Aa
What do I have?
I am 17 years old and feamale. I have noticed recently (4-5 months maybe) that I get wierd muscle spasms followed by strange and painful headaches. For example, yesterday I got a spams under my left armpit, my muscle there was just giggling randomly for about 10 min. Then about an hour later I got this wierd headache; it feels like a vein or something in my was exploding. It wasn't my whole head, just a little part of my head, on the top and near the back. It get that feeling quite often and they usually leave in about 15 min. Although, I have noticed latly that the pain of the headaches is getting worse and worse; last time I almost cried and had to put my head down to try and ease the pain. Then almost immediatly after the headache was gone, I felt very, very tired. Like I didn't sleep all that night or like I was working all day (when it was only 9:00 A.M.).
This morning I woke up about 7:00 A.M. at 7:10 I had a musle spasm ob my left shoulder blade. !0 min. later it comes back and stayes and I could feel it slowly moving toward my armpit. It's about 10:10 right now, and there is a slight spasm there still; but I feel shakey all over, and extremely weak. The headache is a dull sensation on top of my head, it feels like I have a small hat on. Not any sharp pains like the past.
I notice these things happen mostly in the morning and afternoon.
Thank-you for helping me with this!
-Sarah
This morning I woke up about 7:00 A.M. at 7:10 I had a musle spasm ob my left shoulder blade. !0 min. later it comes back and stayes and I could feel it slowly moving toward my armpit. It's about 10:10 right now, and there is a slight spasm there still; but I feel shakey all over, and extremely weak. The headache is a dull sensation on top of my head, it feels like I have a small hat on. Not any sharp pains like the past.
I notice these things happen mostly in the morning and afternoon.
Thank-you for helping me with this!
-Sarah
I found this very useful and I am relieved to know I'm dieing. lol. But seeing a doctor at the present moment is rather hard for me and my family because I am not covered on thier insurance. So I think I'm going to wait until I'm 18 and get Medicaid or somehting. It's ok to wait a couple months right?
My muscle spasms are twiches; and yes, they are very visible. Last week or so my forearm was haveing one of it's "twiches" and a girl next to me was said" Woah, how are you doing that with your arm?"
I don't really think this is revelent, but my pelvis feels stiff alot. If I crack it (like cracking your knuckles) it goes away for a while. Along with my left knee. Is it just old softball injuries acting up or are these related?
My muscle spasms are twiches; and yes, they are very visible. Last week or so my forearm was haveing one of it's "twiches" and a girl next to me was said" Woah, how are you doing that with your arm?"
I don't really think this is revelent, but my pelvis feels stiff alot. If I crack it (like cracking your knuckles) it goes away for a while. Along with my left knee. Is it just old softball injuries acting up or are these related?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
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 your doctor.
Without the ability to examine you and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of your symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.
It is difficult to tie together your spasms and your head symptoms.
I am not sure what you mean by muscle spasm, if you mean twitching of the muscles, a visible contraction, or a cramping sensation. In general, there are several causes for cramps including viral illness (like a regular cold). Muscle cramps with twitching may be due to myopathy. A myopathy is basically a generic term for a muscle problem. Myopathies can be inflammatory, as is the case with a disorder called polymyositis which is an autoimmune disorder. Also, there are genetic myopathies, of which there are several, each with its own characteristics and features. Finally, and probably most commonly, metabolic causes such as thyroid problems or low potassium can be the cause of muscle cramping. The latter 2 can be diagnosed with simple blood tests. If you have visible twitches with muscle cramps one possibility is cramp-fasiculation syndrome which is a benign condition that is just that: muscle twitches with cramps, but there is nothing more serious than that and no progression of the disease and the symptoms are treatable. EMG in addition to simple blood tests such as a CK level can assess for the presence of myopathy and other potential causes.
Certain medications, particularly cholesterol medications called statins, can cause muscle cramping.
Regarding your head pains, 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. It sounds like your head pains are not long, they seem to last around 15 minutes. This makes some possibilities more likely such as the disorder primary stabbing headache, sharp or jabbing pain in the head occur, either as a single stab or a series of brief repeated volleys of pain. Primary stabbing headache often occurs in people with migraine. The pain itself generally lasts a fraction of a second but can last for up to one minute in some people. Another type of brief transient headache is called paroxysmal hemicrania. This is marked by episodes of stabbing or sharp pains that occur on one side of the head and may be associated with eye tearing or runny nose. Episodes may occur several times and last 30 seconds to a minute. And there are others.
If you have not experienced headaches in the past and you are now having new head pains, seeing a physician is a good idea, just to make sure there is nothing serious causing this pain. Imaging of the brain and may be indicated depending on your exact symptoms, your physical examination, and other factors. I recommend you see your PCP/family doctor and after he/she evaluates you it can be determined whether or not additional testing and/or referral to a neurologist is necessary.
Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.
Without the ability to examine you and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of your symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.
It is difficult to tie together your spasms and your head symptoms.
I am not sure what you mean by muscle spasm, if you mean twitching of the muscles, a visible contraction, or a cramping sensation. In general, there are several causes for cramps including viral illness (like a regular cold). Muscle cramps with twitching may be due to myopathy. A myopathy is basically a generic term for a muscle problem. Myopathies can be inflammatory, as is the case with a disorder called polymyositis which is an autoimmune disorder. Also, there are genetic myopathies, of which there are several, each with its own characteristics and features. Finally, and probably most commonly, metabolic causes such as thyroid problems or low potassium can be the cause of muscle cramping. The latter 2 can be diagnosed with simple blood tests. If you have visible twitches with muscle cramps one possibility is cramp-fasiculation syndrome which is a benign condition that is just that: muscle twitches with cramps, but there is nothing more serious than that and no progression of the disease and the symptoms are treatable. EMG in addition to simple blood tests such as a CK level can assess for the presence of myopathy and other potential causes.
Certain medications, particularly cholesterol medications called statins, can cause muscle cramping.
Regarding your head pains, 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. It sounds like your head pains are not long, they seem to last around 15 minutes. This makes some possibilities more likely such as the disorder primary stabbing headache, sharp or jabbing pain in the head occur, either as a single stab or a series of brief repeated volleys of pain. Primary stabbing headache often occurs in people with migraine. The pain itself generally lasts a fraction of a second but can last for up to one minute in some people. Another type of brief transient headache is called paroxysmal hemicrania. This is marked by episodes of stabbing or sharp pains that occur on one side of the head and may be associated with eye tearing or runny nose. Episodes may occur several times and last 30 seconds to a minute. And there are others.
If you have not experienced headaches in the past and you are now having new head pains, seeing a physician is a good idea, just to make sure there is nothing serious causing this pain. Imaging of the brain and may be indicated depending on your exact symptoms, your physical examination, and other factors. I recommend you see your PCP/family doctor and after he/she evaluates you it can be determined whether or not additional testing and/or referral to a neurologist is necessary.
Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.
I think the best thing would do would be to go see your doctor as soon as you can and tell him just what you said here.. he would hopefully take some blood tests and maybe even get you an MRI scan... It would also be worth while to go get a dilated eye exam
I don't think I added that the spams and headaches are rarley ever in the same spot. Sometimes the spasm is in my leg, headache is on the right part of my brain; spasm in my arm, headaches somewhere else. I dont notice any pattern though.
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