Pressure in head

[Alexandre]

About two and a half months ago all of a sudden I started experiencing high pressure in the front lobe part of the head, the feeling is best described as if the insides are trying to expand, but are contained by the scull (does not feel like a headache, quite different, more emphasis on innards wanting to expand, rather than pain/ache). The area affected by this high pressure feeling is front lobe part of the head, on the same level as eyebrows, from sideburn to sideburn, but mostly it is localized in the two spots, on the left and right side of the head, a funny comparison some place where cow has horns.
This is not necessarily painful, but has a distinct feeling of the insides wanting to expand out. The first month this was VERY apparent, I was distracted from everything happening around me, only being able to concentrate on the feeling of pressure/expansion. During the most severe episodes, the feeling from the two localized parts expanded towards each other, and joined right above the nose. If I was driving in a car, and looked in the rear view mirror, momentarily I would loose my orientation.
As implied above, the pressure sensation was not constant, it was start slow when I woke up, and increase throughout the day, taking a form waves, comes on strong, then lets go a bit, then returns again, sometimes disappearing completely from a few minutes, sometimes disappearing for a few hours even.
Throughout the first month for about 6 days (day here, day there, but not 6 in a row), I experienced loss of visual focus for the entire day. It was as if I was surrounded by light fog. Also throughout the first month, whenever I clutched my jaws together, it felt as if I had some liquid in my ears, but upon doctors check-up, no liquid was found in the ears.
After the initial 6 weeks there were some changes, the pressure decreased on average, the pressure attacks were not as severe, and at times the pressure disappeared for hours. I have noticed that it is often triggered by loud environments, or a busy/stressful workday, but not exclusively, sometimes it could happen right when I woke up in the morning.
After the initial week of this I have contacted my family doctor, thinking that this may be sinus related, since the week before my wife and son have just recovered from a sinus with help of antibiotics. Family doctor suggested to wait 10 days with no treatment to see if the body will recover by itself. After 10 days with no improvements, doctor suggested to take 1 tablet of Apo-Iboprofen 600 twice a day for 2 weeks, this did not help at all. I had CT scan.As I understand nothing abnormal was found. There does appear to be some atherosclerotic calcification within the intracranial portion of the left carotid artery but there is no evidence of previous CVA. The internal audiory canals are unremarkable. OPINION: Negative Study. Please help.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

A referral to a neurologist can be considered.  I would assume that the CT scan that you mentioned was a head CT.  

You can consider further imaging with an MRI - which can be more sensitive than a CT scan in diagnosing some neurological disorders.  

If negative, you can consider optimizing treatment for migraine headaches - which can sometimes present atypically.  Some of the symptoms you describe can be attributed by a migraine.

If the neurological workup is non-revealing, you mentioned the sinuses.  Various types of sinus pressure can sometimes mimic migraine headaches and other neurological conditions.  A sinus CT scan can be helpful in evaluating this possibility.  

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
http://www.straightfromthedoc.com

[Alexandre]

Thank you doctor Kevin for your prompt reply. I will follow your instraction. Thanks again.
Kind Regards,
Alexandre

[Theisy]

I had something very simular a few years ago.
It lasted for months.Besides other testings, I also had a CT scan which showed normal results.
Then we went in vacation and the symptoms went away.
My first thinking was , that I had to much stress before
which caused the problems( Stress can cause a lot ).
When we came back, the problems started again after a few days.
Then I tried something else.During the vacation I didn't
use my moisturizing face cream which I started using before
my symptoms appeared , because I simply forgot it at home.
After vacation when the symptoms showed up again, I remembered
that I used a other cream during the vacation.So I tried to
avoid the other moisturizing cream and I was successful.
Cosmetics and Shampoos can make reactions also , when a person
is sensitiv to certain contents in it.At least thats my
experience.I'm free of symptoms since then and it was a simple
thing to try.

[Alison Rae]

For the last 7 weeks I have experienced serious pressure and occasional 15-30 minute headaches in my head, often not allowing me to drive or maintain my active lifestyle. After trying Meclizine, Prednisone, Birth control pill and now amoxicillon I still hahve no relief. MRI showed no abnormalities although an X-ray done my base spine down through my C5, also in my T10 & T12. What would be causing such inflammation? I am scheduled to see a nuerologist after my doctor felt he was of no help. His diagnosis is vertibulous nueronitis. Although from what I have read that only lasts about 2-3 weeks and I am now going on 8. I feel frustrated for myself and my family. What would suggest I do or who would you suggest I talk to?

[Alison Rae]

For the last 7 weeks I have experienced serious pressure and occasional 15-30 minute headaches in my head, often not allowing me to drive or maintain my active lifestyle. After trying Meclizine, Prednisone, Birth control pill and now amoxicillon I still hahve no relief. MRI showed no abnormalities although an X-ray done by my chiropractor showed severe inflammation from my base spine down through my C5, also in my T10 & T12. What would be causing such inflammation? I am scheduled to see a nuerologist after my doctor felt he was of no help. His diagnosis is vertibulous nueronitis. Although from what I have read that only lasts about 2-3 weeks and I am now going on 8. I feel frustrated for myself and my family. What would suggest I do or who would you suggest I talk to?

[TJRSwitzerland]

It is strangely comforting to see that quite a number of people across the globe are suffering from a stubborn pressure sensation in the head, with occasional dizziness, nausea and the general feeling of expansion within the head. My doc went through numerous standard tests, even including a tick infection (negative), and has likewise found nothing significant. My feeling is that it has collected over time of constant stress and, exceeding a kind of threshold, has now taken grip and become perceptible all day. Upon my suggestion, my doc has prescribed physiotherapy, no medication. A friend of mine with similar symptoms has made quite some progress along this path. Problem would be stiffening of the neck muscles up to constant cramp with burning, and left untreated for too long, as one gets used to it. I hope it's successful and urge all suffering out there to at least consider this train of thought.

Trevor

[jenece]

I have had the exact same symptoms.  I went to my Doc and he did all kinds of blood tests.. All is normal.  Let me know if anyone comes up with anything.

[Alison Rae]

Now after my fifth appt with the doctor, he has me on 25MG of Nortriptyline. One capsule orally every night at bedtime for headache prevention. I have taken it five night so far and no change.I have now had this head pressure for 10 weeks, almost daily and hope that my future neurology appt will shed some light on this annoying "headache".

[Alison Rae]

I'm sorry I forgot to mention above the reason my doctor prescribed the Nortriptyline, for tension headaches. I looked that up on www.womenshealthchannel.com and the description they gave was very close to my symptoms.

