cranial muscle weakness and dull headache 24/7

[need help bad]

I have been experiencing the most troubling symptoms of my life for 8 months now, 24 hours a day every day.   The muscles of my head that raise the eyebrows have felt like they are very weak.  Not really "tense",  just weak, almost a partial paralysis by my own description.  However I am still able to move my eyebrows up and down, through the full range of motion.   I feel this weakness/pressure/tension (whatever you want to call it)  extenting to the tip-top of my head on the top/back, and to a lesser extent to the sides of my head and even a little bit into my eyelid movements.   Along with this, I have a constant, boring, dull, moderate, pressure type headache all the time, as well as a constant "spaced out" feeling and nearly constant nausea.    Putting pressure on the sides of my head with the palms of my hands makes it feel better for a few seconds.

Doctor said the MRI and MRA of my brain and neck... and blood tests rules out any major problems and I should take anti-depression medicine (i am not depressed!).     Please help me find out what to do because this is seriously effecting my life.   I've seen a neurologist/headache specialist at the Jacksonville Mayo clinic and another neuro in Orlando about this....so it's not like I have an inadequate doctor.  

I am 29/white/male and gained 40 pounds for no known reason since this began.  Serious exercise (especially weight lifting) makes me feel better during, but much worse for the rest of the day afterwards but I don't know if this is just because I allready feelbad.  PLEAASE help me, I am starting despair

[mike1105]

i am a dentist by trade, and My comment does not come from a dental perspective. since your tests and scans were normal, my gut tells me your issues may be myofascial--especially since it seems like you exercise seriously/rigorously. there are more than a few muscles in your face and over your head, including the temporalis which is a huge fan like muscle on the sides of your head. It is very commonly the source of head related symptoms, and especially in weight training or athletes who clench their face/scalp muscles during workouts.---  3 things to me are telling. 1. you feel better when you apply pressure to them ---(releasing spasm?). 2. you feel better during exercise (Muscles loosen) and 3. worse again after (muscles retighten and re-spasm.) I would try consistent (2-3 times daily) steady pressure after 10 minutes of heat (perhaps a loved one can do it for you) to those areas in your temporalis muscles (look them up on line or in an anatomy book) for no less than 3-5 minutes at a time in the areas that hurt the most (trigger points). Whoever is doing it should try to SLOWLY and not to rigorously try to stretch the muscle over it's entire length/width, in line with the direction of the fibers (remember it is shaped like a fan.  Pressure should be fairly hard even if it hurts. Also, go to Barnes and Noble and check out a book by Clair Davies, called The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, read it, but especailly page 73. I just checked that for you and one of the temporalis referred pain areas is the eyebrows....  
I've been through this with my mid/upper back/chest arms etc. remember, nerves run through muscle. If muscles are tight, the nerves get entrapped. You may think this is too simple of an answer (I did- i thought I had some kind of neurological disease) but in the absence of anything else.........Hopefully this will help. It is my personal belief that people do not get pain or any other symptoms for no reason. Again, this is my gut feeling having been through it. It may take a while but be patient. Do not give too much creedence to people who tell you it's in your mind. If it were me, and it was, I would not go on antidepressants if you are not depressed. I've been there. Have confidence in your connection with your body. trust yourself.  good luck.

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

I cannot give you a formal clinical diagnosis over the internet, but your headaches sound classic for tension type/muscle contraction headache, which, if present for more than 15 days a month is termed chronic tension type headache.

Common standard medications to help reduce the frequency of the headaches is antidepressants, which at lower doses than used to treat depression, are used to prevent headaches - for example Elavil. Some anti-seizure medications can also be effective for headaches, such as Topamax. Taking them does not mean that you are depressed or have seizures though. Other alternative treatments are Botox to reduce the contraction in those forehead muscles.

One of teh common ways a headache becomes so chronic is medication overuse. I do not know if this is in your case, but using medication more than several times a week over a few months can result in a vicious circle of rebound headaches related to the medication. Ask your doctor if this could be contributing to the chronic nature of your headaches.

