Tension Headache for 3 months

C

capndetroit

New Member
Hello everyone,
I got my covid booster shot 3 months ago and have had some level of headache ever since. I've been searching high and low trying everything for relief. I fell down the Sarno rabbit hole and am left wondering if my brain took advantage of the shot to give me TMS headaches? I also realized shortly before that shot I was finishing up PT on my lower back which had gotten better. Does this sound feasible to anyone, and if so what are my next steps? I've been through 3 doctors, chiropractor, accupuncture, PT and all the pain killers and none of it has touched my head pain! I appreciate all your insights here.
 
Hi capndetroit and Welcome!

You probably cannot know the answer here perfectly. Everyone starts with more or less uncertainty. The best way forward is to make a list of what what does nor does not support a TMS diagnosis.

You seem to say that the pain started after something else got "better." That is supportive.
I wonder if you had fear of the shot?
What emotionally in your life was coming up when you got the shot? Stress, repressed stuff that "shouldn't be felt," relationship issues, job changes?

Do you have a history of childhood stuff? Hives, allergies, etc?

Does the headache ever go away? When? Can you correlate emotional/stress conditions to symptom increases, decreases?

Do you have a TMS type personality?

Read more about TMS by looking through the Wiki and read articles. There are patterns. Do you fit some of this?

Then look at your lists and ask yourself it this could be you? If there is a good possibility, then proceed. If you've been checked out, then the practices in a program like the Structured Education Program will only make your life better, and you might get some results. If you get some changes, even minor, then that is more evidence, more support for this journey.

Good luck in this, and keep exploring and keep us posted.

Andy
 
Andy Bayliss said:
Hi capndetroit and Welcome!
What emotionally in your life was coming up when you got the shot? Stress, repressed stuff that "shouldn't be felt," relationship issues, job changes?

Do you have a history of childhood stuff? Hives, allergies, etc?

Does the headache ever go away? When? Can you correlate emotional/stress conditions to symptom increases, decreases?

Do you have a TMS type personality?

Read more about TMS by looking through the Wiki and read articles. There are patterns. Do you fit some of this?
Click to expand...

I don't have any obvious correlation in my past or childhood, though I do have a history of generalized anxiety and my personality fits some of the mentioned traits. I mean, I'm living through a 100 year pandemic like the rest of us, which is all sorts of stressful in so many ways.

My one saving grace through all my issues is that I can sleep pretty much when I want to. But I wake up now looking for the headache only to find it, and it ramps up more throughout the day. Stress does make it worse, which i think is normal for these kinds of headaches, but again, I had no history of this prior to 3 months ago.

I've been tackling this from every angle I can think of, but it sounds like if it really is TMS giving credence to other doctors, exercises, drugs is the exact wrong way to go. Is that correct?

Thanks again!
 
capndetroit said:
I've been tackling this from every angle I can think of, but it sounds like if it really is TMS giving credence to other doctors, exercises, drugs is the exact wrong way to go. Is that correct?
Click to expand...

I think that if you've been cleared, and this might include imaging in case of some kind of blood clot issue (and this is not medical advice, just thinking of the vaccines associated with rare thrombosis issues), then continuing to focus on physical diagnoses and treatments is not helpful to embracing a true mind-body approach, yes. Headaches are a common TMS symptom, and can be treated as such. And TMS pain is often "attached" to an event, such as an accident, or medical procedure. This is what helps it do its "thing."

I am wishing you great healing and success in this endeavor. I am sorry about your pain.
 
Andy Bayliss said:
I think that if you've been cleared, and this might include imaging in case of some kind of blood clot issue (and this is not medical advice, just thinking of the vaccines associated with rare thrombosis issues), then continuing to focus on physical diagnoses and treatments is not helpful to embracing a true mind-body approach, yes. Headaches are a common TMS symptom, and can be treated as such. And TMS pain is often "attached" to an event, such as an accident, or medical procedure. This is what helps it do its "thing."

I am wishing you great healing and success in this endeavor. I am sorry about your pain.
Click to expand...

I think I'm cleared from a "there is nothing seriously wrong" perspective, and approaching the "lets throw different pills at him" phase. That is tempting of course but like everything here says, I want to tackle the root issue.
 
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