Head Pressure/Stroke Worry

[Kanga]

I am a 38year old male, with recently diagnosed mild hypertension (typically 140/90). I am not particularly overweight (190lbs, 6'0"). I do not smoke, drink reasonably moderately (normally two days a week alcohol free, 2-3 standard drinks other days), and walk/run 3.75miles 3-4 days per week. My work is white-collar, office bound and prone to regular senior management stress levels. I have had the regular blood tests and cholesterol, lipids, kidney functions and white & red blood cell counts are in the normal range.

For the last 5 years I have had a feeling of extreme pressure in my head, at first sporadic but now pretty much constant. The symptoms are a sense of pressure around the temples, near the vein in the front (external) portion of the ear (near the temple), and a periodic tension/tightness in my cheeks & scalp. There is also a mild "ringing" sound in my ears – not what I'd call tinnitus, but more the sense of blood rushing through the veins.

In the last two weeks I have commmenced a week course of Avapro (75mg tablets) to try and reduce the blood pressure. Home monitoring has shown some reduction, though it is still occassionally at or near 140/90. I had hoped that this would reduce the sense of pressure in my head, though there does not appear to be any relief.

The pressure symptoms can be relieved temporarily by "unblocking my ears" (holding my nose, and blowing as you would during a plane descent). While I do not suffer from sinusitis, the symptoms appear similar to those associated with the condition. I went to an Ear Nose & Throat specialist, having had a CT scan of my sinus in the last few years. I have no sign of any sinus infection, but do have a very badly deviated septum. It deviates in both directions at various points in my nose, giving very bad air flow through my nose. In addition, the deviation is such that it is possible the soft tissue inside the nose is contacting the septum. Lastly, I have no sense of smell. I suspect it is from a shock to the head which occurred when I was a child, as I have no recollection of any odours. I do have a sense of taste, but I suspect it is probably not the most sensitive palate on the planet.


Seems to me the pressure I am feeling could be caused by:

a) vascular problems (the Irbesartan should help)
b) physical problems (a blockage in a major artery?)
c) organ problems (eg kidney problems causing hypertension)
d) other disease (cancer? MS?)

My questions are:

1) What could be causing the sense of pressure in my head? Is it possible the nose soft-tissue contact would be causing it? Is it likely surgical correction of the septum would alleviate these symptoms?

2) I am concerned that the pressure in my head could eventually lead to a stroke. While medication is bringing down blood pressure, the sense of pressure in my head has not dimished. Is it possible the blood pressure in my head is different to that measured on my arm, and if so how would it be measured? Is it possible the hypertension medication could weaken aterial or venous walls, increasing the risk of a stroke?

3) If the pressure is caused by a blockage, would an MRI reveal any the source of blockage? Would it indicate weakness of brain arteries or veins? Other diseases?

Any feedback would be appreciated,


Kanga.

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

Dear Kanga:

I am sorry to hear of your hypertension and "head pressure".  The sense of head pressure can be due to multiple things, for instance if you had a middle ear infection sinus infection (as you mentioned) or inner ear problem.  In addition, some types of headache can give a feeling of pressure in the head.  So, just from your description I can tell you what is causing your head pressure.  Since you have had your deviated septum all your life, I would think of this at the bottom of the possibilities, but it is a consideration.  The vessels in your brain are under fine controls for pressure regulation and would not be giving you a feeling of pressure in your head, although if your pressures were high enough for a long enough period of time, they could give you headaches.  Yes, intracranial hypertension can induce vessel wall damage.  If you had blockage of a brain vessel you would have a stroke, so likely not causing you just head pressure.  There are a myraid of diseases that can give you headaches or head pressure, much too long to list here.  

I would bet on a headache as inducing your symptoms.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD

[john500]

My symtoms are almost exactly the same as Kanga. I am a 32 year old male. I have also had mild hypertension 130/85. I do not smoke at all, but I drink white wine in the evenings. I drink about 4-5 nights a week. Truthfully, some nights I drink a little too much to where I wake up slightly dehydrated. I run about 1 mile per day and I also have a white collar job.

And also, for the last 4 years I have had a feeling of tight pressure around my temples. It is usually worse when I am most active and then it calms down when I get home, drinking or not. I never have headaches. This is not painful. It's just very irritating.

I do not have a deviated septum, but I don't have the greatest airflow through my nose either. But I have only had this feeling for about the last 4 years.

