Are these ension headaches

[MACK4]

I am a 34 year old female that has been having daily headaches for about 3 months now with about a 2 week time in between that I did not have one. I have been experiencing extreme anxiety since March of this year. I have been diagnosed with irritable bowel, levator ani syndrome, benign muscle fasciculations, esophageal spasm and of course generalized anxiety disorder. In April I have an MRI of the head neck and spine because I was feeling strange sensations all over body such as burning sensations, bugs crawling under my skin. My neuro wanted to check for MS. The MRI came back fine except for a 5mm spot which he said not to worry about. He also did all bloodwork which came out fine. About 3 weeks after (in May) I had started to experience a very bad headache on the left side of my head and neck my eyes even seemed to hurt. I went to the ER for a cat scan and that was clear. They said to take 800mg of Motrin which just took the edge off. Since then I have pain in the back of my head(tight feeling in back of head),neck,and upper shoulders. It is only after I get out of bed is when this starts. Also my brother died of a GBM brain tumor a year ago. Please give me your input on my current headache.   Thank You

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS]

You are currently experiencing daily headaches. Conversion from intermittent headaches to daily headaches, is not that infrequent. If you have been using analgesic medication, such as Ibuprofen, Advil, Motrin, Tylenol, or presription drugs, daily this could be exacerbating your symptoms. If this is a new headache for you, then repeat MRI with imaging of the veins within the brain would be recommended. It is possible to occlude one of these veins and experience daily headaches. Lastly, it sounds like you have many complaints which can be exacerbated by anxiety, and this should be addressed. If your headache persists, consultation with a headache specialist is recommended. There are many headache centers around the country, and we have an excellent program here at the Cleveland Clinic. Good luck.

[armin3]

Please help!  I have been in pain since early June (June 5th) of this year.  One morning, I woke up with a massive headache on the left side of my head - which forced me to lie back down.  When I woke up again, the headache was gone. A couple of days later, I experience stabbing pain in the upper left side of my head, now radiates to the right, front, back and sides.  Lately, it is more like stinging, splinter like pain and somewhat expanding.  Prior to all these, the left side of my head (small area) was warm (for at least 3 days).  I did not do anything to it, thinking it is probably normal. I have seen 3 Internal Medicine Doctors, a PT, a Dermatologist and a Neurologist.  I have gotten all blood work imaginable in this world.  I had requested a CT-scan as well and it turned out normal.  I was prescribed at least 5 medications - from 800 mg Ibuprofen, Butalbital, Tetracycline, Nortriptyline and another, I cannot recall at this minute.  I am now currently taking the Nortriptyline for the past week, but had given me not much help.  I am to see the Neurologist again on August 6th for more tests.  Per the Neuro's instructions, my neck (in particular the right area/frontal area) was x-rayed.  I am not aware of the results as of yet.  My blood work turned out to be all normal except for my SGPT, Alk Phos - somewhat elevated. I am to assume that the elevated readings may have been caused by all the medications I have been taking.  Other symptoms I currently experience are as follows: scalp tenderness (tend to move around the head),numbing/tingling sensation on right and left arms as soon as I wake up from a nap/sleep, sore neck, stabbing pain in the back and sore muscles and shoulders.  I am, you might say experiencing anxiety and stress right now because no one can diagnose what is causing these to begin with.  My only concern is to know what is causing the warm sensation on my scalp (head) and the pain, so that I can properly manage it.  Per my Neuro's diagnosis, I have Cervicogenic Headache, which I thought was simply not it.  I have researched on the Internet and have used all the available resources I have, to no avail.  If you happen to come across this posting and may be aware of this condition or can shed some light to my dilemma, please do share your knowledge and experience.  I would definitely and sincerely appreciate your time and concern.  Thank you so much....

Armin

[tuckandroll]

I am a 34 y/o black male in above average shape ( I run approx. 30 miles a week) who as recently as a month ago had quite a scare in my life and things haven't been the same since.  I blacked out at a friend's house after getting up in the morning to use the bathroom.  What was unusual was that I didn't feel nauseous or anything like when I felt faint in the past.  It was like a switch went off in my head and there I lay on the floor bleeding from a gash over my right eye.  So I went to the ER to get it stitched up but they wanted to admitted me for observation based on the unusual circumstances...  I underwent a head CT, an EEG, an EKG, a carotid doppler, and MRI/MRA, the works.  The doc diagnosed me with a carotid dissection and put me on heparin.  They wanted to operate and I wanted a 2nd opinion so I saw a vascular surgeon who ran his own MRA and ruled out that I had a carotid dissection.  He discharged me from the hospital and I felt fine for a few days until I started experiencing neck pain and a tingling sensation down my left fingers and a numbness along the left side of my face.  I got nervous and went back to the ER where they performed another CT and carotid doppler.  They said I was fine and sent me home with pain killers (tylenol) and a referral to see a neurologist.. which is where I presently at.  She wants me to have yet another MRA and undergo more blood tests.  I'm just so frustrated by the entire process.  How can it be so hard to find what the problem is????