[Demiguise]

`Helium Head'feels like skull can't accomodate insides. Had this
for 10yrs & use 1mg Xanax 3xday +humor. Spent yrs. reading from
`old school books' since `new school' doesn't teach to think out
of the box. Had tests by 27 Dr's, some top Neuro's. They sure
didn't know much! Snowball affect caused serious problems. You
must be aggressive, seek info/ask. Head-Prssr is from many things.
I believe `nerve-conduction'(or lack of)is culprit.
-Vasomotor/vessel or response to weather, temperature, enviro.,
  = swelling & false allergy response.
-Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF)/surges causing feel of full head.
-Barotrauma/ears-sinusus don't equalize to outside world.
-Skull Base Inflamm./nerve-bundle swells, slows CSF near neck.
-Infections/swelling pinches off nerves & stops neuron firing.
-Chloride Ion Channel/affects autonomic system. Xanax sedates
  there & keeps it open.
Delayed help caused blockage to tympanic nerves. Sinus tumor
formed, that's a different story. I live w/ brain glitches like
loss of time, reverse words/letters, mis-place things. Hd-Prssr
is 100% able to predict rain/hvy winds! (Barometric changes).
On a dare to de-bunk a Medical Intuitive,I called radio station.
Gave only name. He immediately dx'd past surgery, & rt. gout.
Said I had mixed un-explained energy from brain to spine. Had
never seen before or could answer. He was not a Dr. & I felt like I'd just been warmly X-rayed. My science degrees just went
through a shredder as I never believed these things. Sad he does
not know how to fine-tune. Anyway, if you find an answer for your mystery illness of Hd-Prssr, please share w/ us.
*Some relief also w/ neck traction.

[lozza83]

Hi there,

Im suffering from the same problem and its been about 10 weeks now. I've had constant headache and all the other symptoms that go along with sinus infection (post nasal drip, tender cheeks, nasal congestion etc). CT scan was negative (although I read that upto 10% can be false negatives, and I am still awaiting the results from my allergy tests. If these are all negative then im a little worried about what is wrong. Its affecting my work and general outlook on life....

[karec]

For about a week now, I am having a moderately to dull pain in my forehead directly in the center. It usually starts about an hour after I awake and last all day. I have tried everything from imitrex to loratab but it only eases it and starts back. Could this be sinus related? It is not a migraine, because I have been diagnosed with those and I am very clear as to what they feel like. This kind of feels like either sinus or sometimes how it feels before I have a menstrual cycle. But this is lasting longer. Any insight?

[Please Help me!!!]

Please please help me! IM only 17 years old, im so young and i feel like im dying. mail, i have never taken drugs or drinked in my life! For the past moth i have experienced severe pressure on the top of my head, swithing from left to right depending on how i lay down, or in the the middle part of the top of my head. Ivebeen to the doctor 4 times, they insist its sinus, but i have no soar throat no stuffy nose ect...jsut pressure on the top of my head. I also feel tired alot, hopeless,sometimesd dizzy....this happens from when i wake up to when i go t obed..it never goes away, i have taken ive profin, sinus medicine ect....nothing works....help might this be cancer????

Please someone help me so I can get my life back to normal!

[Demiguise]

To `Help Me' & others. Get a Coronal CT Scan if they think it's
a sinus problem. If not read correctly, they miss fluid & air
levels that allow U to equal to the outside world via your ears
& nose. Get a copy of your report. Normal doesn't mean negative.
Means `I have a hunch or wait to see more symtoms.' If no ear-
fullness, pain, or sinus symtoms, many Dr's. (ENT's) overlook
a vascular swelling problem. Vascular usually doesn't move rt-
to left from shifting. Neck bent like at a computer/reading/etc
can swell vessels & cut flow to head. Sometimes U have to rule
out things by Brain/C-spine MRI. Stress/anxiety also causes this
so might read my earlier post. What do the Dr's say is wrong?
What tests or meds have U had? You have more than one sinus &
it's strange that U have no ear problem. Doubt that it's severe
but U have the right to ask for records & nicely for more info.
*Also, you can sign out your films to get another opinion & they
will also give U the same copy/report faxed to ofc. Busy staff
miss things. I know from reading my own report & asking if I
should be concerned about the large mass in my maxillary. Big
OOPS! Always get copies for your `Home Health File'. Files often
get lost or read too quick. I called it Helium Head Pressure!

[terriwil]

I started a comment, the power went out due to a storm and I lost what I was typing, so am starting again.  Please excuse me if the previous comment posts and I will try to get through this before another storm hits.

I also have been dealing with intense pressure in my head for the past two years. Since I have fibromyalgia and am very sensitive to weather changes anyway, it was just assumed this symptom was related to this.  It continued to worsen, tests were negative and an MRI was done--it confirmed some degenerative disk changes in my C-spine.  My M.D. states there really isn't anything that can be done.  It got to the point where I needed to go out on short-term disability and finally, this past year, I left my full-time position for a part-time position.  The only thing that helps at all is Xanax--so I am assuming the pressure is from my muscles tightening in my neck.  No painkillers seem to work on the pressure.  It is comforting to know that there are others out there with the same symptoms, so I know I'm not going crazy!!  It is very hard to explain to people how this feels--when you say "pressure" it sounds somewhat benign--but as most of you have commented can attest to, it feels like you are dying, and I know that there are times I wish that this were the case just for some relief.  I do use an at-home cervical traction device that does help somewhat and I have a portable one that I can bring with me to work. My symptoms do worsen with stress, which is why I cut down my hours.  But, unfortunately, now that I only work part-time, I do not have health insurance, so am very interested in how others deal with this. Between this pressure and the fibro, I am at times incapacitated, especially before stormy weather.  It feels as if my whole body is about to explode!  I feel as if I have tried everything--conventional medicine, chiropractic manipulation, acupuncture, homeopathy, herbs, vitamins, etc., etc.  Look forward to more posts on this topic and maybe some hope for the future.

[Demiguise]

Terri: Hope U read my previous posts. Best way to describe the
prssr is `feels like my skull can't accommodate the insides'!
Dr's seem to think more than 1 min. on that comment. Predicting
weather sounds like inflamm. Xanax calms vessels & is a smooth
muscle relaxant. Check & get BP dwn. Buy monitor & ck. w/ Dr.
Try for 125/80. I started getting less pressr when I was put on
a BP-med along w/ a diuretic. BP dilates vessels for better flow
& if U have vascular-flow problem, inside vessel edema occurs.
The added diuretic pulls fluid out of sides of thoses walls to
filter out. Sodium causes swelling & salt is in edema. BP isn't
just w/ old folks, & controls alot of brain function. This type
of swelling really doesn't show on MRI unless radiologist is
good. That's our problem. Sloppy readings/reports back to Dr.
Get copies/reports on all + bloodwk. `I have a home-health file' & a signed release to ofc will allow U this info. This is law. I have neck bulges in c-spine but was told zip. Any long-
time arch in neck causes swelling & slows CSF & starts inflamm. Sleep w/ low/flat pillow. Use ph-bks to raise computer screen.
Keep neck straight to keep spine fluid flowing well. Any ear
prssr? Severe storms push me to take 1mg Xanax ea. 4 hrs. My
vessels relax & I survive. Anything make sense?  