Please let me know what this could be. It's comforting to see that I am not the only one with this feeling. Like I said, I have no pain. It's just a tight pressure around my temples. And it feels worse when I am over-active and/or stressed.

Is there anything that I can take over the counter to help lower the activity in the brain and/or reduce the tightness and pressure around my temples? Can being dehydrated from alchohol cause something like this? I just quit drinking coffee too, that seemed to help but the feeling is still there.



Thanks

[beep]

Not a medical person but had head pressure for about 10 years.  Dr. did carotid studies and MRI -- no resolution.  Finally noticed a correlation with ingesting artificial sweeteners.  Diet Coke, diet yogurt, diet candy, Crystal Lite -- you get the picture.  Stopped use of "diet" stuff.  Pressure went away -- not experienced for 2 years now. Can't hurt.

[burtonsic]

I am a 26 year old male who has always led an active life surfing, skating and travelling. I have never had a health proplems at all about from the occasional cold etc. Over the last year I have had increasingly bad pains in my head. Which seems to cause swelling above and bellow my eyes. When the symptons first arose I merely took pain killers and carried on surfing and socialising. However for the past six months I have quit smoking, drinking, surfing. It has got to the stage where I can no longer do anything active without a pulsing sensation occuring in my head which causes the eye swelling to worsen and the pain becomes unbearable.

At first my GP thought it was a viral infection simply could be cured with rest. I have been sent to a neurologist who thought it could be an anyuersm, however the MRI scan showed up clear. I also have a severe infection deep in the gum below my wisdom tooth and the one next to it, it was thought they may have caused an infection in my nervous which was linked to the eyes. These two teeth have no been removed and I have been put on anti biotics, however the pain is still there and the other day when i returned to the dentist to have stiches removed out of my mouth he said that he serisouly doubted that the problem had orignitated from the tooth.

Have you any idea what could be causing this pain?
What should be my next medical step?
Would it be a good idea to try go private? ( I live in england and am in the NHS at the momement due the high cost of private health care)

I have had concusion on a number of occasions... may this be a cause?

Please help,

[HoneyBunchers]

My Dad is a very healthy (according to the doctors) 69 year old  white male. With very good upper body strength. He doesn't smoke or drink. His problem is he has pressure in the head almost daily. When this pressure hits is usually 30 minutes after he wakes and when active and at this time he also looses complete use of his legs.He falls down and seems to have a stroke.His legs are real weak and like jello. His face doesn't get distorted like a stroke victum but his speech starts to slur and it's like he can't remember how to say things. He just got out of the hospital again being told nothing showed up. He is getting frustrated. He is now having some depression. He had surgery for "Spinal Stenosis"in February and this did'nt relieve his problems. They operated on C3-6 "Cervical Anterior Cervical Disectory and Fussion".The Drs. said he has a abdominal aorta anuerism but they said that's not the cause either but they act like he's making it up. The internal medicine Dr. that he saw last week saw how these symptoms come on. He took a shower while in the hospital and 30 minutes later couldn't walk or speak. He said Yes you have a medical problem but I don't know what it is.He said we will do a blood flow to the brain test but never did it.Also he wanted to check for tumors or swellings behind Dad's eyes and never did it. Does anyone out there have similar
problems or an idea of what it is so we can check into it?
Thank You,
Betty

[Kanga]

Have had a septoplasty in recent days (out of hospital only last Saturday). My nose is still recovering, but airflow is a lot better. Sadly, the sense of pressure in the ears/temples is still there, though I know it will take about 4 weeks for the nose soft tissue to "calm down".

Some comments to add to those from John500 and burtonsic.

1) do not consume any "diet" type products at all - no saccharine, aspartame etc. Has set me thinking about what else might be in my diet.

2) have cut right back on coffee - now down to 2 cups a day or less, and that has seemed to help. Not sure I can go cold-turkey, but might be worth a try.

3) was taking a B-group multi-vitamin, and fish-oil capsules each day. Have stopped these as, in combination with the Avapro, I felt worse

4) had dental surgery on my upper left incisor nearly 20 years ago (scraped bad infection out of bone while doing a root canal and cap). That part of my "jaw" has been sensitive ever since, and have wondered if it - or other teeth problems - might be sensitising nerves in/around ears/head. Have plans to go to dentist to get him to look at it and some other cavities.

5) intend to pay for a "100,000 mile" checkup - ideally MRI/CT Scan/EKG/prostate check etc. NOt sure they'll find anything - no-one else has so far - but can at least add to the pile of evidence eliminating "big" problems.

