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Neurology (Expert Forum)
chronic daily headache and can't flex left bicep
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chronic daily headache and can't flex left bicep
by blueriver, Dec 28, 2005 12:00AM
Dear doc, I feel as though I'm falling apart at the seems, and wondered if you could help me through this. I have a very good GP and neuro at University hospital however I have repeat my visit 4 times in 6 months and I worry they stop looking for organic cause if they think I'm a hypochondriac. =(
First I will tell you that all my life I have never been able to flex my left bicep even when I was lifting weights regularly. No the arm isn't weak I just can't flex it.
I don't know if that's relavent to my current situation- but here goes- I have a problem with daily nonstop headache. Yes, nonstop! It feels like my brain is being pulled down into my spine--this is how I would imagine a CSF leak headache to feel (although i've never experienced one myself). IT's a low or medium pressure like a vaccuum is hooked to a hole in my head.
I also have frequent experiences where, when I stand up too fast my blood pressure drops, visions tries to fade out, and the headache temporarily becomes much more severe during this. However, my doctor has checked my BP laying down, sitting up, and standing numberous times and he doesn't see the problem I describe (it has just never actually happened while at the doctor, but it does happen frequent).
So, I'm left clueless. It seems to me that, if my headache increases in intensity when I stand up (during those BP drop episodes) that my headache is BP related, however again my BP is allways around 135/80 on average with resting heart rate averaging 80.
Thanks PS-my brain MRI was negative, CT angiogram negative
First I will tell you that all my life I have never been able to flex my left bicep even when I was lifting weights regularly. No the arm isn't weak I just can't flex it.
I don't know if that's relavent to my current situation- but here goes- I have a problem with daily nonstop headache. Yes, nonstop! It feels like my brain is being pulled down into my spine--this is how I would imagine a CSF leak headache to feel (although i've never experienced one myself). IT's a low or medium pressure like a vaccuum is hooked to a hole in my head.
I also have frequent experiences where, when I stand up too fast my blood pressure drops, visions tries to fade out, and the headache temporarily becomes much more severe during this. However, my doctor has checked my BP laying down, sitting up, and standing numberous times and he doesn't see the problem I describe (it has just never actually happened while at the doctor, but it does happen frequent).
So, I'm left clueless. It seems to me that, if my headache increases in intensity when I stand up (during those BP drop episodes) that my headache is BP related, however again my BP is allways around 135/80 on average with resting heart rate averaging 80.
Thanks PS-my brain MRI was negative, CT angiogram negative
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW, Dec 30, 2005 12:00AM
THe problem with your blood pressure and the symptopms standing up may be best evaluated with a tilt table test - while standing on a tilting table which moves through to a tilt of 70 degrees your blood pressure and heart rate are measures frequently. THis can allow a more accurate diagnosis of these symptoms. If you are older you might need a more comprehensive heart evalaution.
If your brain was negative I presume they excluded some causes of postural headache like an Arnold-Chiari maformation or a venous sinus thrombosis?
Headahces on standing can be due to low CSF pressure. CSF pressure can be measured by doing a spinal tap/lumbar puncture. Sometimes if the CSF pressure is low, there is a leak somewhere and there are other scans that can assess for this like radionucleotide cisternography or a CT myelogram
I don't think the biceps problem is realted to the above
Good luck
If your brain was negative I presume they excluded some causes of postural headache like an Arnold-Chiari maformation or a venous sinus thrombosis?
Headahces on standing can be due to low CSF pressure. CSF pressure can be measured by doing a spinal tap/lumbar puncture. Sometimes if the CSF pressure is low, there is a leak somewhere and there are other scans that can assess for this like radionucleotide cisternography or a CT myelogram
I don't think the biceps problem is realted to the above
Good luck
I would encourage you all to read this thread. Myself and others have written extensively about this phenominon.