Head Pressure / Dizzy / Flashing lights / Neck pain

[Edwardz123]

Hello,

I am a 22 year old male, with head pressure and seeing flashing lights. My head feels like a vise, as if someone is squeezing it, and my temples are tender.  I have neck stiffness, and when I'm dizzy, its not that the room is spinning, but its more like its hard to concentrate. My neck just feels stiff, and I'm constantly rotating it to try to loosen it up. I also feel like my short term memory is shot, as I'm forgetting things that I see everyday. For the flashing lights, I see like sparks, almost as if someone used a lighter. I saw a Opthomalogist for this, and they said everything looked ok. This problem has been on-going for 2 months already, and I have no prior medical history.

I already had a CT scan on my head and sinuses, and they both came up negative, and blood tests came up negative too for anything except high protein, which I plan on following up upon. I saw 2 ENTS, and they ruled out Vertigo.

I have a appointment with a neurologist, but it won't be until 3 weeks. Any ideas or suggestions upon what this may be?

Thank you for your time.

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information (i.e., a differential).

There are several causes of headaches. Headaches can be divided into primary and secondary. Primary headache disorders are headaches without a direct cause. These are diagnosed after secondary causes have been excluded. Secondary headache disorders are due to an underlying problem, there are many many causes but some include medication side effects, systemic illness, nervous system infection, tumors, bleeds in the brain or clots in the veins of the brain, and others. One such cause that may be relevant to you is meningitis. Did you have a lumbar puncture performed to evaluate for meningitis (viral)?  

Overall, primary headache disorders are much more common than secondary ones. There are several primary headache disorders, over 50 different types. For example, migraines is a type of primary headache with pulsating throbbing one-sided pain, nausea, and discomfort in bright lights that lasts several hours.

Another type is called tension type headache which feels like a band around the head but does not affect your daily activities. With these headaches, there can be sensitivity to light and or sound and sometimes nausea. Neck stiffness can occur too. Medications and/or physical therapy may be best for these headaches (in addition to decreasing stress).

Without further information about your headache, it is difficult to provide you with adequate information. However, it is important for you to understand that if you have not experienced headaches in the past and you are now having new head pains, seeing a neurologist is a good idea, just to make sure there is nothing serious causing this pain.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.

[DeanaRee]

I have hydrocephalus and I have all of those same symptoms, maybe you should have your csf pressure checked.

[Edwardz123]

Also, if I had a CT scan already, should I get a MRI too?

Thanks!