Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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stephgas 10/21/2013

i've had a headache on and off all week. i feel it at the base of my neck, up the back of my head and around the sides near my jaw, like in front of my ears. it feels sort of like a pressure, but not like a sinus headache (i used to suffer from sinusitis). i'm not really light sensitive or anything, and it comes up toward my forehead.

now i've been on mtx for 8 days. i know i had this headache most of the day on wednesday and friday and part of the day yesterday. and all day today. i took some acetaminophen and while it helped my wrists and hands a bit, it didn't get rid of the headache.

is it possible that this is from the RA? it's more than just a dull, annoying ache. it makes it hard to function fully. just wondering if it's something i should call my dr about now.

thanks in advance :)

deleted_user 10/22/2013

Sounds like what the docs refer to as a tension headache. The way you described it sounds alot like the one I get. I've only been able to make it go down by corticosteroid injections.

It's tightness or spasming of the muscle in the neck. I have tightness in my jaw too, but I have no diagnoses.

I've gone to a trigger point massage therapist, and she has been able to work out a lot of problem areas.

Christine26 10/22/2013

Can you or have you taken Tylenol with any relief. Is there any correlation with when you started MTX did you notice the headaches increasing? If so I would put a call into the Rheumatologist office. Also welcome to DS and hope you are feeling better soon.

stephgas 10/22/2013

thanks everyone. i took acetominophen and it didn't seem to touch the headache. i don't know if it felt hot, but i've been running a low grade fever on and off for weeks.

i've had headaches more often than i care to admit, and get light-sensitive migraines a couple of times a year. and i used to have sinusitis, so i know what a sinus headache feels like. this is unlike any headache i remember having and it seemed to start a few days after starting mtx. i'll put in a call to my rheumy; my next appointment isn't for almost a month.

and thanks for the welcome :)

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