Severe sharp pains in my head and womping in my ear

[Pennienbo]

Sometimes when I stretch, yawn, sneeze, cough, or even laugh I get an extremely sharp pain shoot through my head. It is mostly when I stretch.  And it seems to vary in different places on my head.  But it is usually on the back of my head.  Sometimes the top of my head is sensitive to touch.  I have recently noticed that if I apply pressure to the muscle on the back of my neck, depending on the side the sharp pain is on, that it will some what help me relieve the pain.  Usually the pain is not very long but it will sometimes cause me to have a headache after.  It has been getting worse at night I have noticed. If I go to roll over, usually stretching while doing this, I will have an extremely bad sharp pain in the back of my head.  This has been going on for about a year and is only getting worse.  Also, steadily for a year i have been able to hear what sounds like my heartbeat in my left ear.  It is so loud that it is annoying.  I will sometimes hear it with a crunching sound or whirly wind like sound. The sound in my ear has started getting worse this week and the sharp pains in my head are starting to effect my sleep.  I will wake up with it so bad that I want to scream.  It happens mainly when I stretch or even roll over.  If I go to bend down I get dizzy.  Also, if I move to quick I get a little bit of pain and sometimes my vision is almost gone in my right eye.  The pains are mostly on my right side of my head all the way from my forehead to the back of my neck.  I went to the ER a few months ago cause I was just feeling kinda spacey and dizzy and the doctor told me that I was having migraines but I didn't even have a head ache at the time.  Now I continuously have a mild headache all the time and nothing I take helps.  I am afraid to go to sleep because I do not know what is wrong and that is when I get the sharp pains the most.  The noise in my ear is constantly annoying me.  I live in a small town and all the doctors want to treat it like an ear infection and the pains like a headache or want to believe that I am a person just out to look for pain meds.  I do not abuse medicines.  I do not even like taking any kinds of prescription drugs.  I try to avoid them at all costs.  But I have had this sound in my ear for over a year and the pains for almost that long.  Now everything is getting worse and I am getting very scared.  I tried to look up several things online and seeing all the different things scares me to the point that I am afraid if I go to sleep I may never wake up.  My husband is worried and annoyed now because I am afraid to go to sleep.  I do not like not knowing what is wrong with me.  Please, please, please help me if possible.  I posted something about this several months ago and I never received any responses.

[alaska_storm]

I've had spinal fusion on c5, c6 & c7, I too have severe headache after stretching. I just assume it's the fusion. I take advil migrain, then after sitting upright for a few minutes. Pain subsides.

[Mak414]

I have had these symptoms since 1987 and have had numerous MRI, CT's & CT's w/contrast. Nothing shows up on Xrays, so the Drs push more meds. I have been to over 45 neuros & no answer. The only help I get is from my chiropractor. He does a move on my skull that lifts it up off the 1st vertebrae in the neck. It  sometimes takes up to 2 wks for skull to settle down. I was in a bad automobile accident in 1982. I was broadsided and the drs  say this is what started this problem. This accident also caused me to get Trigiminal Neurologia, which is the most painful problem there is. It is known as the suicide disease. Look this disease up to see if this may be your problem. I have even has the brain surgery (MVD) to get relief from TN., but my head pain still continues, I also was told that I could have Chiari, but cannot find a Dr that will diagnosis this problem with me, The tell me I look fine or am making this up. You would think, living in the Houston area, with all the great Drs, I could find one to help!

[Mak414]

I have had these symptoms since 1987 and have had numerous MRI, CT's & CT's w/contrast. Nothing shows up on Xrays, so the Drs push more meds. I have been to over 45 neuros & no answer. The only help I get is from my chiropractor. He does a move on my skull that lifts it up off the 1st vertebrae in the neck. It  sometimes takes up to 2 wks for skull to settle down. I was in a bad automobile accident in 1982. I was broadsided and the drs  say this is what started this problem. This accident also caused me to get Trigiminal Neurologia, which is the most painful problem there is. It is known as the suicide disease. Look this disease up to see if this may be your problem. I have even has the brain surgery (MVD) to get relief from TN., but my head pain still continues, I also was told that I could have Chiari, but cannot find a Dr that will diagnosis this problem with me, The tell me I look fine or am making this up. You would think, living in the Houston area, with all the great Drs, I could find one to help!

[pear2apple]

I just read something similar!  

You both need to get a Brain/Cervical Spine MRI.  This sounds similar to what I have been reading about a Chiari Malformation, It can cause headaches, fatigue, muscle weakness in the head and face, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, nausea, impaired coordination.

Symptoms: Headaches aggravated by Valsalva maneuvers, such as yawning, laughing, crying, coughing, sneezing or straining. Tinnitus (ringing in the ears), Dizziness and vertigo, Nausea, Facial pain, Muscle weakness, Impaired gag reflex, Impaired coordination.

That sounds exactly like what you have. Save up some money, contact your dr, talk to your insurance, do whatever it takes to get an MRI.  You may need to go out of town to a larger city where the Drs know more because this is not a common disorder.  This can be diagnosed by a Neurologist with an MRI.  

Look up Chiari Malformation on wikipedia to read the info there.  Also check out Syringomyelia which can be caused by a Chiari Malformation.

Good luck!

[selmaS]

Hi...ur symptoms can fall into many diff conditions...as so many have the same symptoms....

Have u had a brain  and cervical spine MRI?..... A NL should do tests to rule conditions with similar symptoms out.

Ur PCP should be able to guide u to the correct specialist to help dx ur symptoms.

Goos luck
"selma"

[nash88]

Hi i seen your post and its almost identicle to what i have been going through, except i don't have trouble sleeping. I am in the same boat as you, can't figure out what is wrogn with me. I have such bad stabbing headaches and i have to take only Tylenol and i am goign through sometimes 9 tylenol a day just to get through the day. My right ear has been so messed up since Sept 09. I have a sense of fullness in my ear and a womping sound just like you. I went to a ENT a couple times but he couldn't see anything and i just can't afford the $35.00 copays for a specialist who can't help me. I am so scared that something serious is wrong but just don't have the money to go to the Dr and get the run around. I would like to have a CT scan just to rule out anything severe with my brain, but those are costly? Well, let me know if you have gotten any answers since this post, cause i could sure use some.