[amp71220]

Help!  I am beginning to feel like I am losing my mind!  The doctors I have seen can't find anything wrong...
Symptoms:
48 day consecutive headache..
vertigo
weight gain
nausea/dizziness
vision blurred, can't read close up
irregular menstral cylce - every two weeks
depression
ringing in ears/sound waves-by at times
forgetfulness
hand-eye coordination off,

Treated with hidose antibotics, 49th day headache stopped.
Pressure in top of head began and exist daily, especially when I bend over or strain.  
Mild headaches daily with occasional severe pain.
*Headaches, not sensitive to light or sound

Blood works have come back showing infection, but doctors could not say what I have..
Spinal tap came back normal
MRI came back normal
MRA came back normal
CT came back normal
Chest xray, normal
Sinus xray, normal
Bone scan of skull, normal
Pap Smear, normal
Hormones, normal
Eye exam, needs reading glasses, doctor says my eyes are "older" than they should be at this time.
Encephilitis, negative
Lyme Test, negative
West Nile, negative
----------------------------------------------------------------
Was given a prescription two weeks ago by neurologist of nortriptolyene,1 10mg for first seven days, then I started 2 10mg pills daily this week, and I cannot see that they have helped the pain.  

I am 38 years old, very active, and I am totally frustrated that I can not physically do the things I want to,.. I have read others comments regarding pressure in the head, and would like to know if any of those people have been diagnosed?  

I truly feel that they have missed Lymes, I was covered in ticks in my flower garden during the summer, I brushed approximately 30 seed ticks off my arm and side and I specifically remember pulling a tick off of my stomach that evening... I did not have a rash (that I know of) although I did have a few spells of small clear bumps/rash come up twice during the initial 48 day headache cycle.  

Any advise would be greatly appreciated,... I have lost my patients and have contacted all of my doctors and requested copies of my medical records... I feel its time I take over and go elsewhere... I just don't feel like they are digging hard enough... I live in northeast La, does anyone know a good infectious disease doctor?

[lmb723]

About a month ago I was diagnosed with a viral infection. I started getting pressure on the left side of my head by the temple, ear and cheek. The pressure came mostly at night and sometimes in the mornings. My doctor thought it was just left over sinuses. I was on a steroid pack for two weeks. The first week helped but the second did not. Following this I scheduled a neurologist appointment. Right before I was about to go I began getting a toothache. I went to the dentist, told him about my tooth and about my headaches. He did xrays and everything  but they all were normal. He then felt hte joints in my mouth and they really hurt. He diagnosed me with TMJ. He is making me an appliance that I am picking up tomorrow. Also, he said that a lot of people came in with the same symptoms and one of them was a man who went to a neuro first and was put through all these tests and it turned out to be TMJ. So I canceled my neuro appointment and I am going to try out the appliance first. I just thought this might help some of oyu. Also, I am still very worried because of all of the information on the internet leads to brain tumors.

[high_hopes]

So  glad i found this website. It's nice to know i'm not alone with this pressure thing in my head. I've had blood work, ct scans for sinuses as well as my brain, that shows everything is normal. Recently I did develop a sinus infection and am taking a steroid nasal spray and pennicillan. When I take the spray it seems to make the pressure worse, but the ct scan showed my sinuses were ok. My pressure started about 2 months ago, and it's all on the right side of my head, feels like sinus pressure, but apparently not!!! I can tell u when this all started i was under a lot of stress and it started as a little flutter arount the temple area and spread to my eyebrow, eye,cheek,nose and ear. It makes me light headed at times and it is very aggrivating. My doctor seems pretty sure its related to the nerves in my head on that side and wants to start doing injections to freeze the nerve and treat it. Another doctor says he wouldn't reccomend that, buy would start with physiotherapy, and take it from there. I find in the meantime if i take a couple tylenol it helps with the pressure some, but the more i move around the worse it seems to get. Good luck to all of you and hopefully it's something that will settle down on it's own.  It doesn't seem to be anything major.

[Silky Sullivan]

Dear everyone here with pressure in their head, dizziness, headaches, and whatever else comes along with being wonderfully human.  I've had lymes disease for nine years and all these lovely symptoms are very much lymes.  Tests for lymes show negative more than doctors like to admit.  It's a difficult thing to pin down.  And it's more difficult to get docs to address it.  Probably because there's not a whole lot they can do about it once you've passed a certain point...for instance, they can blast it out of your system if you see them the day you find your tick.  But once it becomes chronic, they're pretty helpless.  They try all sorts of major courses of antibiotics, but the truth is, even if you get better, more often not you will get worse again, and go through the western doc thing all over again.  Amy Tan, the writer, has lymes.  She has money, so she could afford to spend $50,000 just on a diagnosis.  Not a cure, mind you, just to get told she had lymes.  By now, there's nothing left that western medicine can do for me.  I have the pressure in my head, sometimes drives me wild, but it's the dizziness that scares me.  That's my bugbear, something in my head.  Lymes is the disease with a thousand faces.  It can mimic anything.  But the symptoms you're all describing is very very lymes.  Plus fatigue, stiff neck, burning sensations on the skin, buzzing feet and hands (can get to a buzzing all over the body)...it's a real bugger, lymes.  No pun intended.  But I'm writing this to offer hope.  Look up Cat's Claw on the internet.  Find a source that is pure.  Take it.  You don't need a doc.  You just buy the cat's claw.  Good to take a great antioxident along with it.  Resveratrol is brilliant.  You might get a Herx reaction, but that's all to the good.  It means the herbs are killing the spirocetes.  A Herx reaction is when everything gets so much worse.  Bear with it.  It will come, it will go, but eventually you'll get well.  

It's true, not all of you might have lymes, but it's a safe bet you've got some infection that affects you neurologically.  Cat's Claw will help.  

Bless and keep you all.

[tomjames88]

Hi Everyone,

Hello Alexandre,

I have the exact same problem as described by alexandre in the very first post, almost exactly as alexandre described it, I am not sure what is causing it or how to stop it, it just feels like a light pressure, that isn't painful that seems to linger in the frontal lobes.  It comes and goes, but is fairly constant lately.  I have never had a tick problem or anything like that.  Its a horrible feeling, and I really just want it to go away, mostly b/c its just uneasy and feels unnatural.  Any advice?  Anyone find out anything from a doctor?  this has been going on now for about 10 days or more, and I'm going to go to a doctor if I cannot figure something out to releive it, its not really a headache, its just like as if someone is barely touching my forehead in the frontal area, sometimes right and sometimes left sometimes middle and sometimes sideburns side area...

anyways, any advice or recommendations out there would be very appreciated, i don't think its serious, but would like it to go away...

Thanks,
--- Tom

[tomjames88]

Ok, One thing I forgot to mention is that I started taking propecia recently for the past couple of weeks, and I read other guys have had problems with blood pressure going up and it irritating their eyes and head area, but i'm just a skinny guy, but this could be the cause so I will go off it for a while, and see if things improve.

