My doctor's treating me for migraine, I don't think it is a migraine

[Bananas94102]

Hello Doc, I have had this unusual headache that is allways un-changing, for several months now.  It is centered in my frontal sinus, or more specific, right between the eyes area.  Also tension spread over the top of my forehead.  I also feel pressure and dullness way back in the middle of my head around the sphenoid sinus area (negative sinus CT + MRI + MRA). ALSO WAKE UP AT NIGHT WITH SEVERE KNEE/ANKLE CRAMPS BOTH KNEES(1 time per week average, only when sleeping

To make things confusing I have this loud squishing sound coming from my neck when I tilt my head around.My headache is somewhat relieved by stretching my neck about and hearing the squishing sound makes things a bit better, but for a few seconds.

This is Possibly significant!...Besides the squishing in my neck, by positioning of my back or neck effects a pressure buildup in my head.  I will try to explain an example of what I mean-If I lay on my bed, on my stomach, and prop myself up with my elbows (to watch TV for example),with a backward arch in my spine and neck, often the pressure in my head will build up to intolerable levels and head will "pulsate" relative to an intense heartbeat(feels kind of similar to the pressure that your feel if you stand on your head -- and on that note, I cannot hang my head upside down even for a second without enormous pressure/dizzy immediately building up  

I have mod. pain in my mid-back (lower thorasic) on and off for years now, but I've never had this medically investigated beyond a plain x-ray since it comes and goes infrequently.

thank you kindly, Josh/37

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

The neck plays a large role in headache, and poor neck posture or muscle spaspm can cause headache, dizziness, vertigo and more. Physical therapy specifically directed at the neck, and posture retraining can help. It is probably better to avoid situations like hanging upside down and the TV position anyway, you are probably just straining your neck more.
Headache like you describe can also be from mscule contraction in the forehead muscles, in these cases, Botox has proven very successful

Good luck

[migra]

Dear Migraine is a simple surgical disease that can easy be cured.
You have another way to cure migraine by simple migraine devices that can do it at home as descripted in self treating page of www.migrainesurgery.8m.net
Also for this case you can try pressure points test by your finger over places # 1 and you can easy know if its migraine or not.
Also if you have migraine that not mean that any other headache come to you is due to migraine too.
Majority of migraine patients when they have with time also a cervical hearniated disc that make them feel as this patients descripe muscular pain in back between sholders. this muscular pain make migraine headache comes more than usual.
Pressure points test in time of headaches give you the answer about your kinds of headaches.
Any night headaches must in first be attentions to the High blood pressure where the headaches is a very usefull to alarm the patients that he is in a very DANGER and he dont need to take any analgesic to get rid of this headache but by anti blood hipertensive drugs.
Best Wishes

[titanium clip]

If you don't think your headache is a migraine yet your doctor is treating you for migraine, can you get him/her to "listen" to you, have you considered a "headache clinic", or have you considered going to another physician?

[Bananas94102]

Please explain what you mean by "pressure point #1"   I am interested to know because putting pressure with my fingers on the effected area gives a good bit of relief.    So you are saying that night time headaches are likely hypertension?

[ozark]

sounds like you have tension headaches with trigger points at the base of your skull.. the muscles get tight and pull down causing tension which affects alot of small muscles etc throughout your head......i get them and have massage therapy which relieves it for a short time....it actually makes my head feel more open and i'm not so much in a fog......good luck

[no_hands]

I have something similar to you. Pressure in head and squishing. to top it off I also have lethargy which makes it worse.

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/neuro/messages/33876.html

Personally, I don't think the problem is migraine related. I think it is vascular or muscle related at the base of your skull. I still don't know what causes the squishing but if I move my neck too much it does come back for a few days.

I've had the problem for 4.5 months now.

My doctor has put me on Epilim for some strange reason but I think it works. He claims it helps the blood flow in my skull and I must admit, I felt some improvement.

Regards,

Joel.