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Avatar universal

Head Pressure or headache that won't go away PLEASE ANSWER DOC

HELP PLEASE GETTING DESPERATE. First Ill tell you I've tried ALL the typical meds, and don't know what to do...
I am a 30 y/o male who has had a headache for almost 3 years now that won't go away. I feel very "depersonalized", plus:
I have a severe sensation of dull, diffuse pressure deep in my forehead, nose bridge, and somewhat the top of my head. My head feels very heavy. Sometimes so heavy that I feel like I may collapse but I don't.  I feel like I have extreme tension in my forehead (hard to raise eyebrows).  Pressing on my head with my hands makes everything feel so much better including the "tension" sensation.  The most disabling part of this is that it NEVER goes away.  I also frequently awake with intense morning throbbing headaches that last half the day.
Sometimes if I'm laying down it feels like pressure builds up in my nose and eyes and I get violent vertigo.  This improves upon rising.  The vertigo lasts 1-4 days at a time and may go into remission for months.
I have begun having a painless yet very intense throbbing in my head upon standing, and the same pressure I always feel greatly intensifies, spreads deep through my head into my inner ear regions and I experience hearing loss bilaterally as if under water. Interestingly, this follows the same pattern as "syncope" so it occurs upon standing but resolves in short order

The workup:
Very extensive Neuro and Eye exam, all the Imaging you can think of (except no LP) was normal except for 3.5 x 2.5 cm benign osseous tumor (left supraorbital). Vision not affected. Mild brain compression. Some bone erosion noted. Abuts frontal sinus. No papaledema.  What is your feeling? Are symtoms from tumor, or high CSF pressure, something different alltogether? Is LP recommended? Contraindicated?  Other thoughts?

For reference here's images of the tumor (i know this is incomplete but maybe it can give you a general idea):
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/553/mri1zk4.jpg


11 Responses
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Avatar universal
Yes, ENT anesthetized contact points with lidocaine (ouch) & we waited 25 minutes. Unfortunately, no reduction in pressure, but was worth a try.

Still no relief for me but doing facet blocks to see how it goes.

Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
mon ross, what treatments did the D.O. give you that were helpful?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Did you try going to an Osteopath?  A D.O is a doctor that uses homeopathic methods to relieve symptoms.  

I was in a MVA over a year ago with migraines and daily headaches ever since.  I started going to an osteopath, and he really helped my headaches.  After a few weeks of treatment, it felt like The pressure was released like a rubber band being taken off my head.  They can help ringing in the ears, and lots of other problems without drugs, although they can prescribe drugs.

The Osteopath doctors go to medical school just like MD's and, and know the body inside and out. They are required to be licensed  by the state medical board, too.

Good luck!

mon ross
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Had 2, 2 to go in a few weeks.

btw: Beggars can't choose, but Why don't they answer these questions in chron order??  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Kim, so when are you getting the facet blocks done?  Please....let me know how it goes!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Kim have you ever been checked by an ENT for contact points inside your nose?  There is an obscure but very real syndrome known as contact point headache.    Can't remember if I asked you before, but do you experience a blocked nose or diminished sense of smell?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well kinda disappointed actually.  It doesn't even look like the doc really even read my question....didn't even comment on the tumor....rambled on about medications when I stated that I've tried everything already.    Well hey what can ya do?   I hope your question gets answered sometime this century Kim.   No drug aborts my head pressure and brain fog, and I've been on alot of drugs, even steroids.  

I really do think my next move will be to have my deviated septum fixed and turbinates reduced to see if that helps any, but I'm not getting my hopes up.  If that doesn't work, I might try chiropractics for a while, and if that doesn't work I'll push for tumor removal.     I dunno, how are things going with your symptoms?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Gee, quick sevice for a change? Xmas? Whta do U think of her response?
Helpful - 0
292349 tn?1201478043
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi soho,

I am glad that you had an extensive workup, including neuroimagings (MRI).  For chronic headache, we need to rule out all the serious diseases that can cause chronic headache.  Examples are tumor, vascular malformation (need MRA), vasculitis (MRA and CTA are noninvasive, but gold standard is still angiography), hydrocephalus (extra fluid in brain).  If everything is ruled out, then your chronic headache can be what we called "chronic daily headache", tension headache, migraine, or mixed type.  For treatment, it's best to see a headache specialist (neurologist).  We typically start with intravenous medication to try to abort the headache.  Preventive medication is often indicated to prevent further onset of headache.  We discourage patient to use too much over the counter NSAID (e.g. tylenol, ibuprofen, advil, aleve, motrin, etc) as it can exacerbate headache.  This is called rebound headache or medication overuse headache.  

Lumbar puncture can be useful if your headache is due to pseudotumor cerebri, hydrocephalus (both from too much fluid in the brain), or chronic meningitis.  

Good luck.  Thanks for using MedHelp Forum.

THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED FOR GENERAL MEDICAL EDUCATION PURPOSE ONLY.  PLEASE CONTACT YOU PHYSICIAN FOR DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT OPTIONS OF YOUR SPECIFIC MEDICAL CONDITIONS.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Ah, double posting, good call. That tumor is narly. Get some more Neuro MD & Neurosurg opinions ASAP.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Maybe you should talk to a neurosurgeon about your problems. Even if you aren't a surgery candidate for tumor removal, maybe a neurosurgeon can identify what exactly is causing your headache and how to treat it. The neurosurgeon may be able to treat excessive intracrainal pressure, for example.
Helpful - 0

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