[high_hopes]

Hi everyone. Wanted to give you an update on the pressure in my head. Mine was also like Alexandre, exact same thing. I had pressure in the right side of my head so bad, i felt like i could have stuck it with a pin and deflated it!! The whole right side top, around the temple, eyebrow, cheek,both frontall lobes, felt like fluid in my ears, felt dizzy,light headed and in the fog as well. I was so worried about this I started having anxiety attacks. I thought for sure i had a brain tumor or something else cause this just wasn't normal and nobody knew what was wrong!!  I suspected sinuses from the beginning and all doctors kept telling me no cause there was no drainage, fever etc. Once i had enough anxiety attacks they decided to do a ct scan to put my mind at ease, and check for sinus trouble. The ct scan showed no sinus trouble or anything else. As all this was going on I was clearing my throat all the time of really thick flem (phlegm) and then one day my throat felt swollen, not even really sore ( LIKE MY HEAD ) but swollen. Sure enough it was sinus drainage and the glands in my throat were swollen. I wasn't getting over a cold, and my sinuses were never stuffy, they were always clear. A dr. put me on a nasal steroid spray and slowly the pressure in my head that i had for months started to ease up. I've been on it about 3 weeks now and i'm feeling a lot better. I have to continue to use the nasal steroid, maybe always, we'll see. I still feel a little pressure build at times, but nothing like before, and hopefully it will all go away with use of the steroid nasal spray. I'm finally me again!!! I hope this may help some of you. If you think it may be sinus related, keep going back until you get some satisfaction. Best of luck to all of you. I know what you're going through.

[neenee31]

I'm so thankful to have found you all. Thank you for your point-on descriptions. Your comments will help me put into words what I'm feeling.  I have an MRI scheduled for Wed. and I'm a nervous wreck for I was diagnosed with melanoma two years ago, and my thoughts always go to brain tumor.  I am going to try the Xanax, and the steriod nasal sprays. I figure nothing will hurt me, (worse than my own worries that is :-).  To know that I'm not alone helps in a big way, thank you!  I wish you all a healthier New Year and since it's Christmas, a Merry Christmas.

Has anyone experienced a small amount of relief from cracking your ears?  Like one would crack your knuckles, I've found cracking the cartilege (sp?) in my ears helps for a few minutes.  Hey, a few minutes of relief is grace.  

Does placing your hand on the top of your head also alleviate the pressure a little?  I'm hoping someone would know the reasons for these odd little relief treatments.

Thank you again.  I will let you know if I find out anything.  I have a terrific oncologist who will hopefully look into this more.  

Jen

[bamagirl23]

Hi there, this is really amazing.  I thought I was going nuts - I mean, my Dr. kept saying, you are sick - it's just a virus.  The pressure came one day in Sept out of no where.  I was bending over to get a load of laundry and thought - that was weird.   Then later again picking up some toys.  That night when I went to bed, I put my head on the pillow and I couldn't even get comfortable - it seemed as if every time I put my head on a new spot that the pressure moved to that spot.  I got up and went online - (I wish I had found this site, but all I found was the tumor stuff) - I finally got to sleep but woke up with the dizziness and nasuea and pressure AND a headache - this went on till that evening when I again went to bed and awoke to a bursting sensation in my head - I then got scared and thought it was an anneurism or something.  I went to the ER but all tests were fine and they sent me home with my "virus" - I did have a low grade fever and after vomiting, I felt much better for a few minutes.  They sent me home with loritab and promethezine.  My family took my three small children for a few days and my husband cared for me - I was so scared though (and part of it was the anxiety I am sure) - that I went back to the ER - 2 more times.  One Dr. thought it might be menningitis (meningitis) presenting with a low grade fever - (and the lymphs at the base of my next were very inflamed) - but I didn't want the risk of have the spinal tap seeing as how even if it were  - there was nothing they could do.  (They had already put me on an antibiotic) - So, after three days it was MUCH better and by another week - it was pretty much gone - except for the pressure. It would come and go - less and less each time until finally it was gone.  It comes back though, ever so often, with just a small amount of the original pressure.  Needless to say I went through all the same tests. CT scans, MRI's, blood tests out the wazoo.  The only thing that came up was that I was iron deficient and slightly anemic.  But, I have been like that since I was 15 (I am 29).  I went on Big iron pills and now that is pretty much back to normal.  I developed a schedule sort of.  They did every test imaginable and it came back fine.  I stopped talking about it to my family because they will just think I am nuts.  I am going to a neuro soon - but I don't know why - this is something they can't explain.  Stress is a MAJOR cause.  I have in-law issues and they were HUGE last week and sure enough, the pressure came.  I have never correlated the weather, but thinking now about it, yes - that's corresponds.  Also, I mentioned the small children - they all end up coming to bed with me at some point in the night and they each have an arm of mine under their heads and me in some strange position trying to sleep, I have adjusted over the last few years, but that could be the problem - seeing as how USUALLY the pressure hits at night when they are with me -sometimes not - but I also sleep with high high pillows - so who knows.  When I switched for a while to one pillow it did get MUCH better.  Also, the Loritab seems to help a little - I don't know why - it's not a painful thing.  I take a half of one if I feel it coming.  I cannot take to promethezine though, I have to care for my babies and I cannot be out of it - that stuff makes me sleepy.  I just don't want to get addicted to Loritab and have to depend on that stuff to get me through it when it hits.  We have to find a way to LIVE with it and exist with the pressure.  If you guys have had it for a while and NONE of us are getting diagnosed with anything FATAL - and that's my biggest concern.  I can live with whatever as I long as I can LIVE and raise my babies.  I have also gotten closer to God - I know it sounds silly - but hey, the Man that created us surely knows what is going on.  He is the only One.  I just pray every day and beg God to give me peace and comfort and learn to be happy in whatever state I am in.  Sometimes it makes you feel crazy - like why is this happening?  Until I found this I thought I was the only one - at least in my close circle who have ever experienced anything like this - so, thanks for sharing your experiences and hopefully this will comfort someone else with "helium head" :)  (I also have the jaw cracking thing but I don't know if it's TMJ) If someone gets some new news, please let us know.

[ksquez1]

I am so glad I found this forum.  I suffer the same symptoms of "helium head" it comes and goes with some days being better then others.  I notice when I do a cardio work-out it goes away for a while and I feel much better.  My question to everyone with this sympton is:  Do you suffer from heart palpitations (pvc's/ pac's) also because I suffer from not only helium head but also palpitations- I've been to my cardioligist and he has run all the test and says my heart is fine.  Could my palpitation problem be causing the "helium head" symptoms??

[Citizen T]

I just wanted to say that reading these posts are like stepping into the twilight zone - You people are describing my symptoms exactly.

First of all I would like to share my story.  it all started about 3-4 years ago really.  Nothing major, just constant blocked nose (swolen turbinates) and a mild pressure headache that I really only noticed when I laid down to go to sleep (went away by morning).  Also started noticing some vague foggy-headedness.  To tell you the truth, this all seemed to begin around the same time I started lifting weights and doing cardio exercise.  However I can't imagine a connection since so many people workout..

Now comes the scary part. I had my wisdom teeth pulled in March of this year ('05) and around the end of April I simply woke up one day with this miserable pressure deep within my head and I had this terrible anxiety for no reason.  I went to UAB hospital's ER and had a negative CT (except for one slight anomoly which the doctors didn't tell me about...I'll get to that in a bit).

