Odd Headaches

by Anonymous

Sources Of Headaches

Hello,

I am trying to figure out what kind of headache I keep on having so that I can treat it accordingly. Everyone I have talked to doesn't know what I'm talking about, maybe you do. It can happen for 3 seconds up to an hour. It starts on the right side of my head (it feels like the back/right side of my brain), it doesn't go with my heart beat though, it's sporadic. It happens out of nowhere.

It doesn't happen because of light or sound but it can occur when I smell something really strong (usually chemicals ie. perfume). It is painful but I don't think it's bad enough to go see a doctor about it or anything though. There is nothing I can do to make it stop I've tried everything including sleep. It feels like a pinched nerve that's in my brain.

Please help me!

Answer:

Hi,
It is a little difficult to say without more information. You do not give your age or whether you are male or female, nor what treatments tried or studies ordered.

Based on your information it could be a form of ice pick headache but there could also be a component of tension type headache that may be due to spasms in the neck.

If you are under the age of 20, migraine in teens can be shorter in duration than adults..sometimes a few minutes to less than 2 hours. With adults they are 4-72 hours and sometimes longer.

Either way, you need to be examined by your physician and ask about tests and possible treatments.

Good luck,
Mary Kay Betz MS RPA-C

Comments:

2 weeks now I am into the worst headache...ever.I have advanced Lyme disease. I am a 48 y/o female with NO headache history...no headaches til now.

A couple weeks ago I started a headache that was bad, really bad.

I tried everything in the medicine cabinet, it kept getting worse. When I could no longer stand it my husband and I went to the ER. I was just a wad of nothing. Reglan/Benadryl/Dilaudid/Valium in my IV did nothing for the pain, it made me sleepy, but the pain was still there. we did a CT scan that was "okay" per the Dr. He said IF I WANTED they would do a lumbar puncture, but it was unnecessary. I came home with 10 percocet that made me nauseas and a really bad headache. I was told that if it was really dangerous I would have been in ER before then. My primary doc's nurse confirmed that statement. Problem is, I still am in bed squinting my eyes at light with a stabbing headache in my right temple, sometimes in my left temple as well. ????? Is this just going to be my life?

Angel

Answer:

Hi Angel,

If you have a headache that is this disabling and the light is bothering you (can't eat or nauseated?) then that sounds like a severe migraine. In fact it is status migrainosus.

You may have to go back to the ER at this point or perhaps urgent care. An IV infusion of fluids, perhaps steroid, medication for nausea will all help the headache. At this point, as you have seen, oral meds will have little effect.

Good luck!
Mary Kay

Odd Headache

by Bhavana
(India)

My husband is 32 years old and is having headache. He says that it occurs suddenly and the pain is very severe and lasts in the same severity state for around 30-45min. His vision gets blurry and he is unable to even stand in the time frame.

After around 30-45 min the pain subsides a little that he is able to resume back to his work. But a headache persists for the next 1 or 2 days. He has had this kind of headache around 4 times last year. Can you please help me with what kind of headache is this and what is the treatment for it.

Bhavana

Answer:

Hi Bhavana,

An episodic severe headache that lasts up to 2 days can be one of two things. Either a severe migraine or perhaps a tension headache. Sometimes tension headache can be accompanied by blurry vision but usually it is migraine.

If he is having photophobia (light bothers him) or phonophobia (sound) and low level nausea or lack of appetite, then most probably it is a migraine.

I know that sumatriptan is available in your country and if a migraine this is the most appropriate treatment. Ask his doctor about this.

As far as the cause is concerned, the most common cause for most headaches is stress, so he needs to look at the stressors in his life and how to manage them.

Good luck!
Mary Kay Betz MS RPA-C