MIGRAINES & HEADACHES COMMUNITY
headaches and cysts

headaches and cysts

My daughter has been suffering from migraine headaches for at least 8 months now. These started after a 4-5 month long vertigo condition which was probably caused by an inner ear infection. During the vertigo condition she did not suffer from headaches, but approximately one year prior, in Oct of 2005, she suffered a concussion in the rear of her head on the lower right side where the scull and neck meet. This concussion caused post-concussive symptoms - initial blurred vision, some dizziness, trouble reading, doing computation, getting words out, etc. Nothing worked for the headache pain - we tried low doses of elavil and topamax, and all tests showed no bleeding in brain, etc.  Eventually, over 8 months she healed and felt fully functional and well by the summer.

Now we are trying to get to the bottom of ongoing "migraine" headaches, and in the last 3 weeks nonstop headaches which presented without the aura as a warning. She seems to be getting the mirgraines every two weeks or so, andsometimes they seem to cluster. This time she was also diagnosed for strep 5 days in, (which evidences itself as headache and nausea - same symptoms as her migraines when she has them) - and after two rounds of antibiotics, we assume the strep is gone, but the headache continues. Normally she can havea migraine for 4-6 days, and so far we don't have an effective pain remedy. She has Reynaud's, so she can't use Imatrex, and unless she takesExcedrin Migraine right away, it seems to have little effect stopping or reducing pain. Dr. recently prescribed Fionrinol with aspirin, which we have used on and off, without great results. All of which has led me to suspect another cause for all of this, an interconnection that is tissuerelated, circulation related, etc. We did a CT Scan this week (we had done scans and mri's for the previous two conditions, the last one 12/06, and it produced continuing evidence from the first scan of three years ago of cysts. I have excerpted below.

" The ventricular system has a normal configuration. There is a prominent cistern along the left side of the falx cerebelli that is a developmental variant....A rounded soft tissue structure consistent with polyp or cyst fills much of the medial aspect of the right frontal sinus. It measures 1.7 cm across and 7.mm anterior to posterior....The other paranasal sinuses are well-developed, with another polyp or retention cyst noted inferiorly within the maxillary antrum and some other small ones noted within the ethmoid air cells Comparison is made to an MRI scan provided...12/12/06 ...also demonstrated the prominent retrocerebellar cistern. Somewhat more pronounced mucosal thickening was present through the ethmoid air cells on the right. The retention cysts in the right maxillary antrum appear unchanged...."

FYI: My daughter consistently complains that her head hurts at the concussion site, and sometimes on both sides at the rear of the head. She says pain spreads over the top of her head and into the temples. She does not feel pain in her cheeks, but sometimes the front of her head. And her eyes hurt periodically.

Her pain is so pronounced that she cannot attend school nor do herhomework. She is normally a very engaged, enthusiastic learner - articulate and creative and brain focused. This is all very discouraging for her as she is cut off from all the things she enjoys doing most.

She is very sensitive to barametric pressure changes and has seasonal allergies. She takes Flonase and allegra daily -  right now both to manage any contributing post nasal drip, etc. She takes aspirin as anti-infammatory and also her rheumatologist wants her on baby aspirin a day for circulation. Right now no other meds for Reynaud's, but dr wants her on Trental.
She typically has low blood pressure and temp, and has to work to stay hydrated. She is on the lowend of normal in weight and always has been, with stomach issues since infancy.

I know this is a long note, and the situation is complicated. My questions:

1. would existence and location of cysts cause headache pain as described?
2. is there treatment to reduce cysts with or without surgery?
3. would you recommend further diagnostic tests
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