u/humanconnection101

Injury October 2024 while playing sports. Was sprinting on a grass field and stepped into a hole. Normal X-rays but confirmed lisfranc on CT scan. Fractures at base of 2nd MT and middle cuneiform; and bone fragments in Lisfranc space. Primary fractures had small displacement (1mm). Usually they do surgery for 1+mm, so I was eligible and offered midfoot fusion/arthrodesis. I was nervous as a 35yo recreationally athletic person. Got second opinion and they said casually "sure we can do non-surgical with a lot of PT. If it doesn't work after 12 months we can fuse then." My diagnosis was delayed (doctors not reading the algorithm that says to proceed to CT even with normal weight bearing X-rays if high suspicion for Lisfranc based on mechanism of injury, which mine was). So I was already outside the fresh injury window anyway. Went non-surgical.

PT was a struggle. A lot of pain. Made a lot of Facebook posts to the LIsfranc group asking "is [ailment] normal." I was fueled by the success stories. A lot of people, especially runners with Non-Surgical approach, said "things turned around at the 8 month mark." Meanwhile the surgical ppl were either miserable and negotiating revision surgeries/hardware removal or already back to walking again and happy. I stayed the course on my treatment plan. Pushed through the pain, wore the boot when I needed it, used the carbon fiber plate in my shoe for several weeks (wasn't really a game changer), got arch supports. The thought of standing on my toes again made my stomach flip. I couldn't even do a calf stretch because my foot would start bending before the stretch could reach my calf. Yuckkk. Started to think maybe surgery was my only option by month 5.

But we kept doing single legged calf work, then marching planks. One day i was able to put weight on my forefoot without my foot bending backwards. That was month 7. Then things accelerated. I was able to stand on my toes for a few seconds. Then by month 8, I could do single legged calf raises with wall support. In fact, I could do more on my injured leg at that point. But running still caused pain in my inner ankle and posterior tibial tendon area. Discouraging but I kept trying.

Fast forward. I can now jog 1-2 miles without issue, and I could go further if I wanted to from a foot standpoint. Last weekend I sprinted. Today at the gym I was able to skip for the first time (not very high or powerful but still). It's almost been 2 years but I see progress. It has required continuous training and work and having pain days. Now I barely notice my foot; it feels weird when the weather changes but it doesn't bother me. I'm lucky of course; my injury could've been worse and not everyone will have this type of recovery. Still, even I had really dark times at first, return to normal life seemed impossible, the depression was real.

All that said. For those looking for hope, hopefully this helps. I was always looking for posts like this when I was early in the process. Now paying it forward.

I am getting desperate. Need to find ppl w similar issues and maybe we can work together to fix this. Or if you figured out the cure, pls share.

Me:
- mild cervical kyphosis per MRI
- constant tinnitus both ears, sometimes pulsatile
- numb hands when I wake up
- stabbing head pain when I look down
- improvement of all symptoms when I lie down and extend my heck
- all started suddenly one day, no injury
- ears feeling like I need to pop them

Currently:
- episodic use of c spine collar helps all simple
- not using a pillow and instead using a rollled up towel under the neck helps
- inadvertent cracking at the base of my skull provides relief (happens if I tilt my head back)

Anyone else??

I am getting desperate. Need to find ppl w similar issues and maybe we can work together to fix this. Or if you figured out the cure, pls share.

Me:
- mild cervical kyphosis per MRI
- constant tinnitus both ears, sometimes pulsatile
- numb hands when I wake up
- stabbing head pain when I look down
- improvement of all symptoms when I lie down and extend my heck
- all started suddenly one day, no injury
- ears feeling like I need to pop them

Currently:
- episodic use of c spine collar helps all simple
- not using a pillow and instead using a rollled up towel under the neck helps
- inadvertent cracking at the base of my skull provides relief (happens if I tilt my head back)

Anyone else??

As above. Adding my anecdote in case it helps someone, and will keep updating this post as I learn new things. If you have something similar and have insight please let me know. I'm still trying to fix this.

1. Prior to January 2026 | was recovering from thyroiditis and COVID (August-December 2025). Had some other things happen prior to that in 2024 like Lisfranc fracture, DVT, PE; was on anticoagulation for only 3 months and never ended up taking synthroid because thyroid returned to normal on its own.

2. I was finally starting to feel good January 2026. Went for more jogs, started lifting weights (nothing crazy, more like 35lb kettle bell maximum). Then while eating dinner after a day of work where my head was flexed down for 8 hours (due to a flood I couldn't use my desk and had to work with computer on my lap), I felt a rapid crack on the back of my head, like being stabbed with an icepick. It was jarring and made me dizzy for a second but then I felt fine a second later. I thought it was weird and went about my night, and 3-5 minutes later another one, different location. It was so intense that I felt like I would fall. It happened about 10-15 more times that night and I thought about going to the ED but felt a sudden urge to lie down. When I did, the cracking stopped and I fell asleep for 14 hours. Deep down I had this very primitive feeling like I was going to die if I didn't do this; it was hard to breathe while sitting upright.

