got.

[pamelaw]

This is also one of the many things people with myofascial pain syndrome endure. Mine always comes on after a bad chemical trigger like perfumes, cleaning fumes, etc..

PBS helps it drain quicker for me and yes, when the pain is so severe, something like benadryl will help as will ibuprofen if you are getting a bad headache as well.

I really recommend getting the lymph pumped if you can and a chiro usually helps this, too.

[natrfrk]

A chiropractor is not an option for me right now. We had one that we trusted but he was good and he knew it and he became arrogant. He started making mistakes and doing stuff that we didn't want done after we told him we didn't want them done. I have a hard time trusting healthcare professionals anyway, but if I trust one and then that trust is broken, it makes it even harder. So, I don't currently have a chiro that I trust.

Moyne- "If I remember correctly, it's bunched muscle on one side because the other side is stretched; something like that." That makes sense. I did take a nap the day this started on a pillow that I usually don't sleep on. Because it usually does cause me neck pain. But I didn't think a short nap would hurt anything. And since this doesn't feel like a crick in the neck I didn't put the two together. But that nap was the turning point in my cold/sinus infection. It was really bad and then after that nap I felt so much better. And the next day, it was completely gone. That's why I assumed maybe the cold went into a lymph...

Pamela- I am not familiar with myofascial pain syndrome. How does benadryl help? And how do you get a lymph pumped? I can't imagine. If this is a lymph hurting, I can't imagine the pain of having it pumped.

Thanks to all for your opinions and advice. I did take some ibuprofen and it is helping. At least I can hold my head up now without the constant pain in my head. But the lymph or knotted muscle, whatever this is, is still there, of course. Still sensitive and hurting...

[mkmom]

About 18 months ago the lymph nodes at the base of my skull on the right side were terribly swollen. I was having shooting pain on the right side of my head. I also had - for lack of a better term - a "spidery" feeling quite often across that side of my head. I ended up at the Dr. and found out I had shingles. They said it attacked the nerves under the skin instead of the ones that cause the more common skin condition. They gave me a prescription and it eventually went away. It comes back every so often but never bad enough to go back to the Dr. Hope you get the answer soon!

Kathy

[Nikki Dawn]

I would go to the dr.

[tammyk]

I just urge you to seek a professional opinion. My situation was long and extremely drawn out. In addition to the car accident we had two deaths close together in our family and I was fixated on the idea that my lymph nodes were swollen and that something really bad was wrong. This led to extreme anxiety (which is awful for muscle tension) and depression. I don't know what your situation is re: how long this has been going on, stress, insurance, etc., however I sincerely recommend a professional opinion to help put your mind at ease in more ways than one.

My delay led to me clenching my jaws so tightly, not just during the day, but at night when I didn't realize it and I fractured several of my teeth from it. You might consider seeing a GP or ENT. My first breakthrough came when I visited an orthopedist and they did an xray of my cervical spine. It was clear that my muscles were tight and spasming and were holding my neck in an un-natural reverse curve. The spasms led to more spasms and more severe symptoms. It was a cycle I couldn't break on my one without help from my doctor's, a time on muscle relaxants and some physical therapy. I'm not saying that's what's wrong with you, but I just think if I had it to do over again I would seek professional advice sooner, before allowing myself to imagine the worst, worrying and delaying relief.

A GP or ENT should be able to rule out lymph node involvement, and infection or treat that if that's the problem. If it's muscles tightness, etc. they will be able to treat that, or refer you to the appropriate practitioner.

I know the light-headedness was very anxiety producing for me. I was scared and thinking scary thoughts. Sometimes I couldn't even hold my head up, but once I was diagnosed and trusted the doctor, I began to understand what was happening and get relief.

I'm thinking of you and hope you are able to get help and relief soon.

Tammy

[pamelaw]

MPS is too complicated to go into here.

PBS drains it fairly well, but it will take doing it several times at least throughout the day to do it. PBS (Primary Back Stretch) is very good for pumping lymph.