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MedHelp Member's Question

Crazy tension headache between eyes and pounding arteries in head

by SickAndScared, Dec 02, 2005 12:00AM
I have this headache that just won't go away, like a really dull constant pressure mostly in the front but also deep down in the center of my head towards the back.       I had a CATSCAN of my head in the emergency room, and it was NORMAL.  And later, the MRI was NORMAL.   I can actually take my own pulse my feeling the arteries or veins on the side of my skull right in front of my ears,  and sometimes i can count the heartbeat by just watching these small veins PULSATE in the top left or top right of my forehead...usually this pulsating in my forehead is present right after I am physically active, but the pulse on the sides of my skull are just about allways.   Also, I seem to get some relief by the positioning of my neck, for example, I stretch or  bend my neck and it makes this "squishing" sound then I have a tiny bit of relief for a few seconds, so I'm constantly stretching my neck around.     Please tell me what to do because I saw a neurologist and he is stumped, he gave me Inderal and told me to come back in 3 months.     I do have borderline  pre-hypertension as I average 140/80,    but can the pressure of blood be alot higher than that in my head alone?   You know, kind of like pulmonary hypertension, only this would be cranial?  How could that theory be proven or disproven, by doppler ultrasound or what?    What are some other theories?  (besides anxiety that was ruled out)



PLEASE HELP ME FIND OUT WHAT TO DO, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH
Member Comments (13)

by beekaboo, Dec 03, 2005 12:00AM
Do your headaches get better or worse when you stand up or lie down?  Have you taken your blood pressure lying down and again standing up?  If your blood pressure drops significantly when you stand up, you can get a terrible headache, swishing sound in your head, and be dizzy.  This is my situation, and all MRI and CT scans were normal.  Possible diagnosis is orthostatic hypotension.  But, my neck is stiff and the pain radiates from the neck to the top of my head....as you indicated yours does sometimes, too.  Fioricet has helped my headaches, but I have no good diagnosis.  Good luck...it takes a curious, caring, inventive, and dedicated doctor to take the time to work through your symptoms and add them all up.  There are headache clinics available...and I'm going to try to get enrolled in one.

by SickAndScared, Dec 03, 2005 12:00AM
Did you mean orthostatic hypotension as in, the blood pressure in your head is lower than the rest of your body(as in not enough blood is flowing UP against gravity away from the heart)?



Or do you just mean low BP that is detected by a regular arm cuff device?

by lmroswell, Dec 03, 2005 12:00AM
To: sickandscared
I get headaches a lot.  I know for me, if something stressful happens or even if I am preparing to leave for a vacation, I will get a headache.  These are muscle tension headaches, and I will take 2 Advil, if I think I will need them, to avoid a headache, like on Thanksgiving when we had 15 people to feed!  But, I know myself pretty well, and wouldn't recommend taking any meds, unless necessary.  Headaches can also be caused by taking pain meds and when the meds start to wear off, you can get what is called a rebound headache.  Also, if you stop caffiene, some get headaches that will last a few days.  Your diet can be a trigger, too.  If you are dieting and trying to lose weight, just the lack of calories can trigger a headache.  MSG is another trigger, and lack of hydrating you body, drink liquids, (and not the alcholic kind)!  For me, the most common headache is the tension kind.  I hope you find your cause and you feel better soon.  Headaches are no fun.

by beekaboo, Dec 03, 2005 12:00AM




Orthostatic hypotension, as described to me, is a defect in the spontaneous response of baroreceptors to increase catecholamines (epenepherine/norepinepherine)and catech(?)  This response would rapidly restore blood pressure upon standing.  Pumping the blood from the legs back up to the heart.



A defect in this response prevents BP from rising adequately-thus orthostatic hypotension.



I test my BP lying down, sitting and then standing.  The BP is quite high lying down  153-166/88-99.



When I stand up, the systolic drops 15-25 points.  Diastolic changes only 5 points up or down.



But, I get lightheaded, dizzy, hear my pulse in my ears, and get a terrible headache.  Am assuming this rapid drop in blood pressure is what's causing my symptoms.

by beekaboo, Dec 03, 2005 12:00AM
Forgot to say that if I put my chin to my chest or lower my head to chest level, by leaning on the counter, I can make the headaches go away. They come back when I straighten up.

by Forum-M.D.-CM, Dec 03, 2005 12:00AM
All good comments, a drop in BP does not usually cause headaches, it suggest something else is going on like a surge in epi/norepinephine to produce spasm of the arteries.



imroswell is on track with pinning down what specific conditions are triggering the headaches. It is her approach i was trying to describe in my Answer. Be a detective in most chronic situations and don't be so tied up in the diagnosis. of course I am assuming a medical workup has failed to make a real diagnosis. Sometimes diagnoses get in the way of figuring out what is causing a symptom. Good luck to all of you.

by Forum-M.D.-CM, Dec 03, 2005 12:00AM
All good comments, a drop in BP does not usually cause headaches, it suggest something else is going on like a surge in epi/norepinephine to produce spasm of the arteries.



imroswell is on track with pinning down what specific conditions are triggering the headaches. It is her approach i was trying to describe in my Answer. Be a detective in most chronic situations and don't be so tied up in the diagnosis. of course I am assuming a medical workup has failed to make a real diagnosis. Sometimes diagnoses get in the way of figuring out what is causing a symptom. Good luck to all of you.