Will let you know how it goes.

Kanga.

[foreverosie]

Hi, I might have some answers for your head preasure. For six months (8-00 to 2-01)I had severe head preasure, ear ringing, sound and movement made me jump out of my skin, and yes high blood pressure,90/190 all to the point I had passed out. I was at a bad hospital, they said I was crazy and a hypocondriac because nothing showed up on all there tests. All they offered me was a shrink!!!Well glad to say I left that **** poor place and found my self an incredible hospital. Within two weeks I was diagnosed with SHINGLES in my cranial nerves and central nervous system. Six weeks of accyclovir and poof head preasure gone. The down side of it is, it caused perminate nerve damage, so some of the symptoms may never go away. What's left is Glossopherengial neuralgia, myoclonus and the tintinitis, to name a few. Maybe some other things they haven't found yet too. I am just so thankful that stupid head preasure is gone!!! Believe me it was on a scale of one to ten, a twenty!  Good Luck All!!!
excuse the spelling!!!

[morelia5]

I AM 35 YEAR OLD FEMALE WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESURE I HAVE BEEN HAVING HEAD PRESURE AROUND MY TEMPLE'S AND TIGHTNESS AROUND MY HEAD I GET LITTLE SPASAMS IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD& NECK SOMETIMES AROUND MY TEMPLES I HAVE BEEN TO MANY DOCTOR'S AND THEY TELL ME THAT I HAVE PANIC ATTACKS AND ANXIETY BUT I DON'T FEEL THAT IS IT I HAVE BEEN ON ANTI-DES PILLS FOR A YEAR I HAVE GOOD DAYS AND BAD ONES I AM SO TIRED OF FEELING THIS WAY THIS ALL HAPPENS WHEN I TRY TO GO TO SLEEP I FEEL DIZZY AT TIMES AND I FEEL MY HEART BEAT LIKE I AM SO SCARED BUT , THE ONLY THING THAT SCARES ME IS THIS SICKNESS I ALSO HAVE RINGING IN MY EARS THAT SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE IT IS GOING TO DRIVE ME NUTS! IS THERE ANYONE WHO FEELS THE I DO ??



                       SIGN , TIRED:(

[morelia5]

I AM 35 YEAR OLD FEMALE WITH HIGH BLOOD PRESURE I HAVE BEEN HAVING HEAD PRESURE AROUND MY TEMPLE'S AND TIGHTNESS AROUND MY HEAD I GET LITTLE SPASAMS IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD& NECK SOMETIMES AROUND MY TEMPLES I HAVE BEEN TO MANY DOCTOR'S AND THEY TELL ME THAT I HAVE PANIC ATTACKS AND ANXIETY BUT I DON'T FEEL THAT IS IT I HAVE BEEN ON ANTI-DES PILLS FOR A YEAR I HAVE GOOD DAYS AND BAD ONES I AM SO TIRED OF FEELING THIS WAY THIS ALL HAPPENS WHEN I TRY TO GO TO SLEEP I FEEL DIZZY AT TIMES AND I FEEL MY HEART BEAT LIKE I AM SO SCARED BUT , THE ONLY THING THAT SCARES ME IS THIS SICKNESS I ALSO HAVE RINGING IN MY EARS THAT SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE IT IS GOING TO DRIVE ME NUTS! IS THERE ANYONE WHO FEELS THE I DO ??



                       SIGN , TIRED:(

[bobbo]

I am a female 40 years old , I don't smoke, drink,or do and drugs other than the usual ( tylenol, advil etc.) but all of a sudden last month I had a headache for three days but it wasn't a migraine, so on the third day I had my blood preasure taken and it was 155/105, then a couple of days later I checked it again and it was 150/85 then agian a few days after that and it was 150/86 so it seems to be holding there, I also at times can hear my heart beat in my left ear, alos at time I can lay down on the couch for a moment to watch tv or read and my heart beats extremely hard for about 60 to 90 second and then it stops just as suddenly as it started.

My question is, sould I get checked out, and what is normal for a person my age and I weigh about 160. But I'm very active with three boys, 8, 4, 1.  

[CHADDY]

hey you guys...this may seem a bit OUT there...but my dad and several family members are totally allergic to Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)  in a whole lot of foods.  When they stopped consuming this things got A LOT better!  Might give it a try!

[RODNIQUE]

A related discussion, HEAD PRESSURE was started.

[naty777]

A related discussion, Head Pressure was started.