Band of pressure around head.

[popsmazz]

My mother is 79 yr. old. She has had for quite a while now and seems to be getting worse. She will experience a band of tingling and squeezing sensation or as she discribes it almost like a helmet on her head the starts to squeeze and squeeze. It makes her weak in her legs and of course in most of her body. It lasts about an hr and will eventually subside. She has no advanced notice of this happening to her and now is staying close to home. She has had MRI'S she has had scan's. Tests to her neck, test for blocked artiery's and been tested for this in 2 states and they have found no reason for this to happen. She is in pretty good health other than this problem and it is taking a tole on her.If you can give me any help with this problem. It would be greatly appreciated.
Thnk you
Bonnie mazzara

[outerspacenik]

A related discussion, pressure bands in head was started.

[t_anunson]

Hi all, I had neurological symptoms after my daughter was born 6 1/2 months ago. Tingling, numbness, twitching, cramps, etc. I seen a neurologist, claims he couldn`t find anything. Brain MRI-Normal, MRI C-Spine-Normal, NCT- Essentially normal, blood and strength- normal. Ok, after this, I started having headaches around my eye...seen an opthamologist who said everything was normal. Then my blood pressure shot up to 154/100 going up and down a couple weeks ago. Went to the ER with it. Bloodwork-normal, kidneys-normal, EKG-Normal. Now I`m on 25 mg Atenolol to control high BP. Some of my neurological problems have gotten better, but some are still there. I still kinda get headaches that come and go. And my right wrist tingles underneath when I rub it or brush it against something! I also feel like I have a band of pressure around my head sometimes too. Could an anuerysm cause this, or anyone have any ideas what this might be? I also lost a lot of blood after my daughter was born. I have RH neg. blood and she is Positive. I had to have rhogam before and after pregnancy.

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

Many of the features you describe sound like tension type headaches, although the sudden occurrence and intensity of the headaches are less typical.  The normal imaging studies are somewhat reassuring, but a neurological examination would be helpful to make sure everything looked ok.  In the meantime, over the counter meds like NSAIDs, tylenol, and even caffeine can be helpful.  Preventive meds usually aren't recommended unless there is headache for over 15 days every month. Newer treatment methods include botox injections to relax the muscles in the forehead and has been shown to be helpful in some patients for up to 3 months.  Think about taking your mother to a headache clinic for an evaluation and treatment plan.  Behavioral therapy may also be of help.  GOod luck.

[dizz]

In general, tension headaches tend to be more generalized and producing a bandlike or squeezing sensation. If you are concerend about an aneurysm/vascular malformation an MRI/MRA scan may be helpful but an angiogam is the gold standard.

[lori0716]

If you have a vascular malformation or aneuryms would and MRI w/o contrast show it.  And does anyone know if an EMG top and bottom both sides is going to hurt.  I am scared of the stories I have heard.  
thanks