Strange Head Illness!

[vitaly]

Hi. I am 21 years of age.

Been suffering from headache for about 5 years.  To be precise, they aren't even headaches in the proper sense of the word, more like superficial pains in the scalp.

Anyway, about 5 years ago, I started experiencing continuous, hard, pressing "rheumatic" type pain in the forehead area, sometimes almost merging into a kind of "numbness" sensation, typically settling above the eyes, after being exposed to cold air/wind. This would be most prominent actually after being walking in cold wind with head exposed and then suddenly going indoors, into a warm atmosphere. At that time, I had a habit of washing my hair every morning, and then going out with my hair still slightly wet into the cold.

Then, after I had an ordinary cold once, I developed superficial aches all over my scalp, especially at the top of my head - the scalp was even tender to touch, combined with the dull diffuse pain in the forehead. This continued for about 2/3 weeks after the cold has gone.

From then on, I started developing frontal headaches after travelling in public transport where there was air conditioning, open widnows, draughts, aftre getting my hair cut (i.e. going out with moist hair), etc...

Then, almost 3 years ago, in winter, I had a tooth operation ( I had a "double" row of two teeth at the front). The operation itself was fine, but the next day I woke up with that diffuse ache in the forehead again. From then till the present day, the pain became more or less constant. It would get worse after being exposed to wind or cold, or ventilation, etc - even when I would go out in summer at 20C, the pain would worsen in the wind.

After another cold, the pains began to spread all over the scalp, worsened/brought on by the same things. It seemed that after a course of antibiotics, the frontal pain has greatly decreased, and the sensitivity to cold has improved. But over time, it came back again...

Till now, my problem remains exactly the same: superficial aches and pains brought on ny any sudden slightest drop of surrounding air temperature (air current), i.e. ventilation, being in a room with an open window, cold wind, apllying cold water on my forehead, etc. The closest description for these sensations would probably be the word "rheumatic".

Th neurologist I've seen could not make a diagnosis.The MRI scan is normal.

Please help! Does anyone here have/had this problem? Could the fact that I used to go out in cold weather with moist hair have caused this?

Thanks

[Monica1125]

Has anyone come up with a diagnosis?

[Manpreetsidhu]

I am also suffering from this type of ailment. Already gone two times sinus surgery. But no relief. When i exposed to cold air or strong blow oh air such as fan/cooler or ac causes headache even in Summer. So , i found good adea of wearing warm cap. But now i can't sleep without wearing warm cap or head cover with warm clothes. Till now no permanent solution found

[Kara_kan]

"an interesting ache in my eye-ground"
I even panicked and went to my ophtalmologist because of fear of retina detachment. :-)

[Kara_kan]

I am also suffering of draught sensitivity. It breaks out when I use my car or stay near open windows at home.

I was at my oto-rino-laringologist who sent me to X-rays, but found nothing inflamed.

A few weeks ago I have also drawn your conclusion: ""nerves in your scalp are too superficial 'beneath' the skin, and hence getting easily stimulated. ", however I am not sure of this.
There may be other causes, too.
I found an article about draught sensitivity in buns. The main pathogen is Pasteurella multocida, maybe in combination with Bordetella bronchiseptica and  Staphilococcus aureus. However, there ar symptoms of inflamation of respiratory tracts in buns, while I don't see any inflamation, just headache, asthenia and in severe cases an interesting ache in my eye-ground.
I have another theory, too, but don't want to share by now.

[tomsant]

Your med prof may be right, I was not aware of such a condition.

I would conceptualize sensory nerves in your scalp are too superficial 'beneath' the skin, and hence getting easily stimulated. Best treatment is to cover it with a scarf. How is your scalp hair thickness? Do you have a lot?

You mentioned about a dental extraction. There is a condition known as 'dry socket'.(Alveolar osteitis) But this should have gone away after a few days. If it is still present, try 'irrigating' that socket (gargle) with warm saline and see if there is any difference.

Antibiotics have relieved your pain in the frontal region; one is led to think about frontal sinusitis or a nasal infection which got cured. or a scalp dermatitis??

Do keep us informed.

Best,

TA

[vitaly]

Gargling with warm water - that doensn't do anything...

Yes, Whenever I am in a hot environment, the pain goes eases or goes away. Washing the hair with hot water helps - but that means I cannot even go outside for several hours afterwards, as the head can then usually becomes even more hypersenisive to air currents...

Over these last 3 years, I have noticed that the the the pain is relieved by movement (vigorous exercise that induces perspiration of the head), warmth, and also tying up the head firmly...  Also, as i mentioned, after a course of antibiotics, the frontal pain seems to dissapear for while.

However the effect only lasts till the next time I am exposed to cold wind, ventilation, or whatever - so basically the problem stays the same.

It's starnge, I saw professor of medicine recently (he specialises in chinese medicine now) who said that this illness is familiar to him, apparently it is an allergy affecting the blood vessels in the scalp... Which could be the case, actually since I did have a skin allergy (hives) for about 1.5 years previoulsy, when I was 15-16.

[tomsant]

And how if would be if you could suddenly move to a warm environment?

Try  gargling with warm water, washing face/ head /scalp with warm water, or moving into a warm room; and post your observations in the forum.

Best rgds,

Thomas Antony