I have to admit those first couple of months were by far the worst, I wasn't eating and the pain and pressure would wake me up in the middle of the night, with a loud ringing in my ears.  I was having dreams that I was actually dead the pain was so bad, yet doctors kept analyzing me with seasonal allergies or depression!

One interesting feature that I must throw in is the dizziness.  It comes and goes mysteriously.  It won't happen for 2 months then it will start showing up again.  It usually lasts 1 day to 1 week at a time, and then mysteriously vanishes for a week or 2 or longer.  What happens is the room starts spinning around violently only when I'm laying down, and it doesn't stop spinning until I sit back up.  As of the time I'm writing this message, I haven't had the dizziness in nearly 2 months now (thank god!) but unfortunatly it's gone away like this before and come right back.

The pressure in my head is constant.  Vague, mild to moderate Nausea is present about 70% of the time.  Most of the time I would say the pressure is centered in those sinuses between my eyes, but tension also spreads over my entire forehead and to the top (vertex?) of my head.  Also I feel the pressure deep within the center of my head and it feels like there is a cord pulling my brain down into my cervical spine (or a heavy weight is sitting atop my head).

(continued..)

[Citizen T]

(part 2)

After about month #2 and lots of anti biotics, I started having these passing feelings of fright for no reason (in my own freakin' backyard or bedroom).  This escalated until I basically felt stoned, or like I was breathing dental happy gas 24/7.  One particular annoyance is my difficulty in my eye-to-mind connection. It's hard to explain, but imagine if your significant other, or lets just say the cable guy shows up, when I look at someone's face it is a mental blur and I can't keep focus.  Or if I'm watching TV, the moving of the camera overloads my mental senses and hurts my head and eyes til I just have to close my eyes and regain myself.

As a previous poster pointed out, I also feel better for about 1 or 2 hours after doing cardio exercise.  Sometimes I think I also feel better during the day before I eat a big meal.  Realistically, I liken this to simply being able to cope with the situation better in the morning and when I'm well rested than as the day wears on and I feel worse towards night.

I am now in month #8 or 10 (who's counting after this long), and I have to admit the pain and pressure is more tolerable now, but that doesn't mean that my life is anywhere near normal.  I am no longer able to enjoy life at all.

I've had multiple MRI and CT scans.  MRA scans of my brain and neck.  An EEG. A radionucleotide bonescan of my head, and a ridiculous amount of blood tests, including an arterial blood gas and Lyme disease.  All negative, surprise surprise!

I do however have an anomoly that was reported on the CT (the first scan I ever had), which turned out to be an anomoly known as fibrous dysplasia, which is a benign bone tumor of sorts (that is the most likely diagnosis, no biopsy was taken). It also could be a meningioma (less likely). Only one of my doctors, an ENT, even acknowledged this was there, and my neurologist and GP refused to discuss it with me because it was not even reported on the MRI report.  All of my doctors have told me that there is a very low chance this is causing my problems (once I finally forced them to admit it was there).  I encourage you to go pick up your own MRI films and look at them yourself.  I will soon post a link to a scan of my MRI showing this.  It is basically a tumor located outside the brain.

To summarize my story:  10 months of 24/7 pressure in head. Odd frontal headrushes.  Occasional severe positional dizziness.  Nausea most of the time.  Heavy headed feeling.   Swolen nasal turbinates 24/7.
Relief after cardio exercise
Relief by holding my nose and blowing air into my ears
Refief by putting pressure on the affected areas of my head
(very temporary relief)

In conclusion, I guess we can all be thankful that we know we don't have tumors or other critical ailments.  Anyone of you who wants to talk about this more may freely contact me at any time at ***@****,   or betteryet I'll check back here daily, hopefully this thread will still remain up seeing as its at the very bottom?

[Citizen T]

Oh yeah, one important factor I forgot to add is that before this all began I used to get frequent syncop episodes (nearly passing out when standing up) but those stopped when this began back in april.     Now what happens is, when I stand up, or walk up stairs, I frequently get intense heart pulsations that also cause intense pulsations deep within my head, along with the rhythm of my heart, and the same pressure that we feel all the time becomes much more intense during this, almost like something is about to rupture in my head (but it also feels strangly good at the same time-crazy i know, but true).

[Silky Sullivan]

We all know the phrase misery loves company...and it's true, if for  no other reason than to know we are not alone.  But reading your stories helps me cope because most of you seem to take more than I can bear and still have hope.  I feel a bit of a weenie when I hear of your extra added symptoms that I at least don't have.  But I do have some advice, especially for vertigo (not just dizziness, but actual horrid spinning.)  Once the neurology of the brain gets to the point where it has trouble keeping balance in the body, that part of the brain doing that job is basically "damaged."  I don't mean permanently, but it isn't doing its job.  You can do something about this.  The brain is so enormous and so complex you can retrain it.  You can make it use another section of itself to control your body's positioning in the world...and you can do this by excercise.  You sit still, back straight, head held up.  Then without moving your head, look to your right 30 times, to your left 30 times, up 30 times, down 30 times.  Then do this again but this time move your head towards where you're looking.  To finish off, roll your head first to the left, then to the right.  Your brain will be coping with this, sending signals to keep your balance, and it will find an area of itself that will do the job.  I promise you, fifteen mins a day will bring wonders for those of you with vertigo.  As for pressure in the head...I'm still working on that.  Taking my cat's claw, taking a strong anti-oxident called Resveratrol, and when I can afford it, a session with a good accupuncturist for the symptoms.  Western medicine, as proved by so many letters here, isn't approaching these things correctly.  But there's other things out there.  I urge you to try them.  As will as telling your own body (after all, it's your body) what you want from it.  I want HEALTH.

[Citizen T]

Here's the "thing" on my MRI that is clearly visible, less so on the CT.  I literally had to twist my doctors arm to get them to acknowledge this "thing" is there, finally they break down and suggest it is fibrous dysplasia and it has no bearing on my symptoms (even though my pain is often localized to this specific area when laying down)


http://www.angelfire.com/ab9/mriphotopage/mri/MRI_brain.JPG

[MarciB]

Hello...I just spent the past 15 minutes reading all the posts. Can someone clarify this fullness in the head feeling/helium head?  The reason I ask is that I havent described my symptoms that way...I describe my pressure (which comes and goes)-like a vice grip or like I am wearing a bathing cap---so I guess I am saying that it is a "tighness" that i am feeling.  Mine changes spots too where as your posts say it is in the same general area.    I also experience a vibration-like an electric current-and I feel like I am short circuiting.  Also...your posts say dizziness--where as I just feel in general like my equilibrium is off--sometimes more than others.
For me, this started 9/19/05 when it came over me in an instant and I had what the ER called--near syncope.  I did experience nausea at that time...I felt like a light switch being turned off...Since that time I havent often felt 100% since I almost always feel like my equilibrium is off...I have had all the tests you all have described and am currently being treated for sinus and acid reflux.  It is scary not knowing when this is going to "hit" and when it does "hit" if it is going to progress to where it ended me up in the ER.  To date I have exhausted every specialist I can think of..so if anyone can recommend anything else, i would appreciate it.  
I want to mention one more thing...one women posted all of her symptoms here and i wanted to ask her if she had her thyroid checked--my son started with a migraine headache which lasted for 60 days--was then treated for LYME disease and got so much worse he seemed critical to me...cahnged doctors and ended up with Hyperthyroid/Graves disease--has been treated for 2 months and is 90% better....so i did find a doctor who was Lyme literate--but too much so and he DIDNT have Lyme...
that's about it...thanks!