My symptoms are intermmittent pain on the left side of the back of my neck that comes and goes,waxes and wanes.  A tingling sensation in my left fingers and a numbness on the left-side of my face.  Sometimes the left-side of my neck feels like its in a vise for about 20 seconds and then it goes away.  Sometimes my entire head feels like I'm 1000 ft underwater and the water pressure is squeezing my head...  Sometime I have pain behind the back of my left eye.. to the point my left eye starts to tear.  However, I don't have any headaches, fever or naseau... Has anyone else experienced anything like this or can give me some clues as to what might be going on?  Thanks in advance for all your help.

[tuckandroll]

I am a 34 y/o black male in above average shape ( I run approx. 30 miles a week) who as recently as a month ago had quite a scare in my life and things haven't been the same since.  I blacked out at a friend's house after getting up in the morning to use the bathroom.  What was unusual was that I didn't feel nauseous or anything like when I felt faint in the past.  It was like a switch went off in my head and there I lay on the floor bleeding from a gash over my right eye.  So I went to the ER to get it stitched up but they wanted to admitted me for observation based on the unusual circumstances...  I underwent a head CT, an EEG, an EKG, a carotid doppler, and MRI/MRA, the works.  The doc diagnosed me with a carotid dissection and put me on heparin.  They wanted to operate and I wanted a 2nd opinion so I saw a vascular surgeon who ran his own MRA and ruled out that I had a carotid dissection.  He discharged me from the hospital and I felt fine for a few days until I started experiencing neck pain and a tingling sensation down my left fingers and a numbness along the left side of my face.  I got nervous and went back to the ER where they performed another CT and carotid doppler.  They said I was fine and sent me home with pain killers (tylenol) and a referral to see a neurologist.. which is where I presently at.  She wants me to have yet another MRA and undergo more blood tests.  I'm just so frustrated by the entire process.  How can it be so hard to find what the problem is????

My symptoms are intermmittent pain on the left side of the back of my neck that comes and goes,waxes and wanes.  A tingling sensation in my left fingers and a numbness on the left-side of my face.  Sometimes the left-side of my neck feels like its in a vise for about 20 seconds and then it goes away.  Sometimes my entire head feels like I'm 1000 ft underwater and the water pressure is squeezing my head...  Sometime I have pain behind the back of my left eye.. to the point my left eye starts to tear.  However, I don't have any headaches, fever or naseau... Has anyone else experienced anything like this or can give me some clues as to what might be going on?  Thanks in advance for all your help.

[tuckandroll]

I am a 34 y/o black male in above average shape ( I run approx. 30 miles a week) who as recently as a month ago had quite a scare in my life and things haven't been the same since.  I blacked out at a friend's house after getting up in the morning to use the bathroom.  What was unusual was that I didn't feel nauseous or anything like when I felt faint in the past.  It was like a switch went off in my head and there I lay on the floor bleeding from a gash over my right eye.  So I went to the ER to get it stitched up but they wanted to admitted me for observation based on the unusual circumstances...  I underwent a head CT, an EEG, an EKG, a carotid doppler, and MRI/MRA, the works.  The doc diagnosed me with a carotid dissection and put me on heparin.  They wanted to operate and I wanted a 2nd opinion so I saw a vascular surgeon who ran his own MRA and ruled out that I had a carotid dissection.  He discharged me from the hospital and I felt fine for a few days until I started experiencing neck pain and a tingling sensation down my left fingers and a numbness along the left side of my face.  I got nervous and went back to the ER where they performed another CT and carotid doppler.  They said I was fine and sent me home with pain killers (tylenol) and a referral to see a neurologist.. which is where I presently at.  She wants me to have yet another MRA and undergo more blood tests.  I'm just so frustrated by the entire process.  How can it be so hard to find what the problem is????

My symptoms are intermittent pain on the left side of the back of my neck that comes and goes, waxes and wanes.  A tingling sensation in my left fingers and a numbness on the left-side of my face.  Sometimes the left-side of my neck feels like its in a vise for about 20 seconds and then it goes away.  Sometimes my entire head feels like I'm 1000 ft underwater and the water pressure is squeezing my head...  Sometime I have pain behind the back of my left eye.. to the point my left eye starts to tear.  However, I don't have any headaches, fever or nausea... Has anyone else experienced anything like this or can give me some clues as to what might be going on?  Thanks in advance for all your help.