Pain on the right side of my head.

[glen87]

I never get sharp pain or any kind of pain on the right side of my head without touching it. Whenever I put pressure on the right side of my head, there is a pain sensation around that area. I thought that it was a bruise but it's been going on for a few weeks now. I do not know what is wrong. Can someone help me?

[marileew]

I would go to the doctor to get this checked out since it hasn't gone away on it's own and it's been a few weeks. It could still be a bruise... sometimes we don't know when we bruise ourselves because we might do it in our sleep or something... and sometimes bruises aren't actually visible. Also, it could be because of grinding your teeth, that could be making one side of your face sensitive. Or, you could have an infection on one side of your face, like an inflamed gland or something... and a doctor would need to look at that and give you antibiotics or something if that was the case, so you should really go to the doctor to get this checked out.

As for a headache possibility, the only headache possibility that I can think of is something called trigeminal neuralgia... although I see that you are 21 and it usually develops later in life, but it is possible that it can develop younger I guess. Trigeminal neuralgia is extremely severe pain, like... as bad as cluster headaches, cluster headaches are often called "suicide headaches" and, people who suffer from trigeminal neuralgia experience the same sort of level of pain usually, pain where they beg to be killed during attacks or commit suicide sometimes themselves... the pain is triggered by even the slightest amount of contact with one side of the face. People who have trigeminal neuralgia are usually afraid to brush their teeth because of the extreme pain they will feel. A feather could trigger trigeminal neuralgia.

If this turns out to be the case for you.. treatment is similar to chronic migraine treatment as in daily medication that is the same as migraine medication, that is either antidepressants or anticonvulsants (for some reason these two classes of medications work on headaches as a daily treatment). Also, botox works well if you get it every three months. Surgery is a permanent option that many people with trigeminal neuralgia opt for if the pain is only on one side of their face, which it usually is... but, botox is the non-permanent alternative to surgery. The only real acute therapy is opiates I believe.

BUT!!! You would KNOW if you are suffering from trigeminal neuralgia after I have described it as, like cluster headaches... it is the WORST PAIN IMAGINABLE. So, if you pain is mild or moderate or even severe... it is more likely a deep bruise that you cannot see or an infection or some sort of swollen gland or something... please go to the doctor to get this looked at!! Especially since you might need antibiotics or something if it is a swollen gland or an infection!