burning sensation on the right side of my head

[burning_head]

about six months ago i was diagnosed with a sinus infection and they can't get rid of it so i have been on antibiotics for six months for this. Then about a week ago the right side of my head started to burn. It burns all the time it goes from the top of my right side of my head to my cheek bones. Also i have pressure in my right ear and my right eye feels weird i can't explain it. Until this I never had to go to the doctor i was in good condition (as far as I know). Please help me with this because all i can think about is having a brain tumor.

[burning_head]

I had a ct scan done on my head today and it turned up normal and I also had a ct of my sinus's which also came back normal. But I do had a grape sized lump or knot on the back of my neck right beside my spine at the base of my skull. It is on the same side of my head that is burning.

[Sara Khan]

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.

Burning sensation of the head can be because of numerous reasons. More common treatable cause include things like Vitamin deficiencies ( B12 or D), thyroid problems, Diabetes, side effects to medications etc. These would probably not just be restricted to your head but the burning sensation would also appear in other parts of the body.

If just your head is involved, it could be because of a pinched nerve in your neck, a condition call "occipital neuralgia". This is just local compression of the occipital nerve which is responsible for sensation over the scalp and temple area, and can be treated with physiotherapy or local injections.

I am concerned about this diagnosis of sinusitis requiring antibiotics for 6 months. I am presuming that they have confirmed this on scans of your head/ sinuses. A lot of times migraines are misdiagnosed as sinus infections, as they can present with one sided fullness of the sinuses, nasal congestion, tearing of the eye, or burning/ tingling on one side.

I would advise you to see a neurologist for a complete neurological exam. I cannot tell from your description, if there are some findings in your eye ( you say it feels weird, but someone needs to do a more detailed exam) to make sure that there is no local compression in that area due to the infection or any other reason. This would also address your fear of a brain tumor, which I really can't comment on just by this description, but a neurologist may be able to discern on the basis of their exam.

I hope this helps.

Good Luck!