3. I woke up nauseated, disoriented, and my vision felt completely fragmented. Being upright made my heart race, made me feel light headed. All I wanted to do was sleep. I was so confused and so afraid to go back to the ED that I just stayed home and slept since it was a long weekend. The stabs only happened when upright and became less frequent in the subsequent days. They happened on both sides of my head and midline when they did happen so 1 was less concerned due to lack of localization. For this reason I did try to jog once, and then felt sudden pressure on my sinuses and clear fluid hot fluid came out of my nose. It tasted like blood but wasn't blood. That's the only time that's happened though sometimes now I feel like there is fluid in my ears.

4. The following 7 weeks I was having muscle spasms/fasciculations, extreme brain fog, and ongoing racing heart and pounding head pressure in the morning when standing up. I couldn't stay upright more than an hour or two without the intense urge to lie down. I also developed tinnitus in both ears which I've had ever since. It was constant, not pulsatile.

5. After that and now ever since (so about April to present) energy slowly improved - iron supplement might've helped. The stabbing feeling only happens about 1x a week now at the most, lasts only a second, and seems more likely to happen if i stayed in a head flexed down posture. Because of this ive rearranged my whole life to look at things above midline. My tinnitus has become much worse though. It is pulsatile and is in both ears, louder in the morning and in whichever ear I was sleeping on. Tinnitus is the thing that bothers me the most on a day to day basis because it reminds me that something is wrong. I've also developed neck tightness and the feeling like my head is too heavy for my neck to support it. I still have to lie down in the middle of the day at times due to neck tension and occasional head spasms that last for only a second and cause sinus pressure. Even though it's brief it is scary, and once it starts it will continue until I lie down.

Tests:
- autoimmunity panels negative
- normal chemistry and complete blood count
- low iron and ferritin (47 and 14 respectively)
- CT Angiogram head: normal
- MRA/MRV/CSF flow study head (non-contrast): normal
- MRI (non-contrast): petrous apex cholesterol granuloma, right side. Basically a cyst in my skull base. But since my symptoms are generalized and both sides, they think it was a random unrelated finding.
- CT temporal bones: petrous apex cholesterol granuloma has eroded bone, is pushing on internal carotid artery, and also jugular bulb identified. Doctors still think it's incidental.

Imaging left to get:
- contrast images
- cervical spine MRI

What makes symptoms better:
- lying on the floor and gently applying upward traction to the base of my occiput, which puts my neck into slight extension. This makes almost all symptoms go away while I'm doing it. They come back immediately when I stop.
- deliberate breathing; I find my body is very tense ever since this happened.
- exercise: I weirdly feel better during exercise but after about 20 minutes my head starts squeezing and I get that sinus pressure again. Sometimes it feels like my skull bones are moving.

What makes it worse:
- driving long distances
- any activity that makes me look down (neck flexed)
- prolonged socializing (usually an upright activity)

Anyway. I know it's long. But figured I'd share in case someone else has had this experience and either has ideas for what this could be, or just needs to not feel alone. My symptoms were so severe I quit a high paying job and cannot work for he foreseeable future until it gets resolved. I need to figure it out.

As above. Adding my anecdote in case it helps someone, and will keep updating this post as I learn new things. If you have something similar and have insight please let me know. I'm still trying to fix this.

1. Prior to January 2026 I was recovering from thyroiditis and COVID (August-December 2025). Had some other things happen prior to that in 2024 like Lisfranc fracture, DVT, PE; was on anticoagulation for only 3 months and never ended up taking synthroid because thyroid returned to normal on its own.

2. I was finally starting to feel good January 2026. Went for more jogs, started lifting weights (nothing crazy, more like 35lb kettle bell maximum). Then while eating dinner after a day of work where my head was flexed down for 8 hours (due to a flood I couldn't use my desk and had to work with computer on my lap), I felt a rapid crack on the back of my head, like being stabbed with an icepick. It was jarring and made me dizzy for a second but then I felt fine a second later. I thought it was weird and went about my night, and 3-5 minutes later another one, different location. It was so intense that I felt like I would fall. It happened about 10-15 more times that night and I thought about going to the ED but felt a sudden urge to lie down. When I did, the cracking stopped and I fell asleep for 14 hours. Deep down I had this very primitive feeling like I was going to die if I didn't do this; it was hard to breathe while sitting upright.

3. I woke up nauseated, disoriented, and my vision felt completely fragmented. Being upright made my heart race, made me feel light headed. All I wanted to do was sleep. I was so confused and so afraid to go back to the ED that I just stayed home and slept since it was a long weekend. The stabs only happened when upright and became less frequent in the subsequent days. They happened on both sides of my head and midline when they did happen so I was less concerned due to lack of localization. For this reason I did try to jog once, and then felt sudden pressure on my sinuses and clear fluid hot fluid came out of my noise. It tasted like blood but wasn't blood. That's the only time that's happened though sometimes now I feel like there is fluid in my ears.

