4-month, $2000+ headache

[PATinCA]

This is one forum I never thought I would need to post anything on! In the past, the only reason I ever had a headache was if I had the flu. At 53, with 7 children, only one of whom was born in a hospital, there were plenty of reasons to get a headache if I were prone to them. No menopause yet, although my periods are a little irregular, by a few days. Never take any pain medication, or other meds, for that matter, since I have enjoyed good health through a holistic life style, and natural therapies, and have been a student of nutrition for over 25 years. When this started in June, I got a viral infection with sinus congestion, and after it cleared up in a few days, the headache, which I had ON THE LEFT SIDE ONLY, kept coming back periodically, until by August, it was every day, and I was often annoyingly aware of it. Mostly, it is felt under my left eyebrow, behind my eye, or on the left temple, or top of the head- about an inch behind my hairline. Once in a while, my jaw aches. When I bend over, it feels worse, and if I cough or sneeze, it REALLY hurts for up to 1/2 hour. First, I went to the eye doctor. Nothing there. Next, the dentist. Has a crown done on a tooth that bothered once in a while (left side also). No change. Saw my doctor, who has an alternative approach. After a complete examination that included neurological, he ordered blood tests: a CBC, CMP, ESR, thyroid testing, plus others. All were normal. I then had two MRI's, with and without contrast, which showed 'nothing unusual'. The doctor gave me some things to take in case there was any lingering inflammatory thing going on in a sinus from the virus. I followed his directions for a month, but I guess that wasn't it. Now I wonder if the wrong scan was done, and it should have been an MRA? Can it be something wrong with blood vessels in my head? Should someone else read my scans? Sometimes when I lay on my LEFT side, I hear my pulse as a whooshing sound in my ear. I just worry that I will suddenly die of an aneurism or something, and am so tired of worrying about it. I can't forget about it, since it is ALWAYS THERE. I think the thing that scares me the most is how my head hurts when I bend over. Why???? I don't want to cover it up with pain medication. I don't have any pain or inflammation anywhere else. My appetite is good, and I weigh 127, at 5'9". I am not a vegetarian, and enjoy a wide variety of fresh, whole foods. I don't have health insurance, and have chalked up a HUGE credit card bill on this already. Can you suggest anything???

[hava]

Do not spend any more money.I have a very natural solution for you. Start doing this pranayam (breathing exercises) and you will notice a positive effect in days.Drink warm water.Come back to report progress.Continue the pranayam once a day after you are better and you will stay healthy.
Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after 1 minute.
Kapalbhati -(Do it before eating) Push air forcefully out through the nose about once per second. Stomach will itself go in(contract in). The breathing in(through the nose) will happen automatically. Establish a rhythm and do for upto 15 minutes twice a day.(Max 60 min/day) Not for pregnant women. Seriously ill people do it gently.

Anulom Vilom -  Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 20 to 30  minutes twice a day(maximum 60 minutes in one day).
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep breaths into the lungs.

Bhramri Pranayam -Close eyes. Close ears with thumb, index finger on forehead, and rest three fingers on base of nose touching eyes. Breathe in through nose. And now breathe out through nose while humming like a bee.
Duration : 5 to 15 times

[tomsant]

One sided headache persisting after a viral infection with sinus congestion, coughing and especially sneezing makes it worse for half hour, stooping aggravates it.

All these were pointers to something wrong with the nose-sinus complex. Maybe the small openings into the sinuses on the left are blocked too, that may be why you didn't respond well to the medication given for "sinus problem"

I suggest an ENT consultation. The inside of your nasal passage may have to be looked into with an endoscope, and may be a CT scan of nose and sinuses too. (MRI is meant for soft tissues, not for the paranasal sinuses, where the wafer thin bones will be missed)

I am unable to comment on the jaw pain. Is it on the same side?

No need to worry as you've cleared the MRI for brain :-)

Best rgds,

Thomas Antony