[woozle]

hiya everyone.I have just found this site and was totaly overwhelmed.I read about some of you and started to cry!Ihave had pressure in my head for 10yrs now and thought it was just me.What a relief!Ihad a car crash 12 yrs ago and had severe whip lash to my neck.Two years later i woke up and got out of bed and i had this horrible feeling in my head of pressure and a also was very light headed.When i went to the dr i was told thet it was stress and that it would go away.yeah right!Ihave always had a blocked nose and also had problems with my throat so 2 yrs ago i got my tonsils taken out as they were badly infected thinking this would cure me.You can imagine how upset i was when i found the pressure was still there.Because of the pressure i have been having anxiety attacks and do get depressed.Ihave had blood tests thinking it was allergy related and i have also had a ct scan but nothing has shown up but a slight abnormality in my sinuses which i am now supposed to take steroid spray but it stung like mad so i stopped taking it.Nothing seems to take the pressure away.I am now trained in reike1 and 2 and do reike on myself most nights.It calms me alot but at the moment no relief to the pressure,weh!!!!!!!!!!!!I often get the feeling im not grounded properly like im in a dream and nothing seems real and it can be scary at times.We just have to all stick together and support each other and hope one day that someone has an answer!

[epredator]

It is amazing how you can find people with similar problems to yourself.
I had a realy unusual headache a few years ago now, but it still sticks in my memory becuase it felt so odd. It all passed eventually, I still felt groggy for weeks.
A year later I reallized that I was not feeling quite right, but it came to a head when I was sitting out to lunch on my wifes birthday. I was not fainting, but I was suddenly trapped in a feeling in my head that on the right hand side it felt like the top quarter of my head was swapping places with the bottom quarter. I remember trying to hold it it place, it sounds a bit odd, but it felt like a good few minutes though it probably was seconds. Again I can remeber this very vividly.
I got myself off to the doctors, being a bit overweight, 37 at the time and in a stressful job.
Anyway, doc sent me off for some blood tests, checked my bp etc, said I was overweight, but had healthy blood etc. He said to get some rest.
Whilst on holiday I always felt worse driving and moving around. So when I got back I went back to the docs, it was clearer that the right cheek in my face felt wrong to me.
Initially I had 5 weeks of prochloroprazing in case it was an inner ear thing, as I was getting more and more dizzy.
Eventually I ended up at a consultant on my med insurance.
He did a mri which I had to wiat for the results over christmas 2004. Went back in january and they found that the right side of my face was full of fluid and an abnormally large polyp in the right side of my upper sinus.
I had CT scan and then in Feb 2005 an op to remove it. After a few weeks I felt perfectly fine again.
I figured it was all done, but then around august/september 2005 I felt a bit of pressure in the same area. I went back to GP then consultant. They did a CT scan again figuring it had all come back, but it was clear.
During this time the symptoms got worse, a light facial pressure but combined with a feeling my head was being pushed down and around (not quite dizzy but not right). These were the same sysptoms as I had befor ethe operation. It seems that the nerves are responding as if the offending lumps and fluid were still there. The consultant has not had me on amitriptyline 25mg a night. It seems to have removed some of the twisting, but I still do not feel right. I have had 6 weeks of it, and have another 6 weeks until the next visit. The amitrip must be doing something as I managed to get back to work, driving, reading, computers all triggered it before. Now I feel moderately nauseus, and have an afternoon hangover before actually feelin gnot too bad in the evening.
My wife has suggested acupuncture or reflexology. I must say that accupuncture sounds a good bet as it feels like I need to be reset in some way. The consultant said the amitrip in this lowish dose acts to reset the nerves.
I am not sure if this is going to be how I feel from now on and it is very disturbing, and occasionlly very depressing to think I have this, but I see I am not the only one.
The trouble is that other people cant see it or feel it, so dont quite believe it. Sometimes i can get going and enthuse about things and feel on a roll, but other times the syptoms (symptoms) flood in. It does not seem to be stress triggered, buth sometimes if I have to scan alot of things the eye movement does it. I had originally started thinking it was my glasses but I am convinced it is not that.
Phew what a rambling append, but atleast I got it typed in.

[Demiguise]

Hi folks, This is "Helium Head" back & glad to read thread is
still posting. I've come across a few things by research & by
fluke. I may lose you along the way w/ tech stuff. I had a hi-
BP attack @ Dr's along w/ massive head prssr. Pulse racing & all
instantly. Not white-coat syndrom (syndrome). 195/100 BP, moving along, Dr.
insisted on BP + HCT (a diurectic) which helps you remove excess
fluid. 2mo. later I had less pressr? Dr. said prssr & peeing
more weren't connected & laughed. Well, I researched diuretics
& they also can wk. on the CSF (cerebral spinal fluid). the CSF
goes up your spine, thru neck & up & around the brain. CSF is
produced 3-6 times a day. If it gets blocked somehow, the fluid
backs up & pressr around brain feels like your head is cramped,
full, tight, in a vice, till it breaks lose. The Hydrochloro-
thiazide adjusts bp+fluid. I found a note on IIH (idiopathic
intrcranial hypertension). Hi bp is hypertension too. I got a
rash & Dr. stopped the HCT. 2 wks later the helium-head was back
something awful. Plus my few spine bulges were burning/throb.
Dah, lets try HCT again. 2 wks later whatever inflamm. whether
inside spinal fluid compression or outside of it like edema in
skull tissue, my head prssr lessened. Dr. disageed but I know
what I feel. Then I found that mtn-climbers take a diuretic for
altitude sickness prevention so their CSF stabelizes. I ran this
past a Neuro & he didn't like me playing intellect-doc! They
hate us using the net & tossed out. Cardio helps hypertension
& causes CSF to flow faster. Sleeping slows things. There is
very little research & this doesn't show up on basic CT/MRI.
George Clooney went to many Dr's till they found problem. It was
CSF caused by trauma. Trauma can be injury, infection, or
chronic inflamm. My Bp is now 135/90 & I have less prssr when
upright but ear-pops wake me. The ears are trying to equalize
my head to the outside world. Maybe ck. w/ Dr. about BP+HCT?
Also, someone mentioned teeth. If your upper back molar is
really hurting, it is the maxilla-nerve in spasm from infection
or poss. TMJ. If the parotid gland in front of your ear gets
a spasm, it will flood sinus, shoot to temple & over/under eye
w/ all kinds of prssr. including full-ear. Idiopathic means it's
off/on or symptomatic & can't be found unless the Dr. tests
you 'while' you have the attack. Like you can do a walk in! Let
me know if anyone relates to this idea. Thanks, Helium Head.

