Coathanger Pain?

[dsdmom]

From what I can remember, "coathanger" pain refers to pain in the back of the head/neck/shoulder region and is most often related to PAF. My question is for those of you who have it - how does it differ from what may feel like muscular tightness/soreness? I've been having a lot of neck issues that spreads into the back of my head and into my shoulders but I have been attributing it all to my TMJ issues since once they are massaged and loosened up I feel better. however, I am starting to wonder if this is something more and was hoping that some of you may be able to better describe what you feel.

Thanks!

[EarthMother]

I had never heard of that description before "coathanger pain" but that describes my symptoms very well. I've had it for about a year now ... it is it's worse in the car, but often will spasm (really contract because it never lets go) any time of the day for apparently no reason at all.

What is PAF? I tried to do a quick google on it but only came up with "Personal Ancestral File", "Printing Association of Florida" and the "Pakistan Air Force"

On the DINET.ORG symptoms page it lists Mathias in 2000 with a reference to: Aching neck and shoulders. But the reference only seems to be a paper that was given at a conference "Mathias, C. J. (2000, July). Other autonomic disorders. National Dysautonomia Research Foundation Patient conference. Minneapolis, Minnesota."

Anyone know any more about this topic or how we find out more about that paper?

~EM

[dsdmom]

PAF = Pure Autonomic Failure. But I liked what you came up with too!

I did a search on this topic here and think that Melissa knows a bit about this so am hoping she'll chime in...

[ljoeb]

The "coat hanger" pain is the good ole' trapezeus muscle that tightens up. I have had cervical surgery, and it gave me fits before and right after surgery. It cleared up for several years, but lately, it is starting to give me fits again. I am attributing it to my becoming much more active over the last couple of months since I have felt better than I have in the last few years. I think I may be overdoing it.

[yogini]

I've heard of coathanger pain before, but never heard it associated with PAF. It's a pretty common area to have severe pain, not even just among POTS patients but people in general. PAF is pretty rare. I think the PAF diagnosis is really rare and made based upon symptoms getting worse over time - I'm not sure what other symptoms you're having, but I wouldn't worry about having PAF based upon just the coathanger pain.

[Sophia3]

coat hanger pain is common and often but NOT ALWAYS , a symptom of orthostatic hypotension. Been mentioned in many ANS articles and FM but I don't have one at my fingertips to share.

[sarct]

hmmmm, I wonder, I don;t normally have pain in my neck. However if I have a alcoholic drink, or when I was given an intravenous pain killer I get this intense tightening tingly feeling in my neck. I have asked others if they get a sensation in their neck after having a drink and nobody has ever said they did. Just another weird thing with me. I wonder if it is related to this, though I do not get it unless given alcohol or once when given a pain med in an IV once.

[delphicdragon]

I get that if I'm up for too long. It's my indicator that I need to be sitting/lying down now! I find that lying down for a while gets the pain to go away, but I have to be careful for the next few days to make sure I don't get it back. I've been told the pain is due to my brain needing blood and "stealing" the blood from the muscles in the back of your neck.

Sara