Hello all,
Recently, I have started getting very sudden, aggressive, sharp, but fleeting, pain in the left side of my neck. It's hard to describe, but the best I can do is that it feels like somebody is running a needle up the length of that blood vessel. Generally starts at the base of my neck/shoulder and runs up to right behind my ear. Even that description isn't completely accurate. It's happened thee times in the last 2 weeks. The first time, I practically collapsed, the pain was so bad. The second was nearly as bad. This last one made me gasp and cringe, but it was much less intense. It only lasts a few seconds, and while the pain in weakening (short breath, eyes kinda go "wonky", tears form, etc.), after a few minutes of steady breathing, I am able to recover and go on with the day, with very minimal tenderness in the area (like a week-old bruise). I'm concerned, simply because I don't know what's going on, and it would be difficult to get an accurate diagnosis, without a ton of tests...really don't want to go that route with no insurance.
A little "patient history"... I am hypoglycemic, I smoke (yeah, yeah), I was in a rear-end collision, last year (never treated), family history of diabetes, heart and lung disease, and cancer.
If y'all could kind of point me in the right direction, here, I would greatly appreciate it.
I'd see a cardiologist to ruled out TIAs (Transient Eschemic Attacks), or mini strokes.
Otherwise, it may be connected to an injury leading to whiplash. If it's suddenly tightens with shooting pain, see a chiropractor.
I'm not a doctor.
Just sayin.