[Carmie_S]

Hi everyone.  I have just come across this board while looking for help in diagnosing my head pressure and hearing problems.  Maybe someone here can help me. I have been to my general practioner who is very good and my ENT and both said they have never heard of anyone with my symptoms. This is what is happening:  After sitting for some time - like at my computer or driving in a car or even when I turn over in bed.... when I stand up... even slowly or turn over in bed, I feel pressure build quickly and my hearing decreases with the pressure and soon I cannot hear at all.  My hearing gradually comes back in waves.....I hear for a second then I don't hear, then I do but a little louder each time....until my hearing comes back fully.  I do not have headaches with the pressure nor do I feel faint or lightheaded.  I do not have any respiratory symptoms such as a stuffed up or runny nose and my ears are not clogged with wax.  I take Triam/Hctz (diuretic) and wondering if that could be the problem, as I see another poster has researched this medication.  My doctor has put me on Flonase thinking that it may be due to sinus problems, and I have been on it for a year now and it only seems to make the pressure worse.  Has anyone else had sudden temporary hearing loss with the pressure?  Thanks for all this good information.

[Demiguise]

Carmie: You certainly have a puzzling condition. Sounds like
you should consult w/ a Neur-Otologist. If you're not dizzy, it
doesn't seem like a vestibular disorder. If no fluid or noises
in ears then you need to focus on the pressure. My prssr went
away considerably on HCTZ except after 6mo I developed a bad
rash & now had 'acquired allergy' to sulfa in it. The triam rx
has 3 brand names. Dyrenium is the one that is a 'non-sulfa'.
Others contain sulfonamide. The HCTZ also contains it so maybe
that is it. HCTZ can cause interruption w/ ears if you are
getting inflamm/prssr. Are you getting any skin rashes or red
like dots anywhere? You may be getting a dbl-dose of sulfa rx
& that maybe messing w/ CSF channel that surrounds your brain.
I'd ask GP abt your BP meds & see if a switch trial could be
done. The nerves to your ear may be inflammed off/on by allergy
triggering the correct firing? Like a glich in the electric-
system? Get back to us so your problem may help others. You
should also ask abt a C-spine mri. Bulges in there can swell
if neck is bent too long. I think it's the C2 that can affect
the ears. Worth a shot! Get copies of all lab reports. Meds can
cause ringing & my brother had hearing problems on an
antibiotic once.  

[panic city]

I too have pressure in my head.  Here is my story.  December 23rd 2005 I developed a cold and it lasted till about January 3rd.  On the 27th of December I had a migraine headache which lasted 3 days.  Ever since that migraine I have been having daily headaches that feel like pressure.  This pressure is on top of head, sides of head, forehead, temples sometimes around and behind eyes and I feel a fullness on side of nose.  It doesn't happen in every spot as it varies each time I get a headache.  This pressure does shift around throughout the day as well. One day my whole left side was feeling pressure in my head and then when I went to bed that pain was completely gone but the right side had all the pain. It tends to begin in early afternoon and then I have it for the rest of day and I go to bed with it.  If I push on my skull in certain places it makes the pressure feeling more intense.  It isn't throbbing or like a typical headache like I get occasionally. Last week I developed reddened eyes and had a thin discharge from eye eyes and I woke up with crusts around my eyes.  I went to doctor and he said that I had conjunctivitis but he didn't seem to think that would cause the headaches too.  He figured my headaches were from tension as my vision is bad and I was waiting for my glasses. He prescribed me eye drops to clear up infection in my eyes and a muscle relaxant to help relieve pain around my eyes. I have my glasses now and my eyes do feel a little better.  The drops seemed to help my eyes somewhat but the pressure headaches are still there.  So today I went back to doctor and he said that he would treat me for sinus infection.  I have NO congestion or drainage but like I said I had this cold just over 2 weeks ago. However he did say that my lymph nodes in my neck are swollen and my throat looked a little "angry" My throat hasn't been bothering me symptom wise. So it seems to me like I do have something brewing somewhere since my lymph nodes are swollen and my eyes became infected and I have pressure in my head.  So now I am on 2 nasal sprays and an antibiotic.  Feels weird to take a nasal decongestant when I am not feeling congested. Where I live there are months and months of waiting time to get CT scans so we are trying this treatment for sinuses. So I guess I'll have to wait it out and see if this sinus treatment and antibiotics help.

Anyone else get other infection signs like swollen lymph nodes or infection in eyes along with their pressure headaches?

[Irishgrrl]

This is in response to ksquezl - I have the exact same thing (including the response to cardio, the strange, fairly infrequent palps)! have you found anything out about your symptoms? Have they increased, decreased? any info would be appreciated!
This thread is great and I've been freaking out over this "helium head" (I describe mine as a tiny person in my head with their arms straight out trying to push out my temples - not painful at all but completely and totally mind consuming, no pun intended, as it is the most bizarre, distracting feeling!).

[bamagirl23]

Panic City, mine too started out as a cold - back in Sept. - and has NEVER felt the way it did those first two weeks - it just slowly got better and better BUT when the weather is weird(I am guess the barometer drops) it get's worse again - like today, I woke up at 2:00 kind of with that scared feeling because my baby was crying and it startled me out of my sleep and when I was going back to sleep it was there - and I was up for a couple of hours.  They have told me to take Loritab for it, but because it is a persistent condition that comes usually at night and  then goes away in the morning, I don't want to take something so strong.  I have found that advil cold and sinus does help and yes, my lymph's are swollen too - but usually only the very very back ones at the top of my neck and they aren't huge - just a little swollen and tender to the touch - especially if I turn my head and can really feel them.  The thing with the mess is: it is such a STRANGE feeling.  Everyone here has head headaches and a cold and every virus probably out there - but this all strikes us as different.  
Ever since my first episode, I usually do have some sort of sinus thing going on when I get them again, and it's way worse if the weather is bad.  But, I get panicky easily - seriously, especially where my kids are concerned - and if I feel a weird flutter or anything, then I freak out.  So, sometimes, if I let myself think about it, I could work myself up into a good old fashion panic attack and then my pulse if racing and my breathing gets faster - BUT, if I take a minute and just calm down and say, ok, what made it come on this time - were there any triggers?  Weather, maybe some slight sinus mess, or like waking up from a nightmare or getting startled out of sleep.  Maybe it's a pillow - I have had to change my sleeping position often and it relieves you know, back pain, or neck pain, so, maybe that could cause the pressure. I have no clue.  It's just that we have all had the same tests and the same results.  That'
s what I try to think about at 2:00 a.m. when it will come out of nowhere.  Some people have to live with migraines and I guess this is my "thing".  No one here has had it for YEARS though, and that is comforting - maybe it will go away.  I know, you have only had it a few weeks - and I know you are thinking, YEARS??? - But, it does seem to get farther apart and weaker.  SLIGHTLY weaker but a little less it seems - I could be wrong.  Again, the advil cold and sinus does seem to help some too.  Although, I have found myself taking that ALOT just to make sure I don't get one.  