4. The following 7 weeks I was having muscle spasms/fasciculations, extreme brain fog, and ongoing racing heart and pounding head pressure in the morning when standing up. I couldn't stay upright more than an hour or two without the intense urge to lie down. I also developed tinnitus in both ears which I've had ever since. It was constant, not pulsatile.

5. After that and ever since (so about April to present) energy slowly improved - iron supplement might've helped. The stabbing feeling only happens about 1x a week now at the most, lasts only a second, and seems more likely to happen if i stayed in a head flexed down posture. Because of this ive rearranged my whole life to look at things above midline. My tinnitus has become much worse though. It is pulsatile and is in both ears, louder in the morning and in whichever ear I was sleeping on. Tinnitus is the thing that bothers me the most on a day to day basis because it reminds me that something is wrong. I've also developed neck tightness and the feeling like my head is too heavy for my neck to support it. I still have to lie down in the middle of the day at times due to neck tension and occasional head spasms that last for only a second and sinus pressure. Lying down always helps.

Tests:
- autoimmunity panels negative
- normal chemistry and complete blood count
- low iron and ferritin (47 and 14 respectively)
- CT Angiogram head: normal
- MRA/MRV/CSF flow study head (non-contrast): normal
- MRI (non-contrast): petrous apex cholesterol granuloma, right side. Basically a cyst in my skull base. But since my symptoms are generalized and both sides, they think it was a random unrelated finding.
- CT temporal bones: petrous apex cholesterol granuloma has eroded bone, is pushing on internal carotid artery, and also jugular bulb identified. Doctors still think it's incidental.

Imaging left to get:
- contrast images
- cervical spine MRI

What makes symptoms better:
- lying on the floor and gently applying traction to the base of my occiput, which puts my neck into slight flexion. This makes almost all
Symptoms go away while I'm doing it. They come back immediately when I stop.
- deliberate breathing; I find my body is very tense ever since this happened.
- exercise: I weirdly feel better during exercise but after about 20 minutes my head starts squeezing and I get that sinus pressure again. Sometimes it feels like my skull bones are moving.

What makes it worse:
- driving long distances
- any activity that makes me look down (neck flexed)

Anyway. I know it's long. But figured I'd share in case someone else has had this experience and either has ideas for what this could be, or just needs to not feel alone. My symptoms were so severe I quit a high paying job and cannot work for he foreseeable future until it gets resolved. I need to figure it out.

Per title I guess. I left the Navy after 12 years bc my health was falling apart under the pressure and intensity of work. Now I'm unemployed and supported by spouse. Very weird change. My goal was to get better physically and emotionally. But now I'm starting to panic thinking.... what if I don't get better and I gave it all up for nothing? I did claim the issues and am grateful for help from the VA. But I care less about the claim and more about getting my life back. Did anyone find
Their health issues improved when away from military environment?

Anyone have this? What is it from? Started after a stabbing headache in January with intense urge to lie down. Now I have intermittent head pressure and ear fullness, neck fatigue, blurry vision, scalp tenderness, and of course PT. The PT is mostly high pitched ringing and I can make it louder by pushing on the top of my head and by yawning. I can make it quieter if I lie flat and apply traction on my occiput/ back of neck at base of skull. The stabbing is mostly gone unless I'm looking down a lot like on a laptop, but the initial episode was absolutely intense and made me exhausted for almost 3 months. Now fatigue is improved but yeah. Neck still feels like it can't support the weight of my head, and PT is irritating me so much.

MRA/V and MRI brain (all non contrast) normal except petrous apex cholesterol granuloma with multiple areas of skull base dehiscence which they said was incidental / not related to my symptoms.

Saw a post that inspired me to ask this question. Would love to hear people's stories of the tinnitus going away. Mine started in January after a bad headache/cold. They found some abnormalities on my CT and MRI but it's all right sided and my tinnitus is on both sides, so they think it's unrelated. Hoping it will go away on its own some time soon....

Not one of his most mainstream routines but very interesting. This is some of the best execution I've seen from him in choreo and footwork.

I really wanted to go! But alas; work. Last time I went to SOI/a similar show was 2002, and the program was beautiful.

At a crossroads and about to separate, but still have one last chance to pull resignation. I have 12 years in. Thought I wanted out so I could really enjoy life. But then my health started collapsing in the last 6 months. Like yeah I always had an issue or two but now it's like, insane. Don't know why this is happening now. If I'm going to be sick I might as well stay in and get a paycheck. Kept thinking everything health wise would get better when I I get out but maybe that's not the case, and if it isn't, that's terrifying. Did any of you get out and find your overall health got better?