Good luck

[nurse4]

It is nice to see so many helpful responses. I am a registered nurse, but have been on "the other side," as a pt. myself now for just over a yr.  First, it may be possibel you are experiencing a migraine.  That is not to minimize your symptoms.  Migraines vary in their severity.  I have seen pt.'s have not only visual hallucinations, but olfactory (sense of smell)halucinations as well.  Smelling things that are not there, smoke, etc... Sometimes these can cause a "heavy" feeling and confusion, even psychosis, believe it or not.  However, you have this continuously 24/7 which is not likely of migraines.  My advice to you is to get a thorough workup by neuro. You must feel confident and comfortable with them.  Do not let them tell you you are depressed.  Walk out. Do not go back.  This is your time, your money and most importantly, your health/body.  You are to come to us for answers and if not, then that's okay I feel.  They may not come up with an immediate dx, but they need to be on your team.  They need to provide you with hope, not take it away as you walk out the door.  I understand.  I have experienced paresthesia(numbness and tingling) as well as weakness to some extremities, muscle twitching, H/A, electrical shock feeling while flexing neck (Lhermitte's sign), mental fogginess, pins and needles to extremities, etc...  Most tests neg.  MRI's, Lumbar puncture, bloodwork all normal , etc.  one very small, suspicious area of "hyper intensity" in white matter of periventricular Lft. lobe.  2 major attacks in about 14 months, with smaller ones with colds or flu.  I foolishly thought, as a nurse, they would respect me.  It almost made it worse.  I walked out of many offices.  One thing many docs seem to not realize is - no matter how much schooling they have gone through or how bright they are, the patient ALWAYS knows their body better.  So, if the tests are coming up negative, but you are feeling very strong, unusual symptoms- espec.  neuro related and espec. if they are chronic and cont. to come back - your body is telling you something.  The doc just can't see it yet.  Remember, EVERYTHING begins microscopically.  The body detects and feels before the human eye can see or a test can pick up.  Be patient.  Find a patient and good doc who is willing to ride this out with you and cont. to monitor your symptoms.  Find support in family, friends, etc...  Often times pts can go yrs. with symptoms before they get a dx, which is sad because they are viewed as hypochondriacs.  NOT so!  Technology just cannot be as quick as the human body.  Good Luck.  Mike - good info as well!  Another consideration with TMJ, etc..

[Sunny602]

Agree with Vega, the first thing I thought of when I saw that you had gained 40 lbs without any good reason was thyroid disease, specifically hypothyroidism. I am a classic example of hypothyroidism...I have Hashimotos, a type of auto immune thyroid disease. I gained 30 lbs in a month and had headaches, as well as a myriad of other symptoms. Lo and behold, once the docs tested my thyroid levels, they found my thryoid to be very hypoactive. Once medicated, the pounds came off. It is just a thought....if your doc hasn't done it already, then a TSH and thyroid hormones should be tested. If he or she has, then great. I wish you luck in your persuit of a diagnosis...Sunny :)

[vega1318]

Have you been tested for thyroid disease?  Have you been tested you for vasculitis or rheumatological problems?  
Perhaps, ask your doctor if they ruled out venous thrombosis in your head -- sometimes, it is missed on a routine MRI but an MRV or an experienced radiologist looking for it on an MRI can pick it up.

I hope you feel better.

[need help bad]

PS,  I have also experienced continious "nystagmus" when laying horizontally

[need help bad]

Mike, thanks very much for your thoughtful response.  Since you are a dentist, maybe you could tell me if having my wisdom teeth extracted 1 month prior to the beginning of the symptoms may have had anything to do with this?   I have often wondered this since, when I clench my teeth together tightly there is also some relief of the pressure headache feeling.  Basically, if I apply pressure hard enough anywhere on my head or jaws, it helps until I let go of the spot.  The main focal points that help the best to put pressure on are the sides of my head just in front of my ears, my forehead between my eyes, the very top of my head at a specific spot towards the back (about where a typical hair cowlick would be).     Although I can't be sure, it seems almost as though any type pressing that distributes pressure throughout my skull help to a degree, with some spots helping much more.   By the way, in addition to having my wisdom teeth pulled, when I bite down on either side of my teeth I hear a "squishing" or perhaps "boiling" sound in my jaws, and I hear that same sound in my neck when I stretch my neck around too.

[mike1105]

it's possible that if your problems are muscular (myofascial) they were triggerred by the trauma of removal of the wisdom teeth. i would consult with whatever dentist or surgeon removed them, and have a tmj evaluation also....... i would also try the techniques of my previous post..... i would start now and see how you do.