Increased stress causing neck pain

[racingheart77]

Hello,

I noticed whenever I do a stressful activity weather it is playing video games, taking a test, or something else, I get a pain in my neck right under my jaw and sometimes in the back of my head as well. It pulsate sometimes but goes away when I calm down. I assume this might be from blood pressure, but it could also be from tense muscles or stress hormones. Does anyone else experience this? It usually only happens when I'm stressed and not moving. 

[Knellie]

   When I have panic attacks or a day with a lot of anxiety I also get a lot of neck pain. It may be a tension headache or it could be that you tense up your neck muscles. Breathing exercises may help with stress or these herbal remedies I like to take.  I am not sure if either of those things would work for you, but I know that when I am stressed on top of all my POTS symptoms, it is definitely good to get rid of the stress you have. But don't rule out the possibility of the high BP I think that is a good hypothesis. Good luck  

 

[POTSius]

Maybe it is the sternocleidomastoid muscle

When you say under your jaw, do you mean at the side of your head? or more towards where the adams apple is located.  Sternocleidomastoid I think runs more to the side.

I have had possibly similar issues. Massaging it helps me, but you want to be careful as there is a lot of "stuff" around there like blood vessels.

[yogini]

Look up coat hanger pain.  It’s quite common in dysautonomia.