[Demiguise]

Bama: You are right in thinking that perhaps we all have some-
thing in common. I believe what we have is like an anomaly. I've
researched anatomy & spoke w/ a physiologist & he truly thinks
the 'response' is due to inflammatory pressure brought on by
different things 'triggers' w/ different people or illness or
lack of. I've suffered yrs. w/ varied degrees & learned some
management. I'm the orig. 'Helium Head'. That was the only way I could explain to MD's. It started slight & progressed to
massive over yrs. triggering new symptoms. Some severe due to
the brain getting/receiving mixed msgs. Long ago after much
upset of dismissal, a Dr. gave me 1mg Xanax to calm dwn. In 20
min. I was prssr-free? Something wk'd! I went to some very top-
docs too. My Internal MD gave me a rx to take only when I felt
it coming on. Same relief! I discovered it's not what med but
'sedate the spot', head deflates, or sinus/ears open. Body wks. by msgs between spine to brain. Think this way. #1-outside
world, 2-the body/skin, 3-organs/nerves/vessels, 4-brain/spine
is control room. Weather/Touch triggers skin like poison ivy
causes hives. Hives swell outside & inside. Swelling pushes on
spine/brain & says react & go for it! The sympathetic nerves
kick in. Same thing can happen w/ a cut, trauma, infection. If
you sit long, you can slow spine fluid or kink it to not allow
it to circulate up to brain. Read a book w/ neck bent too long
& it kinks till you walk around. The neck is the merging of the
fluid & msgs from the spine 'the bundle'. No one seems to have
read much of my posts or it's too technical. I'm so much better now that I know the physiology. I'm in control. No, docs can't
know everything, don't believe me now, but I believe my PhD dr. that knows the 'why stuff could happen'. The prssr is 'inside'
the hard skull w/ swelling vessels. This eventually makes the
scalp skin sensitive like an injury/bruising. The small vessels
are through-out body. In head, they cut off nerves & block
sinuses, cause headaches/full ears. A cold-med can slightly
sedate & 'msg' may be sent to relax vessels. Read past posts of 8/31, 10/19?, 1/10, 1/13. See if anything applies. Hyper-
tension is a big part of this & no one has given any feedback
on it. Acetazolamide can lower CSF for mountain climbers. It's a diuretic that opens vessels & pulls out edema to keep their
head from prssr. I'm getting long but cardio, etc. are all
working because of the spinal fluid in us. I'll check back to
see if anyone has addressed their BP or has thoughts. I woke at 3:00am when it was windy outside also. Stand up & gravity helps csf flow. Ck BP & post. Maybe that will help this puzzle.  

[matt1972]

Its been awhile since the last post on this thread, but when I was sick, I was reading all of these symptoms and realized that they were very similar to the problems I was having.  I am not a doctor, but "helium head" as well as many of the other symptoms mentioned, are classic symptoms of Candida overgrowth.  If you were taking antibiotics and/or steroids like asthma inhalers or Flonase, during or before you got sick, it is likely that you have Candida.  I suffered without knowing it for over 10 years and I would be more than happy to help anyone who is suffering as well.  I am not selling anything, just trying to help.  You can email me at ***@****

[matt1972]

apparantly I cant give my email address on here, but if you need help, email sommersmatt at yahoo dot com

[orthe]

i as well have been experiencing these symptoms for more than 3 years now, these are the symptoms to be exact:
- head pressure
- lack of vision focus and concentration (lasting every single minute throughout the day)
- eye sensitiveness to light
- head pressure increases under bright lights or a sunny day
- extreme tiredness and numbness when i wake up early
- i sleep about 13 hours if i dont have to wake up early and always wake up feeling horrible
- sometimes the pressure can cause light pain in the head, sometimes it encreses during aerobic exersice
- the inside of my nose swells up
- i feel extrememly dumb, as if my brain is swollen and its lost most of its capasity

  ive done so many test and all turned out to be fine, i do have a back injure (herniated **** between l4 and l5) ive had this also for a few years and  it hasnt healed, ive also taken tetracycline for a few years.... just like everyone else here, im lokking for an answer because this is fully destroying every single part of my life. im also glad to know that im not  alone,  im starting group to see if we can work together, my name is Franco Semidey, anyone whos interested can add me on facebook and heres my email as well, ***@****

[orthe]

my email is bboyorthe(at)hot mail .  com

[Hopethisworksforyou]

I aslo have had problems with head pressure. This all started recently with me--around the time I bought my Ipod and started using it(which was this past Monday-- the 4th).

This is how it unfolded with me. On the 4th I was going to go visit my Pap before he left to Florida. On the way I decided to stop by Walmart to Purchase my Ipod. Well, later that night I was anxious to test my Ipod out and went onto Itunes. Well, after picking out a select number to download(333), I went downstairs to wait for the load to finish.

Now listen to this. When I get upstairs I find that there are only a few more songs left to download. Upon completion of the last song, guess what time is on the clock? 3:33. Take it as you wish, but I believe it's a sign from God. Later that night I woke up a few times shaking my head trying to rid some funny feeling--like I was gonna pass out or have a seizure. The same deal happens the next Night. By Wednesday afternoon of this week, it became a constant pressure, with mental clouding, and some confusion,and breif spats of more pain that made me shake my head to shake it off. I went to the Doctor on Friday and called off work(grandmother also had a heart attack). I got the same feedback as most of you--being that probable cause was sinuses.

Let me start by laying out the pattern of each day for you(Wednesday the 4th-today). The mornings I seem to always feel best. As the day progresses and stress becomes more influential on me, I notice my pressure and other problems got worse.  Each of the Nights I only got 2-3 hours of frequently interrupted sleep. Friday was the day I got 8 hours of uninterupted sleep and surprise, surprise, I did not work at all on this day and quit listening to my ipod as well. Saturday I go into work( I work in a restaurant, so it's noisy there) and feel almost completly normal. As the day progresses, I feel a little worse and by the end of the work day I feel worse than when I first started, but better than the other days. That Saturday Night, I decide to exercise(jump rope). I noticed this stressed my body out even more, and brought all those negative feelings back. Today I went into work, and felt crappy all day-- but worst at dinner when the restaurant became noisey, and crowded, and I was at my most active point. I decide to quit at 6 p.m-- talked to the manaer and he let me o home. I felt like **** at home, but to get straight to the point, I prayed God, and remembered my mental note to try noise cancellation head phones. Well so far tonight these have worked wonders! I still have setbacks here and there, but I feel much improved compared to when i was not wearing these.

I hope this helps some of you, I apologize for it being unoranized, but Iw as in a rush to get this messae out, hopin that it may help someone.

[orthe]

A related discussion, to everyone was started.

[resella]

A related discussion, Ringing in the head was started.